The Best Strength Exercises for HYROX Success
Competing in HYROX requires more than just endurance — it demands serious strength, power, and resilience. Every race tests your ability to perform functional movements efficiently while managing fatigue. To conquer the sled push, wall balls, and everything in between, your training must include targeted strength work.
At CalFit Personal Training in West Kensington, we coach athletes and everyday fitness enthusiasts to perform their best in HYROX events through structured, functional strength training. Below, we break down the best strength exercises for HYROX and explain how to build a body that’s race-ready.
Why Strength Training Is Essential for HYROX
HYROX combines running with eight functional workout stations. While cardiovascular endurance is key, strength plays a massive role in maintaining pace and efficiency across each exercise.
Stronger athletes can:
Push and pull sleds with less energy loss
Maintain better form under fatigue
Transition between stations more effectively
Prevent injuries from overuse or poor mechanics
In short, strength training allows you to go faster, last longer, and recover quicker.
The Best Strength Exercises for HYROX
These compound, functional movements are staples in CalFit’s HYROX training programmes — perfect for building the power, control, and stamina you’ll need on race day.
1. Sled Push and Pull
These movements appear in every HYROX event, and they’re among the most demanding. You’ll need both lower-body and upper-body strength, as well as strong core engagement.
How to train it:
Load a sled with moderate to heavy weight.
Drive through your legs to push the sled across a set distance.
For pulls, attach straps and walk backwards, keeping tension throughout.
CalFit Tip: Focus on maintaining a consistent pace — raw power matters, but efficiency wins races.
2. Front Squats
Front squats develop quad strength, core stability, and upright posture — all vital for movements like wall balls and sled pushes.
How to do it:
Hold a barbell in a front rack position. Keep your elbows high, brace your core, and lower into a controlled squat before driving up through your heels.
Variation: Try goblet squats with a kettlebell for mobility and technique work.
3. Deadlifts
The deadlift is one of the best total-body strength builders. It trains your posterior chain — glutes, hamstrings, and back — which power nearly every HYROX movement.
How to do it:
Stand with feet hip-width apart, grip the bar just outside your knees, and drive through your heels to lift. Keep your back straight and core braced throughout.
CalFit Tip: Prioritise perfect form over heavy loading to build strength safely.
4. Farmer’s Carries
Grip strength and shoulder stability are often overlooked in HYROX training, yet they’re crucial for the Farmer’s Carry station and overall endurance.
How to train it:
Hold a pair of heavy dumbbells or kettlebells by your sides and walk a set distance. Keep your core tight and posture tall.
Progression: Increase the weight or walk longer distances to build grip endurance.
5. Lunges (Weighted or Walking)
Lunges build unilateral strength, balance, and coordination — essential for running economy and transitions between stations.
How to do it:
Step forward into a lunge, keeping your torso upright and both knees at 90 degrees. Push through the front heel to return to standing.
Variation: Add dumbbells or a barbell for resistance, or perform walking lunges to simulate race conditions.
6. Wall Balls
A signature HYROX movement that tests both strength and conditioning. Wall balls combine a front squat with an explosive press.
How to train it:
Hold a medicine ball at chest height. Drop into a squat, then drive upwards, throwing the ball to a target (usually around 3 metres high). Catch and repeat.
CalFit Tip: Focus on breathing and rhythm — maintaining consistency is more effective than going all-out early.
7. Row and Ski Erg Power Intervals
While technically endurance-based, these erg machines demand powerful leg and upper-body drive. Strength training helps you generate more force per stroke, making each calorie easier.
How to train it:
Include short, high-power intervals on the rower or ski erg. Aim for explosive pulls rather than steady endurance pacing.
How to Structure HYROX Strength Training
At CalFit Personal Training in West Kensington, we recommend balancing your training across three key areas:
Lower Body Strength: Squats, deadlifts, lunges, sled pushes.
Upper Body Strength: Pulls, carries, presses, and core stability.
Power and Conditioning: Rowing, ski erg sprints, wall balls, and burpees.
Combine these with running intervals and mobility work for a complete HYROX-ready programme.
The CalFit Approach to HYROX Performance
Our personal trainers in West Kensington specialise in functional strength and endurance training tailored to HYROX competition demands. We focus on technique, load management, and performance tracking — ensuring you build real strength that translates directly to race success.
Whether you’re training for your first HYROX or aiming to set a new personal best, CalFit will help you move better, lift stronger, and race faster.
💪 Ready to level up your HYROX training?
Book your free consultation with CalFit Personal Training in West Kensington and get a customised strength plan designed for performance.
