HYROX Race Guide by Hyrox & CrossFit Gym Aorta, Berlin-Tempelhof
HYROX race guide: how your race works
A HYROX race is 8 × 1 km of running and 8 workout stations, always alternating and always in the same order. Here you see the full race flow from check in to finish line, with the rules from the official rulebook and tips from our training.
- 8 kmof running, split into 8 × 1 km
- 8stations in a fixed order
- Roxzoneafter every kilometre
- 16minimum age on race day
Updated November 2026. Based on the official HYROX rulebooks for season 26/27 (Singles, Doubles and Relay). Put together by Hyrox & CrossFit Gym Aorta, official HYROX Training Club and CrossFit affiliate since 2014.
The guide: tap your way through the race
The course plays once on its own. Then tap any area or station to see the rule, a tip and how to train it.
HYROX Race GuideHyrox & CrossFit Gym Aorta, official HYROX Training Club and CrossFit affiliate in Berlin-Tempelhof
- Running route
- Already covered
- Roxzone with entrance
SkiErg
What the judges check
Tip
How to train it at Aorta
How does a HYROX race work?
A HYROX race is 8 × 1 km of running, with one workout station after every kilometre. The order never changes: SkiErg, Sled Push, Sled Pull, Burpee Broad Jumps, Rowing, Farmers Carry, Sandbag Lunges and Wall Balls. Between the running course and the stations is the Roxzone. Before the race you check in, warm up and start in your wave.
- Check inWith a photo ID and your registration confirmation. You get your race number, a timing chip and a wristband for your wave.
- Warm upDrop your bag, then head to the warm-up area. Only athletes are allowed there.
- Start tunnelBe in the start tunnel 10 minutes before your start time. You only start in your own wave.
- Run and stationsEight times 1 km of running, each followed by a station. You count your own running laps.
- RoxzoneIn and out only through the marked arches. Use the lane and equipment you are assigned.
- Finish and resultsAfter 100 valid wall balls you head to the finish. Results appear on results.hyrox.com.
What is the Roxzone?
The Roxzone is the area between the running course and the stations. You enter it through a marked entrance, do your station and leave through the exit. Time spent in the Roxzone counts towards your total time, so calm but quick transitions pay off. Using the wrong arch costs a 2 minute penalty.
What are the HYROX stations?
There are 8 stations, always in this order: SkiErg 1,000 m, Sled Push 50 m, Sled Pull 50 m, Burpee Broad Jumps 80 m, Rowing 1,000 m, Farmers Carry 200 m, Sandbag Lunges 100 m and 100 Wall Balls. The distances apply to Singles according to the 26/27 rulebook.
| No. | Station | Distance | What the judges check | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SkiErg | 1,000 m | Feet stay on the platform, step off only after the signal | Article (German) |
| 2 | Sled Push | 4 × 12.5 m | Sled fully across the line, stay in your lane | Article (German) |
| 3 | Sled Pull | 4 × 12.5 m | Stay in your lane and box, sled fully across the line | Article (German) |
| 4 | Burpee Broad Jumps | 80 m | Chest on the floor, take off and land with both feet | Train at Aorta |
| 5 | Rowing | 1,000 m | Feet in the foot stretchers until the signal | Article (German) |
| 6 | Farmers Carry | 200 m | Carry both kettlebells, put them back upright | Train at Aorta |
| 7 | Sandbag Lunges | 100 m | Back knee touches the floor, sandbag on your shoulders | Train at Aorta |
| 8 | Wall Balls | 100 reps | Hips below parallel, ball hits the target zone | Article (German) |
Tips for every area and every station
Everything from the guide above, ready to read: check in, start tunnel and Roxzone, each of the 8 stations and the finish. Each with the rule from the rulebook and a tip from our training.
Check in and warm up
Check in, bag drop, warm-up area
To check in you need a photo ID and your registration confirmation. You get your race number, a timing chip and a wristband whose colour shows your wave and division.
What the rulebook says: The chip stays on your ankle for the whole race. Without a chip your start does not count. Only athletes are allowed in the warm-up area.
Tip: At many events check in opens 90 minutes before the first wave of your division. Arrive early, drop your bag and warm up calmly.
At Aorta: You can test the full race flow with waves and judges at our HYROX simulation in Berlin.
Start tunnel and start
10 minutes before your start time
10 minutes before your start time you gather in the start tunnel. You get the final instructions there, then your wave sets off.
What the rulebook says: You only start in your own wave. Before your start you do not enter the Roxzone or the running course, otherwise your chip may trigger.
Tip: The first kilometre feels easy. Run it deliberately slower than your target pace, the stations are still to come.
At Aorta: You find your race pace in our Running Club and HYROX classes.
Roxzone and running laps
8 × 1 km run with the Roxzone in between
After each kilometre you run through the Roxzone to your station and back out onto the running course. Time in the Roxzone counts towards your total.
What the rulebook says: In and out only through the marked arches. Use the equipment and lane you are assigned. You count your own running laps, and drinks from spectators count as outside assistance.
