Hyrox Coaching Podcast

Wall balls are one of the most common things athletes blame after a bad HYROX race.They reached the final station, everything fell apart and the conclusion is obvious: their wall balls are terrible and they need to do more of them.Sometimes that’s true. Quite often, it isn’t.In this episode, Aaron and Chris break down how to work out whether wall balls are genuinely the limiter or whether the problem started much earlier in the race through pacing, accumulated fatigue, poor movement efficiency or simply arriving at the station in a state where even good wall-ball fitness can’t save you.They then work through mobility, technique, breathing, foot position, race shoes, mental barriers and how to programme wall-ball training from basic movement practice through to higher-volume EMOMs and race-specific work under fatigue.The episode finishes with a separate discussion around treadmill running through winter, why it can be excellent for controlling metabolic intensity, and why relying on it too heavily may leave athletes without enough lower-leg and foot durability for running on hard HYROX surfaces.Each week I take the most useful coaching ideas from the podcast and turn them into practical training and racing advice.https://www.wdmcoaching.com/newsletterHow to decide whether wall balls are actually the problemWhy good running splits don’t automatically mean you paced wellHow early race decisions can ruin the final stationMobility limitations and squat depthWhy doing more reps won’t fix a poor movement patternCatch position and ball positionWhy leaving your hands overhead wastes energyBreathing rhythm during wall ballsWhy race shoes can change your squat positionBuilding positive race experiencesWhy chasing unbroken reps too early can make the problem worseFrequency, volume and intensity for wall-ball trainingUsing EMOMs to build strength enduranceWhen to use wall balls under fatigueRace-specific wall-ball workWhy deliberate practice matters more than simply accumulating bad repsTreadmill running versus outdoor runningMetabolic fitness versus lower-leg durabilityHow to use the treadmill without becoming dependent on itOne of the main coaching points is that the final station has to be viewed in the context of the entire race. If someone performs wall balls well in training but repeatedly falls apart in competition, the answer may be pacing, accumulated fatigue or how efficiently they’re moving rather than a lack of wall-ball fitness.Once mobility is good enough, the discussion moves towards making each repetition cheaper through better catch position, breathing and movement rhythm rather than simply trying to become tougher at doing inefficient reps.

This week on the HYROX Coaching Podcast, Aaron and Chris recap a huge weekend of racing before moving into a deeper discussion around power, bodyweight, strength and what actually transfers to better HYROX performance.After reviewing the first Elite Series and Challenger races, including some of the standout performances and controversy around judging standards, the conversation moves onto a question that keeps appearing as the sport develops: how much strength does a HYROX athlete really need?Aaron and Chris discuss power-to-weight ratio and why HYROX sits in an unusual middle ground. Running rewards carrying less unnecessary mass, but the stations still require athletes to move fixed external loads. That means being lighter is not automatically better, just as being bigger and stronger is not automatically an advantage.The discussion then moves into whether there is an emerging HYROX body type, how much strength is genuinely required to move the sleds and lunges effectively, and why athletes should be cautious about deliberately chasing weight loss if it compromises training quality, recovery and consistency.Each week, I take the most useful ideas from the podcast and turn them into practical coaching notes you can apply to your own training and racing.Sign up here:https://www.wdmcoaching.com/newsletterHamburg Elite Series and Challenger reviewStandout performances from the weekendThe wall-ball judging debateHow much power-to-weight ratio matters in HYROXWhere absolute strength still mattersWhether an ideal HYROX body type is beginning to emergeWhy simply losing weight does not guarantee better performanceThe difference between having strength and being able to use itWhy movement economy can improve station times without increasing strengthVelocity-based training for HYROXUsing bar speed to manage strength stimulus and fatigueWhy strength maintenance may require less work than many athletes thinkWhy heavy lifting can interfere with later quality sessionsStrength endurance versus maximal strengthWhy sleds and lunges may provide more useful specific strength stimulusConcept2 StrengthErg and Rogue RhinoThe potential value of concentric-only strength trainingHow strength training may change as HYROX developsOne of the biggest themes is that strength has to be judged by whether it transfers to the race. A bigger squat is only useful if it helps you produce more useful force through the sled, lunges or wall balls without creating a recovery cost that reduces the quality of the rest of your programme.Aaron also explains why velocity-based training has become increasingly useful in his own programming. Rather than chasing heavier numbers every week, bar speed can be used to keep strength work inside the intended stimulus and prevent it creating unnecessary fatigue.The episode finishes by looking at newer concentric-focused machines and whether removing some eccentric loading could allow athletes to maintain or develop force production while recovering more quickly for the aerobic work that ultimately makes up the majority of HYROX training.

