CrossFit athletes train for the unknown and unknowable.
HYROX athletes, on the other hand, know exactly what’s coming.
When John Singleton, founder of The Progrm, was approached to lead an official HYROX training program, he saw it as a welcome change of pace from traditional CrossFit training modalities.
The two sports can be looked at like sisters, but they’re certainly not twins.
Each has unique characteristics and differs greatly in terms of training methods and the areas of fitness they center around.
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HYROX vs. CrossFit: What’s the Difference?
HYROX, a sport that originated in Europe, is a set workout event that involves a mix of running (a lot of it) and cross-training station work. It’s an endurance event that, on average, takes athletes a little over an hour to complete.
Its growth in the United States is notable, and the crossover from CrossFit to HYROX is also becoming increasingly common.
What sets HYROX apart from other fitness races is that it has developed an elite tier of competition on top of the community divisions in each event.
- “[HYROX] has been quite clear in their specifics. They focus on one specific event. You know the course, you know the stations you’re going to be doing, and although there are similarities [with CrossFit], the fundamental difference is quite big,” Singleton says.
Singleton says the approach to HYROX programming differs quite a bit from CrossFit training.
In part, that’s because CrossFit athletes who start running every day to train for the HYROX race are much more susceptible to overuse injuries. Instead, athletes need to increase that volume sensibly.
- “With CrossFit athletes, there’s a lot of luck when it comes to the programming [and] where they’re going to place on the leaderboard,” Singleton says. “Whereas what we’ll start to find in HYROX is you can have a very good prediction of where your athlete is going to finish because you know their times, and so that helps to lead in the taper. Everything gets a bit more clear with what you’re going to do [and] what you’re prescribing for them.”
Additionally, since the HYROX format race is set and repeated, there is more data available for each athlete and coach to analyze. The athlete can break down each station and understand where they did well and where they can improve.
- “It’s been exciting for us as coaches to be able to have that data and that information because in CrossFit, you can get really random workouts,” Singleton says.
Using The Progrm for HYROX
The HYROX program offered by The Progrm has three adaptable training levels, focusing on running, strength and conditioning, and recovery. The programming includes warm-up routines, technique videos, and built-in taper weeks.
Another way Singleton has ingrained The Progrm into HYROX is by providing support to CrossFit gym owners looking to bring HYROX-style programming into their gyms.
- “No doubt, now, gym owners have some members who are interested in doing HYROX. However, the programming ends up being quite specific relative to just normal CrossFit conditioning classes, and that’s one thing that we’ve really tried to implement as well as we can,” Singleton says.
Some gyms have even started to add a specific HYROX class to the daily class schedule, Singleton says.
Gyms should see the integration of HYROX as a win-win since athletes can feel the same sense of community that they would get from the traditional CrossFit class.
- “I think for the gyms that are embracing it, they’ve really got nothing to lose,” he added.
Those looking for more information on HYROX can find the full season breakdown here.
More About HYROX
- So, I Did HYROX: An Honest Review by a Diehard CrossFitter
- HYROX Announces New Major Races Structure for the 2024/25 Season
- HYROX Is on the Rise: Get to Know 2024 World Champions Megan Jacoby and Alexander Roncevic
Featured image: @hyroxworld / Instagram
