November 12, 2025
The bright lights of the ExCeL London arena were blinding, but for Mark, a sub-3-hour marathoner, the real glare was the 152kg sled sitting motionless in front of him.
Just ten minutes earlier, he had sprinted through the first kilometer in a blistering 3:30, fueled by the deafening roar of the crowd and a surge of pure adrenaline. He felt invincible.
By the time he reached the Sled Push, the man who felt invincible was gasping for air. His legs, usually lean and efficient, felt like concrete blocks had replaced them. As he struggled to move the sled even an inch, the athletes he had passed on the first run began to overtake him.
Mark had made the classic HYROX mistake: he treated a fitness race like a track meet. He finished nearly 20 minutes slower than his training session predicted.
Whether you are a seasoned "Hyroxian" or a first-timer, the difference between a "Personal Best" and a "Did Not Finish" (DNF) often comes down to strategy and endurance rather than raw strength. Based on the leading expert analysis and race data, here are the top 10 HYROX mistakes you must avoid.
The biggest mistake occurs in the first four minutes. The music is pumping, the MC is shouting, and you feel fresh. Many athletes run their first 1km at their 5k PB pace.
The Mistake: In a typical HYROX race, running accounts for roughly 60% of your total race time. A study published in the National Library of Medicine found that for an average finisher (86.5 mins), running takes up 51.2 minutes while stations take 32.8 minutes (Source). Burning your glycogen in the first 1,000 meters sabotages your performance in the remaining 7 kilometers.
The Fix: Aim for a pace 15–20 seconds slower than your target average run pace for the first lap. Let the ego-runners pass you; you’ll see them again at the Sled Pull.
Many athletes train their running and their strength separately. They run on Monday and hit the gym on Tuesday.
The Mistake: According to data from Rox Lyfe, elite athletes lose significantly less time transitioning from a station back into a run compared to average athletes, who can see their run times drop by over 1 minute per lap after heavy leg stations like the Sled Push.
The Fix: Your training must include "compromised intervals." Try doing 1000m repeats immediately followed by 20 heavy kettlebell swings or lunges. You need to teach your heart and legs how to clear lactic acid while maintaining a running gait.
This is one station you do not want to come unprepared for. The Sled Push is one of the key stations and the most demanding at a HYROX event.
The Mistake: Using your upper body to move the sled. This drains your small muscle groups quickly.
The Fix: Keep your arms locked and your body at a low angle (45 degrees). Use your legs and glutes to drive. Imagine you are trying to push the floor away from you, rather than pushing the sled forward.
The Roxzone is the transition area between the running track and the workout stations. It is where dreams of a podium finish go to die.
The Mistake: Average Roxzone times for "Open" participants range from 6 to 11 minutes in total across the race
The Fix: Treat the Roxzone as part of the race, not a rest area. Have a "no-stop" rule. Walk if you must, but keep moving toward your station. If you save just 30 seconds per transition, you shave 4 minutes off your total time.
The Burpee Broad Jump (BBJ) is arguably the most hated station. Many athletes lose time by taking "micro-steps" between the burpee and the jump.
The Fix: Focus on the "jump" part of the broad jump. Ensure your chest touches the floor, but as you pop up, use that momentum to propel yourself forward. Standardizing your movement (aiming for roughly 1.5 to 2 meters per jump) will save your heart rate from spiking too high.
By station 7, your legs are screaming. This leads to "lazy lunges," where the back knee doesn't touch the floor or the athlete loses balance.
The Mistake: In HYROX, "No-Reps" are the enemy. If your knee doesn't touch the ground or you don't stand up fully, the judge will make you repeat the movement.
The Fix: Practice a pendulum style. Keep your torso upright to maximize lung capacity. Leaning too far forward compresses your diaphragm, making it harder to breathe when you need oxygen most.
The Sled Pull (Station 3) is often where the race "begins" for many. The carpet friction varies between venues, making the weight feel heavier than it looks.
The Mistake: Standing still and using only your arms.
The Fix: Use your body weight. Lean back, use a "hand-over-hand" technique, and use your legs to drive backward if the rules allow for that specific event's layout.
The Mistake: The 100 (or 75) Wall Balls at the end of the race are a mental game. Many athletes lose time by "short-changing" the squat or missing the target.
The Fix: Aim for the top of the target, not the line. If the ball hits the line and falls, it’s a no-rep. More importantly, practice "cycling" the ball, where you let the weight of the ball help pull you into the next squat.
The Mistake: A common mistake is training at 100% intensity every session.
The Fix: Performance coaches advocate for the 80/20 rule (Polarized Training). Studies show that recreational runners following an 80/20 split improved their performance by 5% compared to just 3.6% for those doing more moderate/hard sessions.
Why? This builds the aerobic base and mitochondrial density required to sustain a 60–90 minute high-intensity effort. If you only train fast, you’ll plateau quickly.
You wouldn't run a marathon without a fuel plan, so why treat HYROX differently?
The Mistake: Not taking on fluids until you feel thirsty. By then, your performance has already dropped by an estimated 2-5% due to dehydration.
The Fix: Use the water stations! Even a small sip of electrolytes at the halfway mark can prevent the late-race "cramp" that plagues the lunges and wall balls.
1. How can you get disqualified in HYROX?
2. What is the 80% rule in running?
In the context of HYROX, the 80% rule means roughly 80% of your training volume is performed at a low intensity (where you can hold a conversation), while 20% is at high intensity. This prevents burnout and builds the massive aerobic engine needed for the 8km of running.
3. What percentage of people finish HYROX?
HYROX has an incredibly high finish rate, estimated at over 98%. Unlike some "Spartan" or "Ironman" events with strict cut-offs, HYROX is designed to be inclusive. While the elite finish in under 60 minutes, the average "Open" finisher takes between 1 hour 30 minutes and 1 hour 45 minutes.
4. Can I use the toilet during HYROX?
Yes, you can. There are usually toilets located within the Roxzone or near the transition areas. However, the clock does not stop. Most athletes prefer to "hold it" or ensure they've handled business before their start wave to avoid losing 2-3 minutes of race time.
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