December 29, 2025
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2025 is almost going to end. It feels like 2026 is already here. If you've caught the fitness-racing fever and are eyeing that HYROX St Gallen (16th Jan - 18th Jan 2026), ChAIron has got your back. With just 2 weeks out, you're probably stressing about where even to start training.
Nailing a HYROX, solo or teaming up in Relay or Doubles, means combining runs with killer hybrid and strength sessions, but going solo can feel overwhelming, right? Lucky for us, F45 Training's stepping in, so we're not winging it alone.
But here’s the sad truth: F45 can get you ready for HYROX. But not on its own. The classes build strength and teach you how to push through fatigue. That part works. The problem shows up when you hit the running, especially after you've just pushed a sled or done wall balls.
That's where most people struggle. So, in this review, ChAIron breaks down whether F45 is truly suitable for your HYROX training.
Photo by Blocks Fletcher on Unsplash
F45 Training built its name on 45-minute high-intensity classes that change daily so you don't get bored. The workouts focus on functional movements, the kind you'd use in real life or sports and are split into three types: Cardio for stamina, Resistance for strength, and Hybrid for full-body work.
Now F45 is HYROX's official global training partner (except in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore). That means specialized HYROX sessions with race-specific gear, such as sleds and wall balls, plus run clubs to support the 8km running component.
But the real strength is the community.
Coaches and members cheer each other on, celebrate wins together, and build the mental toughness you need for endurance events. It's like a Swiss Army knife for fitness: cardio, strength, and hybrid training all in one place, whether you're training for daily life or an actual race.
F45 HYROX classes build solid fatigue tolerance and cover station movements well, but the 35-40 minute sessions don't prepare you for a 90-minute race. Equipment quality also varies by studio, and the short burst format doesn't replicate the sustained Zone 4-5 effort HYROX demands. So, you have to add dedicated running and practice transitions between stations, or you'll feel the gap on race day.
F45 does build fatigue tolerance. Just not enough for the full race distance.
Rowing, carries, lunges, burpees.
F45 covers a lot of what you'll see in HYROX. Even people who've been training for years say the station work translates well. These sessions take the guesswork out, building your work capacity, strength under fatigue, and pacing just like race day demands.
No more aimless grinding.
However, there is a catch.
F45 HYROX classes teach the movements well, but don't replicate the race structure: 35-40 minute sessions can't prepare you for 90 minutes of alternating 1km runs and stations.
Without programmed running volume and transition practice, even strong athletes hit unexpected fatigue on race day. So, if you're preparing for HYROX, ChAIron recommends adding 2-3 F45 sessions plus dedicated runs and run-station combos to fill the gap.
If F45 is great at one thing, it is consistency.
F45 HYROX classes win on adherence: 45-minute sessions with daily variety. Also, community accountability makes it easy to show up 2-3 times weekly, while complex solo plans often get abandoned (iykyk 😉).
F45's structure can help you build fatigue tolerance despite programming gaps, as consistency prevents injury and ensures progressive overload.
Prep programs achieve 80-90% completion rates, compared with 50% for self-programmed plans, demonstrating that adherence beats perfection for HYROX base building.
F45 makes it simple to show up consistently. That matters more than most people think.
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Okay great! Now that we have discussed F45's advantages, it is time to discuss its shortcomings as well.
We can't emphasize that enough.
F45 classes run about 35-40 minutes. But most HYROX races take closer to 90 minutes of non-stop work.
This means the intensity profile is different. The endurance limits are greater, and you have to learn to push yourself without exhausting your body.
Simply put, your body needs to learn how to sustain effort for longer. And for that, F45 alone isn't enough.
If you're wondering how long you need to prepare for your HYROX event, you can check out ChAIron's comprehensive guide here.
This is true!
Let us say a person trained for HYROX trained for F45 for 11 weeks. Never ran more than 2 miles before starting. Built up to a 7.6-mile run during prep.
What do you think would have happened?
Running would have still been their weakness on race day.
Why does this happen? The answer is pretty simple.
HYROX sits in Zone 4–5 for long stretches, meaning you’re operating near lactate threshold for sustained periods while remaining strong.
That demands a high level of aerobic efficiency and fatigue tolerance.
F45, by contrast, delivers short, sharp bursts: you spike into higher heart-rate zones, then recover quickly before the next effort. It’s metabolically intense, but the stress is intermittent.
So while both feel “hard,” they train different systems. One builds repeatable intensity. The other trains sustained suffering.
That's why F45 alone is not enough for HYROX.
We all agree on one thing: some training studios have proper sleds and wall ball setups.
Others don't.
If your studio doesn't have the right gear, you're training with substitutes. That changes everything.
If your F45 is officially partnered with HYROX, you might get actual race-focused programming.
Some studios run 12-week HYROX prep programs. That's closer to what you need.
Signs your studio is set up for HYROX:
If you can't find a HYROX-affiliated studio near you, then don't worry. You can check out ChAIron's HYROX hub here so that you would never feel like you're training in the dark.
F45 pricing varies by location. Most people either go unlimited or buy class packs for HYROX-focused sessions.
Some use ClassPass. Some pay for drop-ins.
If F45 is your closest option, make sure you're filling in the gaps. The running. The longer sessions.
Get at least one full simulation.
F45 plus HYROX prep can turn into hard work every day. That's when shin splints show up.
Simple rules:
And eat before long sessions. “Breakfast only” vibes don't work when you're going for 90 minutes.
If F45 is your main training:
2-3 F45 classes per week (strength and hybrid days)
2 runs per week:
1 combo session per week:
This matches what experienced people recommend. F45 builds the base. You own the running.
F45 HYROX classes use circuit-style workouts based on race stations like rowing, sleds, carries, lunges, and wall balls. Sessions are short (35–40 minutes), high intensity, and usually run 1–2 times a week. They focus on functional conditioning rather than full race simulations.
No. F45 builds station strength and fatigue tolerance, but it doesn’t cover the full 8 km of running or the 90-minute race duration. Most racers add 20–28 km of weekly running and practice run-to-station transitions to be race-ready.
F45 uses short work blocks, limited running, and lighter or substitute equipment depending on the studio. HYROX requires sustained Zone 4–5 effort across eight 1 km run-and-station rounds. The gap shows up in endurance and transitions.
Yes. F45 is a solid starting point for beginners because it builds consistency, confidence, and familiarity with HYROX-style movements. To progress, beginners still need added running and heavier strength work.
Most racers do F45 2–3 times per week as base conditioning, alongside independent running and at least one longer simulation session. Relying only on F45 usually leaves endurance underdeveloped.
F45 builds a solid foundation. It covers a lot of the station work and teaches you to push through fatigue.
But it won't prepare you for the full race on its own.
If you skip the running and never practice transitions, you'll feel it when it counts.
Add the running. Do at least a few simulations. Then F45 works.
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