The 8 Hyrox stations, explained in order

Hyrox looks complicated until you see the pattern. You run 1 km, then you do one station. You do that 8 times. The stations are the same at every race and always come in the same order.

This guide walks through all 8, in race order. For each one you get the distance, what it asks of your body and one thing to practise. Loads depend on your category, so we link to the weights and standards guide instead of repeating every number.

The 8 stations at a glance

Add the 8 runs of 1 km and you have 8 km of running and 8 stations, all on one clock.

1. SkiErg: 1,000 m

You stand at a machine with two handles and pull down hard, again and again. It works your lats, core and hips more than your arms. It is also the first station, so it is tempting to go hard because you feel fresh.

Practise: a steady rhythm. Hinge at the hips as you pull and breathe out. Pick a pace you could hold for the full 1,000 m. No SkiErg? A rower plus straight-arm cable pulldowns work, and the gym substitute finder shows more swaps.

2. Sled push: 50 m

You push a loaded sled down four lanes of 12.5 m. Think low body, short fast steps and strong legs. It is short, but it takes a lot out of your quads and glutes, and your next run will feel heavy.

Practise: leg drive. Keep your arms long and your trunk tight. Heavy leg presses, loaded walking lunges and plate pushes on a smooth floor all help. The sled weight includes the sled itself.

3. Sled pull: 50 m

You pull the sled towards you with a rope, hand over hand, again in four lanes of 12.5 m. Your back, arms and grip do the work. Keep your hips back and stay low so your legs help.

Practise: rope or cable pulls, rows and dead hangs. Grip is a battery. You spend it here and again in the farmers carry, so do not waste it early.

4. Burpee broad jumps: 80 m

You drop into a burpee, then jump forward as far as you can, and repeat. Nothing here is heavy, but 80 m is a long way and your heart rate shoots up.

Practise: a rhythm you can keep. Jump for distance, not height, and land softly. Starting too fast is the usual mistake. A few sets of 20 m with short rests teach your body the pattern.

5. Rowing: 1,000 m

You row 1,000 m on a rowing machine. Push with your legs first, then lean back, then pull with your arms. It looks like an arm exercise and it is mostly legs.

Practise: steady strokes, not wild ones. Many people find the first 250 m too easy, sprint it and then fade. Our SkiErg and rowing pacing guide shows how to set your pace.

6. Farmers carry: 200 m

You carry a kettlebell in each hand for 200 m. The load depends on your category. It tests your grip, your posture and your breathing.

Practise: heavy carries with a tall chest and quick small steps. Squeeze the handles. Plan a set-down or two so you choose when to rest, instead of your grip choosing for you.

7. Sandbag lunges: 100 m

You carry a sandbag on your shoulders and take walking lunges for 100 m. This one hurts, because your legs have already done all the running and pushing.

Practise: walking lunges with a weight on your back, standing tall on every step. Short sets with planned pauses beat one long grind. No sandbag? A backpack or a barbell on your back works for practice.

8. Wall balls: 100 reps

You squat with a medicine ball, throw it to a target on the wall and catch it. 100 times. It comes last, when you are most tired. In Open the ball weighs 6 kg for men and 4 kg for women, and the target is 3.00 m for men and 2.70 m for women.

Practise: early and often. Squat deep, throw with your legs and break the 100 into sets before you have to. Our wall ball guide goes into detail.

How the stations fit together

Each station is short on its own. The race is hard because you do them on tired legs, between 1 km runs. Each one is also a different movement: pull, push, pull, jump, row, carry, lunge, throw. Training all of them a little each week beats training one of them hard.

Find your weak station

Everyone has one. Put your own times into the race time calculator. The chart shows where your time goes and flags your biggest leak. Train that station a little more often.

Questions people ask

Are the stations the same in every category?

Yes. Every category does the same 8 stations in the same order. Only the loads and the wall ball target change. The weights and standards guide lists them all.

Do I need to be good at all of them?

No, but you need to be able to finish all of them. A weak station mostly costs you time, so find it early and practise it.

Which station is the hardest?

It depends on you. For many first timers it is wall balls, because they come last. Others struggle with the sled or the carry. Your own numbers decide.

Can I practise without the real equipment?

Yes. Every station has a swap. Use the gym substitute finder, or read our guide to training without a sled.