Tip: Treat the Roxzone as an active transition: a short breather, grab water if you need it, and start running again calmly.
At Aorta: We train transitions in our HYROX classes with curved treadmills, SkiErgs and the sled lane right next to each other.
1SkiErg
Distance: 1,000 m on the SkiErg
You pull two handles from above down to your thighs, like cross-country skiing with poles. The power comes from your core and hips.
What the judges check: Your feet stay on the platform for the full distance. You only step off after the judge gives the signal.
Tip: After the first run your heart rate is already high. Start at an even pace and save your finishing push for the last 200 m.
At Aorta: On the Concept2 SkiErgs in our gym, in HYROX classes and Open Gym. SkiErg article (German)
2Sled Push
Distance: 4 × 12.5 m, 50 m in total
You push a loaded sled down the lane. Legs and core do the work, your body leans forward at an angle.
What the judges check: You stay in your lane. The sled must fully cross the line before you turn.
Tip: Short, quick steps and long arms. If you stop, you have to get the sled moving again from a standstill.
At Aorta: On our own sled lane with carpet. Sled article (German)
3Sled Pull
Distance: 4 × 12.5 m, 50 m in total
You pull the sled towards you with a rope. It works your back, arms and above all your grip.
What the judges check: You stay in your lane and your box. The sled must fully cross the line.
Tip: Take one or two steps back while pulling and use your legs. Lay the rope down neatly.
At Aorta: Also on our sled lane. You build grip strength in CrossFit and Strongman classes. Sled article (German)
4Burpee Broad Jumps
Distance: 80 m
One burpee, then a broad jump forward, over and over until the line. This station costs a lot of air.
What the judges check: Your chest touches the floor on every burpee. Take off and land with both feet at the same time.
Tip: Steady medium jumps beat a few long ones. A fixed rhythm saves time.
At Aorta: On the open floor in our gym. Burpees are part of many CrossFit workouts.
5Rowing
Distance: 1,000 m on the rower
Rowing on the ergometer. On each stroke your legs drive first, then your core, then your arms.
What the judges check: Your feet stay in the foot stretchers until you are done and the judge gives the signal.
Tip: After the burpees, calm your breathing first. Calm, strong strokes beat a high stroke rate.
At Aorta: On the Concept2 rowers in our gym. Rowing article (German)
6Farmers Carry
Distance: 200 m
You carry two kettlebells at your sides over the distance. Grip strength and a stable core decide it.
What the judges check: You carry both kettlebells the whole time and put them back upright at the end.
Tip: Shoulders down, short quick steps. Every time you put them down costs time.
At Aorta: With our kettlebells, in HYROX classes and Open Gym.
7Sandbag Lunges
Distance: 100 m
Lunges with a sandbag on your shoulders. After seven stations this is all about endurance.
What the judges check: Your back knee touches the floor on every step. The sandbag stays on your shoulders.
Tip: Find an even stride length. Short planned breaks are better than falling apart.
At Aorta: With our sandbags, in HYROX classes and Open Gym.
8Wall Balls
Distance: 100 reps
A squat with a medicine ball, then you throw the ball at a target on the wall. The last station before the finish.
What the judges check: Your hips go below parallel and the ball hits the target zone. Only clean reps count.
Tip: Plan your sets before the race. Catch the ball and go straight into the next squat.
At Aorta: Wall balls are a fixed part of CrossFit and HYROX classes at Aorta. Wall balls article (German)
Finish
After 100 valid wall balls
Once the judge has confirmed your 100 wall balls, you run straight to the finish. You cannot go back into the wall ball area afterwards.
What the rulebook says: Results are published right after the event on results.hyrox.com. Penalties can still be added up to 48 hours after the event.
Tip: Walk it off slowly, drink, eat something. Then look at your splits: where did you lose time?
At Aorta: We use your splits to plan your next race preparation in our HYROX classes.
What are the HYROX rules and penalties?
The key rules: stations in a fixed order, every station completed in full, in and out of the Roxzone only through the marked arches and no outside assistance. Most violations cost 2 minutes. Skipping or not finishing a station means disqualification. The briefing at your event always has the final word.
- Fixed orderDoing stations in the wrong order costs 3 minutes the first time and means disqualification the second time.
- Every station in fullA skipped or unfinished station leads to disqualification.
- Correct archesEntering or leaving the Roxzone through the wrong arch costs 2 minutes each time.
- Count your own lapsA missed running lap costs 3 to 7 minutes depending on the course. If there is only one lap per kilometre, it means disqualification.
- No outside assistanceFood or drinks from spectators cost 2 minutes. Water is available on the course.
- EquipmentClosed shoes are mandatory. Headphones and phones are not allowed on the course. The chip stays on your ankle.
