3 Steps to Improve Your Burpees in HYROX

In HYROX, every second counts. When you hit the Burpee Broad Jump station — typically late in the race when you’re already fatigued from running, sled pushes, and various functional exercises — you have a chance to gain time… or lose it.

Why Burpees Matter in HYROX
Burpees are deceptively simple, yet brutally taxing. They require explosive strength, efficient movement, and mental toughness. The challenge? Many athletes waste energy through poor technique or inconsistent pacing.

If you want to excel in HYROX, mastering your burpee form and efficiency can be a game-changer. Here’s how to optimize your burpee performance:
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Step 1: Perfect Your Technique
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Before you focus on speed, you need to focus on form. Every unnecessary movement during your burpee costs precious seconds and energy, which you’ll need for the rest of the race.

Key Points for Efficient HYROX Burpees:

• Land Soft, Load Fast: After your broad jump, land softly by bending your knees, then immediately drop into your next burpee. This helps reduce impact and prepares you for the next movement.
• Hands-Feet Alignment: Keep your hands close to where your feet land during the burpee. This minimizes the distance between your jump and your drop, making the movement more efficient.
• Snap Your Hips: Drive your hips forward explosively when coming up from the burpee. This maximizes the distance of your jump without wasting extra effort.
• Minimize Air Time: The higher you jump, the more energy you waste. In HYROX, broad jump distance is more important than vertical height.

Drill:
Perform 3 x 8 reps of controlled burpee broad jumps, focusing on smooth transitions rather than speed. Film yourself to identify wasted movements and make adjustments as needed.
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Step 2: Build Specific Strength & Power
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Burpees are a full-body exercise — they require strength, power, and endurance. Stronger legs, core, and upper body will make each rep feel lighter and allow you to maintain speed as fatigue sets in.

Strength Builders for Burpee Power:

• Front Squats (3x8 @ moderate weight) — Builds leg strength for powerful jumps and proper squat form.
• Push-Ups (3x15) — Improves upper-body endurance for the drop and push-up portion of the burpee.
• Box Jumps (3x10) — Trains explosive leg drive, which translates into better broad jumps.
• Plank Holds (3x60s) — Reinforces core strength for stable and efficient movement transitions.

💡 Pro Tip: Train strength exercises on separate days from high-intensity burpee sessions to avoid burnout and ensure proper recovery.
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Step 3: Develop Your Burpee Engine
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In HYROX, it’s not just about performing a few perfect burpees — it’s about doing dozens while already fatigued. That means building muscular endurance and pacing control.

Conditioning Workouts to Build Your Burpee Engine:

• Burpee EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute):
  Perform 8-12 burpees each minute for 10 minutes. The goal is to maintain consistent form and pace for the entire duration.
• Race Simulation:
  Run 400m → 10 Burpee Broad Jumps → Repeat x 6. This mimics the fatigue and rhythm of the actual HYROX station, helping you practice pacing under race conditions.
• Descending Ladder:
  Start with 15 burpees, then 14, 13… down to 1, resting only as needed. This workout helps build endurance while maintaining consistent breathing.

Breathing Tip:
Exhale as you drop into the burpee, and inhale as you snap your hips forward. Controlled breathing keeps you from burning out too early.
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Bringing It All Together
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When you combine efficient technique, targeted strength work, and race-specific conditioning, your burpee performance in HYROX will drastically improve.

Remember: The goal isn’t just to survive the Burpee Broad Jumps, but to attack them with confidence, knowing that you’ll leave the station ahead of your competition.

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