The official format your simulation copies
HYROX describes its race as a one kilometre run followed by one functional workout station, repeated eight times, in the same format worldwide. Weights vary by division, so check the official site for yours. RPM's HYROX page explains how its HYROX-style sessions are approached, and choosing a HYROX training gym covers the kit to look for.
Stations in race order as the official format lists them, with what RPM's published facilities cover.
| Order | Station | Official work | At RPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SkiErg | 1,000 m | Not confirmed, ask |
| 2 | Sled push | 50 m | Turf lane and sled on the floor |
| 3 | Sled pull | 50 m | Sled on the floor, ask about a rope |
| 4 | Burpee broad jumps | 80 m | Turf lane, ask when it is clear |
| 5 | Rowing | 1,000 m | Not confirmed, ask |
| 6 | Farmers carry | 200 m | Kettlebells on the floor |
| 7 | Sandbag lunges | 100 m | Sandbags not confirmed, ask |
| 8 | Wall balls | 100 reps | Medicine balls on the floor, target not confirmed |
The 2026/27 singles rulebook runs each sled station as four lengths of 12.5 m, a useful detail if your lane is short.
What studies of the race show
In a 2025 study, recreational athletes completed a simulated race to the Open division's standards. The runs took longer than all the stations combined, the highest effort ratings came at the final station, the wall balls, and the two heaviest stations, the sled push and pull, were finished fastest. Faster finishers had greater aerobic capacity and did more endurance training, and the authors described the race as endurance-led, with moderate to low demands on maximal strength.
A 2026 study of an official Pro men's race found running speed falling steadily from the first kilometre to the last. Both point the same way for simulations: they must include real running, and they should teach you to start the first run slower than you feel able to.
Stand-ins for stations you cannot do
| Station | If the gym lacks it | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| SkiErg | Battle rope double waves, or straight-arm pulldowns at a cable tower, for about the time your ski would take | Neither copies the machine's rhythm |
| Sled pull | Rope pulls if a rope is kept, or a backward drag with straps | Ask which attachments the gym has |
| Rowing | A bike for about your expected row time | The bike leaves out the pull, so add a set of rows later in the week |
| Sandbag lunges | Walking lunges holding a kettlebell or dumbbell at the chest | The load sits differently from a bag on the shoulders |
| Wall balls | Medicine ball squats with a throw to a marked spot, only where wall throws are allowed | Check the house rules on throwing first |
These are common stand-ins, not equivalents. Practise each real machine before race day if you can, at a gym or venue that has one.
Sled technique and loading are covered in sled workouts, and ball choice for the wall-ball stand-in in medicine ball and slam ball workouts.
Quarter, half and full simulations
| Version | What you do | Use it for | Move up when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter | Two runs, each followed by its station, in race order | Learning transitions and pacing the first run | You finish both runs at a similar pace |
| Half, first or second | Runs 1 to 4 with their stations, or runs 5 to 8 | Practising one half of the race in detail | Station times hold up after the runs |
| Shortened full | All eight stations, with shorter runs between them | Rehearsing the whole order without the full running load | Your last station looks like your first |
| Full | Eight runs of one kilometre and all eight stations | A dress rehearsal before race day | Done occasionally, with easy days around it |
A full simulation is a very hard session. If you have a heart condition, an injury or another medical condition, or are pregnant, ask a doctor or physiotherapist before race-pace work.
Setting up on the day
- Ask staff for a quiet time, since a simulation ties up the turf lane, a treadmill and several kinds of kit at once.
- Lay the stations out in race order before you start, with the loads for your division.
- Run on a treadmill at your planned race effort, not flat out.
- Walk straight from the treadmill to the next station, as you would in the race.
- Have a training partner or your phone record every run and station time.
- Drink between stations. In summer, all of this stays indoors, and in Ramadan many people move simulations to after iftar and shorten them.
Reading your splits
Log each run and each station separately. Three comparisons tell you most of what you need: your first run against your last, each station against your previous simulation, and the station where the gap to your plan is largest. Change one thing before the next simulation, such as a slower first run or more practice on the weakest station, and keep training on the days between. If a partner shares your race, HYROX Doubles training covers splitting the stations.
Simulations at RPM
RPM offers HYROX-style training on its functional floor, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, as an independent gym, not an official HYROX partner, gym or venue. The functional area has a turf lane with a sled, kettlebells, battle ropes, medicine balls and slam balls, and the training floor photos show treadmills, spin bikes and cable towers.
- Ask whether a SkiErg, rowers, sandbags or a wall-ball target are available before planning a full simulation.
- Ask when the turf lane is quiet enough to run stations in order, and which sled attachments are kept.
- Coaching: the roster lists Asma Jamousi Zadeh for HYROX training in the women-only Ladies section. Ask how HYROX-style coaching works in the Mixed section.
- Engine adds coached programming and Atelier is built around one-to-one coaching, with inclusions confirmed on enquiry.
- Book a free guided tour and walk the route from treadmill to turf at the hour you would train.
Sources
- HYROX, The Fitness Race: race format, workout stations and divisions
- HYROX Singles Rulebook, season 2026/27
- Brandt T, et al. Acute physiological responses and performance determinants in Hyrox, a new running-focused high intensity functional fitness trend. Frontiers in Physiology, 2025
- Gutiérrez-Hellín J, et al. Relative running intensity and pacing during an official HYROX PRO MEN competition: the HYScience study. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2026
Questions, answered.
How often should I do a full race simulation?
Only occasionally. It is a very hard session, so most of your training should be smaller pieces: runs, station practice and quarter or half simulations.
Can I simulate the race without a SkiErg or rower?
You can practise the order and the running with stand-ins, but they do not copy the machines. Try to use a real SkiErg and rower before race day.
Should I run the simulation at race pace?
Run at your planned race effort, not faster. The 2026 study of a Pro race found running speed falling across the race, so a controlled first run is part of the practice.
Which division's weights should I use?
The ones you plan to race. The official site lists the weights for each division, and the current rulebook is the final word.