The 8 HYROX Stations Explained
Every HYROX race is the same: 8 x 1km runs, each followed by one functional station, in the same order, anywhere in the world. Knowing the stations and how to pace each one is half the battle.
The running order
| # | Station | What it tests |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ski Erg | Full-body pull, pacing |
| 2 | Sled Push | Leg drive, grit |
| 3 | Sled Pull | Back, grip, technique |
| 4 | Burpee Broad Jumps | Engine, rhythm |
| 5 | Row Erg | Pacing, recovery |
| 6 | Farmers Carry | Grip, core, speed |
| 7 | Sandbag Lunge | Legs under load |
| 8 | Wall Ball | The finisher: legs and accuracy |
Why the order matters
The stations aren’t placed randomly. The first three, Ski Erg, Sled Push, and Sled Pull, form the hardest cardiovascular sequence in the race. If you go too hard on the Ski Erg, you arrive at the sleds already at your limit. The sleds then finish the job.
The middle stations, Burpee Broad Jumps and Row Erg, follow a pattern of high heart rate spike followed by relative recovery. Burpees will push your heart rate to its highest point in the race. The Row Erg gives you a chance to bring it back down if you pace it correctly.
The final three stations, Farmers Carry, Sandbag Lunges, and Wall Balls, are the attrition stations. They come after 6 to 7km of running and five stations of accumulated fatigue. Grip, leg endurance, and mental discipline all matter more here than they would fresh.
Understanding the order helps you pace each station in context. A controlled effort at Station 1 pays dividends at Station 3. Saving your grip at Station 3 helps Station 6. Everything is connected.
How each station works
Ski Erg (Station 1, 1000m)
The first station is 1000m on the Ski Erg, done immediately after Run 1 when you’re still feeling strong. It’s a full-body pull dominated by the lats and hip hinge. The trap is going too hard because you’re fresh. Discipline on the Ski Erg protects your energy for the two sleds that follow. Full guide to the Ski Erg.
Sled Push (Station 2, 50m)
Push a loaded sled 50m with your hands on the poles in a low, forward-leaning position. The Sled Push is the single highest spike in cardiovascular demand after a relatively controlled Ski Erg. Technique matters more than strength: hips low, arms locked, short choppy steps. Athletes who stop the sled spend more energy than athletes who keep it moving slowly but continuously. Full guide to Sled Push.
Sled Pull (Station 3, 50m)
From behind a fixed line, pull the sled 50m toward you using a rope, hand over hand. The Sled Pull tests grip endurance and body position more than raw pulling strength. Sit back and use your bodyweight; don’t try to drag the sled with your arms alone. Grip is the limiting factor for most athletes and is already taxed from the Ski Erg and Sled Push. Full guide to Sled Pull.
Burpee Broad Jumps (Station 4, 80m)
80m of chest-to-floor burpee followed by a broad jump forward, repeated. The standard is strict: chest and thighs to the floor, simultaneous take-off and landing, feet within 30cm of hands before kicking back. This station produces the highest heart rate in the race. The athletes who handle it best are the ones who pace it deliberately from the first rep rather than going hard early and stopping multiple times. Full guide to Burpee Broad Jumps.
Row Erg (Station 5, 1000m)
1000m on the rowing machine, the only station where you sit down. Coming off Burpee Broad Jumps with an elevated heart rate, the Row Erg is the one station in HYROX that can function as active recovery if you pace it correctly. Start controlled, let your heart rate drop, then build into a sustainable split. Legs then back then arms on the drive. A low stroke rate (24 to 28 spm) with strong pulls is more efficient than flailing at high rates. Full guide to Row Erg.
Farmers Carry (Station 6, 200m)
Pick up a heavy kettlebell in each hand and carry them 200m. This is the fastest station in the race if your grip holds, and one of the slowest if it doesn’t. Walk fast, shoulders back, arms straight. Unbroken is the goal. Every time you put the bells down, you spend time and burn grip endurance picking them back up. Grip has been taxed since Station 3; this is where that accumulation shows. Full guide to Farmers Carry.
Sandbag Lunge (Station 7, 100m)
100m of walking lunges with a sandbag on your back and shoulders. The standard requires the back knee to touch the ground on every rep. The bag must sit high on the traps, not low on the back. By Station 7, your legs have run 7km and done six stations. This is a mental station as much as a physical one. Go out too fast and you’ll stop repeatedly. Settle into a steady, unbroken rhythm early and hold it. Full guide to Sandbag Lunges.
Wall Ball (Station 8, 100 reps Open men / 75 reps Open women)
The final station. A front squat into a throw, the ball hitting a target at 3.0m for men and 2.7m for women. The hip crease must pass below the knee on every rep. Going unbroken when you’re this fatigued is how people collect no-reps and fail reps at the end. Plan your sets before you arrive at the wall: 25-20-15-15-15-10 or similar, with short, controlled breaks. Leg drive throws the ball; the arms just guide it. Full guide to Wall Balls.
The runs matter most
Don’t overlook the running. Eight kilometres, roughly half the race, sit between the stations, and each run is done on increasingly tired legs. Pacing them well is the biggest single factor in your finish time. See compromised running and build a plan with PaceMe.
The ROXZONE
The transition area between each run and station is the ROXZONE. It’s free time most athletes waste. Move with purpose, know where your next station is, and keep walking. Seconds saved here add up across 16 transitions.
Train under fatigue
Strength helps, but HYROX rewards efficiency when tired. Practise each movement at the end of a session, not fresh. The guide for each station above covers the specific training approaches that transfer most directly to race performance.
