HYROX Stations Explained: All 8 Workouts in Race Order

Every HYROX race on the planet follows the same structure: run 1 km, complete a workout station, and repeat that cycle eight times. That means 8 km of running and 8 functional workout stations, always in the same order, with the same distances and the same equipment. It is not a randomized obstacle course. It is a standardized race, and knowing what each station asks of you before race day is a genuine advantage.

Here is what you will face, station by station.

What Is the HYROX Race Format?

HYROX is a fitness race built on a repeating pattern: run 1 km, then complete one functional workout station. You do this eight times, moving through the stations in a fixed sequence. The total race includes 8 km of running plus all eight stations.

The format is identical at every HYROX event worldwide — same stations, same order, same distances. Whether you race in London, Dallas, or Sydney, you are doing the same race. This is what separates HYROX from obstacle-course events where the course changes at every venue.

Weights and rep counts differ across divisions. Open divisions use lighter loads than Pro divisions, and Doubles teams share the workload using Open-level weights. The article covers Open division specifics below, but if you are racing in a different division, know that the stations and distances stay the same — only the loads change.

The 8 Stations in Race Order

Station 1: SkiErg — 1,000 m

The SkiErg is a standing machine that simulates a Nordic skiing motion. You grab two handles overhead and pull them down in a rhythmic stroke, driving through your arms, shoulders, and core. Your legs contribute when your technique is efficient, but the upper body and core do the heavy lifting.

The trap here is pacing. After a 1 km run, you arrive at the SkiErg with your heart rate already elevated, and 1,000 meters feels like it should go fast. It does not. Athletes who sprint the first 200 meters burn out their arms and spend the remaining 800 meters grinding at a crawl. Start controlled and hold a pace you can sustain for the full distance.

Station 2: Sled Push — 50 m

You push a weighted sled across 50 meters, structured as four 12.5-meter lanes. The movement is straightforward — hands on the sled, body leaned forward, legs driving — but the difficulty is deceptive.

The sled can feel immovable if your body angle is wrong. You need to stay low with your chest over the sled, pushing through your legs rather than trying to muscle it with your upper body. First-time racers are consistently caught off guard by how demanding the sled push is after running. Your legs have already been working, and now they have to generate serious force against heavy resistance. This station has a well-earned reputation in the HYROX community as the one that surprises newcomers the most.

Station 3: Sled Pull — 50 m

The sled pull covers the same 50-meter distance (four 12.5-meter lanes), but this time you are pulling the sled toward you using a heavy rope. You can either plant your feet and pull hand-over-hand from a low squat, or grip the rope and walk backward. Both methods are legal, but you must stay standing — sitting or kneeling is not permitted.

This station loads your back, shoulders, and grip. The rope is thick and heavy, and maintaining your hold on it while generating pulling force is harder than it sounds, especially this early in the race when your body is starting to accumulate fatigue.

Station 4: Burpee Broad Jumps — 80 m

Drop to the ground, perform a burpee, then jump forward as far as you can. Repeat for 80 meters. That is the entire station, and it is widely regarded as one of the hardest in HYROX.

The problem is not any single rep — it is the combination of high metabolic cost and painfully slow forward progress. Each jump covers a relatively short distance, so the 80-meter lane feels endless. A survey of over 400 HYROX participants voted burpee broad jumps the hardest station, and experienced racers describe it as the point where the race starts to hurt. Expect this station to take longer than you think, and pace accordingly.

Station 5: Row — 1,000 m

You sit down on a rowing machine (an erg) and row 1,000 meters. After four stations and five kilometers of running, sitting down sounds appealing. It is — for about 100 meters.

Rowing rewards pacing discipline. The temptation is to pull hard from the start, but a fast opening pace on the rower leads to a painful second half. Smooth, consistent strokes with strong leg drive are more effective than raw power. Your aerobic engine matters more here than your strength. If you have rowed before, aim for a sustainable split. If you have not, know that this station is about rhythm, not force.

Station 6: Farmer's Carry — 200 m

Pick up two heavy weights (one in each hand) and walk 200 meters. The concept is simple. The execution, six stations deep into a race, is not.

Grip endurance is the limiting factor. Your forearms and hands have already been worked by the sled pull and the rope, and now they have to hold heavy loads for an extended carry. When your grip fails, you have to set the weights down, rest, and pick them back up — and every stop costs time. Keep your shoulders packed, your core tight, and your steps steady. Rushing leads to earlier grip failure.

Station 7: Sandbag Lunges — 100 m

You place a heavy sandbag on one shoulder and lunge forward for 100 meters. Each rep is a full lunge: step forward, drop your back knee toward the ground, then drive up and step forward again.

By station seven, your quads and glutes have been hammered by running, sled pushes, burpee broad jumps, and rowing. Now they have to produce force on every single step while carrying a load on your shoulder. This station is a test of leg endurance under deep fatigue. The sandbag also shifts on your shoulder, forcing your core to stabilize constantly. Switch shoulders when one side tires — it helps.

Station 8: Wall Balls — 75 or 100 reps

The final station. You hold a medicine ball, squat down, then drive up and throw the ball to hit a target on the wall. Catch it on the way down and repeat. In the Open division, women complete 75 reps with a 4 kg ball to a 2.7-meter target, and men complete 100 reps with a 6 kg ball to a 3.0-meter target.

Wall balls test sustained leg and shoulder endurance. The squat loads your already-destroyed quads, and the throw taxes your shoulders and arms. One hundred reps is a lot when your body is seven stations deep. This is as much a mental test as a physical one — you know the finish line is on the other side, and breaking the reps into manageable sets keeps you moving when your legs want to quit.

How Station Performance Shows Up in Your Results

HYROX uses a timing chip worn on your ankle to capture your performance at every stage of the race. Your results are not just a single finishing time — they break down into individual run splits (for each of the eight 1 km segments) and individual station times (for each of the eight workouts).

This level of detail means you can see exactly where you were fast and where you lost time. Maybe your runs were solid but your sled push took four minutes. Maybe your wall balls were quick but your burpee broad jumps dragged. The data tells you.

Station-by-station performance can be explored on Hyranking result pages, where you can review your own splits or study how other athletes raced. If you want to compare your performance against another racer, that breakdown is available too. This is one of the things that makes HYROX compelling beyond race day — every finish produces data you can act on.

You can also browse upcoming events to find your next race, knowing the format will be identical wherever you go.

Which Stations Trip Up First-Timers Most?

Two stations stand out: Burpee Broad Jumps and Sled Push. Burpee broad jumps earn their reputation through sheer metabolic brutality and the demoralizing pace of forward progress. The sled push catches newcomers because they underestimate how hard it is to push a heavy sled when their legs are already tired from running.

Beyond individual stations, grip fatigue is the hidden challenge that runs through the race. Your hands and forearms work hard during the sled pull, get loaded again during the farmer's carry, and then have to keep throwing a medicine ball during wall balls. It is not one station that breaks your grip — it is the accumulation across several of them.

The reassuring truth is this: every single person who has finished a HYROX race went through the same eight stations in the same order. There are no surprises in the format. Knowing what each station demands and pacing yourself through the ones that bite hardest will do more for your finish time than raw fitness alone. Show up informed, race with discipline, and you will finish.