Penalties at a glance
| Violation | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Station in the wrong order, first time | 3 minutes |
| Station in the wrong order, second time | Disqualification |
| Station skipped or not finished | Disqualification |
| Run segment skipped | Disqualification |
| Running lap missed | 3, 5 or 7 minutes depending on the course, disqualification with one lap per kilometre |
| Entering or leaving the Roxzone through the wrong arch | 2 minutes each time |
| Wrong equipment or lane | 2 minutes |
| Outside assistance, for example drinks from spectators | 2 minutes |
| Pouring drinks over your body | 2 minutes |
| Chalk outside sled pull and farmers carry | 2 minutes |
| Littering or spitting | 2 minutes |
| Kettlebells not returned correctly | 30 seconds |
| Standing still in the start tunnel while your wave moves | 1 minute |
At stations 1 to 7 the first fault usually gets a warning, from the second fault the rep does not count and the penalty applies. Wall balls have no warning, an invalid rep simply does not count. Source: HYROX Singles rulebook 26/27.
How do HYROX Doubles and Relay work?
In Doubles, two athletes run all 8 km together and split the station work however they like. In Relay, four athletes share the race: each runs 2 km and does two stations. Course, stations and order are the same in every format.
Doubles: two athletes
You start together and run every kilometre side by side. Running ahead of your partner costs the team 1 minute.
At the stations only one partner works at a time, the other waits in the marked area or walks right behind. You decide how often you switch.
You enter and leave every station together. Your time stops when the second partner crosses the finish line.
Relay: four athletes
Each athlete runs 1 km twice and does two stations. The team decides who does what.
Handovers happen in the transition zone with a high five. Each athlete's chip must be read there, otherwise there is a penalty.
The whole team joins for the wall balls, and all four cross the finish line together.
Source: HYROX Doubles and Relay rulebooks 26/27.
What do I need on race day?
You must bring a photo ID and your registration confirmation, without them you cannot check in. Add shoes and clothes you have already trained in, a change of clothes, something to drink and anything else you need. Headphones and your phone stay in your bag.
- Photo ID and registration confirmation
- Know your start time and wave
- Closed running shoes, tested in training
- Training clothes, tested in training
- A change of clothes for afterwards
- Towel
- Water bottle or electrolytes
- A tested snack or gel, if you are used to it
- Plasters, tape and personal medication
- A plan for getting there with time to spare
What mistakes do HYROX beginners make?
The most common mistakes in a first HYROX race are a first kilometre that is too fast, miscounted running laps, the wrong arch in the Roxzone and trying something new on race day. All of them can be avoided with a little planning.
Starting too fastThe first kilometre feels easy. Run it slower than your target pace, the stations are still to come.
Miscounted lapsLap screens on the course are only a guide. Decide beforehand how you will count.
Wrong arch in the RoxzoneRead the signs at the entrance and exit before you set off. The wrong way costs 2 minutes.
Something new on race dayNo new shoes, no new clothes, no new food. Only use what you have tested in training.
Wall balls without a planAfter seven stations your legs are tired. Plan your sets beforehand and stick to them.
Late to the start tunnelYou can only start in your wave. Be in the tunnel 10 minutes before your start time.
Why is CrossFit a good base for HYROX?
CrossFit trains exactly the mix HYROX demands: strength, muscular endurance and conditioning in one workout. Wall balls, burpees, rowing and kettlebells are everyday CrossFit movements. What CrossFitters often lack is long, steady running. That is why many members at Hyrox & CrossFit Gym Aorta combine CrossFit with our HYROX classes.
HYROX race FAQ
How does a HYROX race work?
You run 1 km, then complete a station. This repeats eight times, always in the same order: SkiErg, Sled Push, Sled Pull, Burpee Broad Jumps, Rowing, Farmers Carry, Sandbag Lunges and Wall Balls.
How long is a HYROX race?
You run 8 km in total, split into 8 segments of 1 km. On top of that come the 8 stations and the way through the Roxzone.
What is the Roxzone?
The Roxzone is the area between the running course and the stations. You enter and leave it through marked arches. Time in the Roxzone counts towards your total time.
What do I need to check in?
A photo ID and your registration confirmation. At check in you get your race number, a timing chip and a wristband for your wave.
Can I wear headphones in a HYROX race?
No. Headphones and phones are not allowed on the course according to the rulebook.
What happens if I cannot finish a station?
A station you do not complete in full leads to disqualification according to the rulebook. Plan short breaks instead of stopping the station.
Is Aorta an official HYROX Training Club?
Yes. Hyrox & CrossFit Gym Aorta in Berlin-Tempelhof is an official HYROX Training Club and has been a CrossFit affiliate since 2014. All 8 stations are available in their original form.
When are the results published?
Results are published right after the event on results.hyrox.com. Penalties can still be added up to 48 hours after the event.
Ready for your race?
At Aorta you train all 8 stations in their original form, with our own sled lane and 16 HYROX classes per week. Hyrox & CrossFit Gym Aorta is an official HYROX Training Club and a CrossFit affiliate since 2014, 2 km from the HYROX venue in Tempelhof.
Unofficial guide by Aorta. Distances and standards come from the HYROX Singles rulebook 26/27. The current rulebook and the briefing at your event always have the final word.
