For younger people, HYROX is more than a fitness event — it’s become a lifestyle. “With the Surf Dating app, you can even set a filter to HYROX and meet singles in town for your event,” says Rachel Evans, an experienced trainer at The Edge Fitness Clubs.
That’s how powerful HYROX has become for the Gen Z gym population — you can even find your lifelong partner. As the hybrid fitness challenge took flight, originating in Germany in 2017, it is now holding events worldwide, comprising 8km of running and 8 functional workout stations. This hybrid challenge has been designed for all types of fitness fanatics, but it has recently become immensely popular with the younger generation.
Consisting of 1km of running between the stations of the ski, sled push, sled pull, burpee broad jumps, rowing, farmers carry, sandbag lunges, and wall balls, every station is designed so that every type of person can enjoy fitness in a community.
What’s the HYROX hype about?
The hybrid factor of a HYROX race has given Gen Z a new lease of life when it comes to fitness training. Inclusivity and the consistency of the race format give an appeal that has become incredibly exciting to young athletes. As Cape concierge physical therapist Nicole Shirley puts it, “there has been a cultural shift towards fitness and physical well-being since Covid.”
For Gen Z and even millennials, consuming less alcohol and unhealthy foods and prioritizing wellness and movement are the new daily affirmations. Now HYROX has become the new fitness trend to participate in; it is on every young athlete’s bingo card due to how inclusive and inspiring the challenge is.
2x Glasgow HYROX finisher Amy Bryden believes so many young people are now eager to complete a HYROX due to the “friendly atmosphere”, anyone can do it, and she loves that you can “do it at your own pace with your friends.”
A new kind of social scene
Instead of a night out clubbing or a pub crawl, HYROX is the Saturday hotspot with races even beginning at 9 pm. It truly has become the hottest social scene for any gym lover, as Evans says, “Gen Z are going out less than any previous generation.”
HYROX is now the place to find friends and build positive relationships with like-minded people. Recently, there has been a push on running groups and group fitness amongst the community, and “the relationships made during a fitness journey become a social circle and give people a sense of belonging,” Shirley adds.
The uniqueness of HYROX is its variety in how the race can be completed. You can enter solo, with a partner, or a four-person team, which “further enhances the socialization and group training factor,” Shirley says. Training with your besties is just another great outcome of this fitness challenge, and even more so when you see others doing it and sharing their experience on and offline.
Programmed for the post
Social media is now always going to be the outlet where experiences and achievements are shared, and HYROX is no exception. The impact social media has had on this competition is what has skyrocketed this program into the laps of every Gen Z athlete. Sharing your training updates, finishing times, and that all-important finisher badge is what fuels these athletes to keep pushing their bodies to the limits.
For Bryden, that is how she discovered the challenge, seeing it through Instagram, and it “looked like so much fun.” Seeing an influencer or a friend documenting their journey through HYROX can be a “highly motivating factor” to the athlete and also aid in holding them accountable for their own training, Shirley adds.
Social media isn’t just for the prospering athletes of HYROX but also an opportunity for fitness coaches to network with one another. As Evans explains, it can be an “excellent tool” for coaches to get people interested in their local HYROX community and to gain positive exposure.
Just as the positives flood social media, the negatives can also override many HYROX athletes. It can become a very overwhelming space with many different opinions, tips, and dos and don’ts. Evans sets a clear reminder to remember, just like anything on social media, it can create “unrealistic expectations” for finishing times and what training sessions should look like, person-to-person. The dangers of these platforms can remove the inclusivity factor from HYROX, which is what this challenge is all about.
Always doing what works for you is how you will see the best results in your HYROX training, whilst remembering a full-time fitness influencer might not have the same goal as you do, so following someone who meets your goals will allow you to shine on race day.
Versatility wins
The HYROX hype on social media has taken over many other fitness trends, including the marathon bug that everyone wants to complete. For many, HYROX has become more popular than a marathon due to the shorter amount of time to complete and train for it. None of the movements in a HYROX event are very technical, making it “accessible to all fitness levels,” Shirley adds.
The most appealing parts to picking HYROX over a marathon is having no qualification time, fundraising needs, or time limits. Most importantly, the race starts in waves so that the “average person doesn’t know where they fall in the pack,” says Shirley. The comfort of the waves eliminates the fear of “coming last” or “bringing up the rear”, which can all easily become barriers to participating in a marathon.
HYROX can also feed that runner’s high whilst merging resistance and strength training — a perfect way to still enjoy the running aspect of fitness, without the 26.2 miles. Training for a HYROX is a great way to improve overall wellness and is part of “the bigger picture of longevity on the body,” Evans adds.
The silent killers on race day
You have completed the training, the hard work has paid off, and for many Gen Z athletes, it is an opportunity for a personal best or to enjoy the community aspect of a HYROX race day. However, there are some stations to watch out for that can challenge even the most experienced athletes.
Evans’ silent killer is “most definitely the running.” The majority of people will focus their training on the station exercises and don’t do enough running. The cardio can slowly eat away at anyone taking part in HYROX, so Evans advises being better prepared: “five training days a week should include aerobic training”.
HYROX has been built to see what your body can do physically and mentally. Evans loves how the younger athletes tend to “thrive in the first half,” but making sure to pace and avoiding penalties is what will give you the best race day and not fizzle out.
The future of HYROX for the younger generation
HYROX is a program that will only continue to grow in popularity and size across the world. With races now in many different countries, it is bringing a community of fitness together across all levels, celebrating movement and wellness.
As Shirley mentions, HYROX has now started “HYROX Youngstars,” which proves that athletes serve as positive role models for the generations to come. As an organization, they have lots to improve, and Evans hopes they continue ” to take on feedback from participants as it evolves.”
The one thing that is certain is HYROX will remain a fitness challenge that is for everyone to enjoy, take part in, and feel fulfilled in physically and mentally once completed.