Update: Liam is racing the Challenger race in Hamburg, circumstances changing after recording.HYROX Hamburg Predictions: Elite 15, Challenger Picks & Who Qualifies?The first Hamburg Elite Series race of the season is here, and this week the HYROX Coaching Podcast becomes a four-way prediction show.Aaron and Chris are joined by Adam Cheang and Lee Tynan to break down the men’s and women’s solo and doubles fields across both the Elite 15 and the new Challenger division.The format immediately creates something different. The Elite 15 podium places carry World Championship qualification, while winning the Challenger gives an athlete or team promotion into the next Elite 15 race. That makes some of these Challenger races considerably more important than a normal points race and, in several categories, potentially far less predictable.Each week, I take the most useful discussions from the podcast and turn them into practical coaching notes, race analysis and programming ideas.Sign up here:https://www.wdmcoaching.com/newsletterMen’s Elite 15 podium predictionsCole, Charlie, Ronk, Dylan and the other contendersWhy the men’s Challenger could be one of the races of the weekendJake Dearden versus Frederick DubayWhether wall balls could decide the ChallengerThe tactical value of choosing a normal Pro race instead of the ChallengerWomen’s Elite 15 predictionsJoanna, Alyssa, Saskia and LaurenPotential women’s solo dark horsesThe women’s Challenger fieldMen’s doubles Elite 15 predictionsCharlie and Jake versus Cole and FredThe men’s doubles Challenger and several potential upset teamsWhy Saskia and Holly could be favourites in women’s doublesThe wide-open women’s doubles ChallengerWhether the current points system rewards the right racesWhy some Challenger athletes may be better off chasing points elsewhereWhether the Challenger needs prize money and proper broadcast coverageWhy Elite doubles may eventually need more counting racesHow HYROX could continue improving the Elite Series formatOne of the biggest debates comes later in the episode, when the group looks at the incentives created by the points system. If an athlete has a better chance of collecting maximum points in a weaker Pro race than finishing further down a stacked Challenger field, avoiding the Challenger can become the rational decision. The group discusses whether more races, better points distribution and greater rewards for Challenger athletes could improve the system.Get the WDM HYROX Coaching NotesIn this episode

How Specific Should HYROX Training Be?This week on the HYROX Coaching Podcast, Aaron and Chris start with some of the standout performances from the weekend before getting into one of the most important programming questions in HYROX: how specific does your training actually need to be?The discussion starts with compromised running. Running after a sled, burpee broad jumps or lunges does not feel like running fresh, and that matters. Aaron and Chris discuss why most experienced HYROX athletes should have some exposure to running in and out of stations, while also making the distinction between race-intensity compromised work and lower-intensity capacity work.Each week, I take the most useful ideas from the podcast and turn them into practical coaching notes you can apply to your own training and racing.Sign up here:https://www.wdmcoaching.com/newsletterLuke Greer’s improving wall balls and continued progressionElliot Giles’ impressive HYROX debut and what elite running pedigree can transferYannick’s latest performanceSinead Bent’s returnDoes every HYROX athlete need compromised running?Why compromised running does not always need to be hardRace-intensity work versus capacity-building workWhy learning how the first 30–60 seconds after a station feels mattersWhy specificity should not be left until the final few weeksThe difference between a HYROX-specific session and a random metcon using HYROX exercisesWhy race-specific intensity work should follow race orderHow target HYROX pace should relate to standalone threshold paceWhy RPE may be more useful than chasing an exact race splitWhy the first two runs should feel almost too easyHow going slightly too hard early can ruin the race much laterUsing compromised intervals to learn pacingWhen full and partial simulations are usefulWhy a race simulation should usually be a rehearsal rather than another raceWhy doubles teams probably do not need endless full simulations togetherCommunication and adaptability in doubles racingHow to prepare for heavy and sticky sledsWhy inconsistent sled lanes are a bigger problem than simply having heavy sledsOne of the biggest themes is that specificity is not the same thing as constantly simulating the full race. A session can be highly specific because it teaches the athlete to run off a sled, settle after burpees or control a station at race intensity, without needing to reproduce the entire event. Equally, a circuit containing HYROX exercises is not automatically specific if the order, intensity and demands bear little resemblance to the race.The episode also goes heavily into pacing. The opening runs should feel controlled, even when adrenaline is telling you otherwise, because being only slightly above sustainable effort early can create problems that do not fully appear until the sled pull, burpees or much later in the race. Learning that feeling in training is far more useful than blindly chasing a pace number that may not even match the actual course distance.Finally, Aaron and Chris discuss race simulations, doubles practice and sticky sleds. Full simulations can have value as occasional rehearsals, particularly for athletes who rarely race, but doing them hard carries a significant recovery cost. For doubles, the bigger skill may be communication and adaptability rather than trying to rehearse every transition perfectly.

The Science of HYROX: Threshold, Volume, Strength & Sub-50This week on the HYROX Coaching Podcast, Aaron and Chris are joined by sports scientist Gommaar D’Hulst for a deep dive into what current physiology and biomechanics can tell us about HYROX performance.The conversation starts with Alyssa’s 350 unbroken wall balls and why an effort that looks completely ridiculous for most athletes may sit surprisingly close to a highly trained athlete’s physiological threshold. Gommaar explains why elite functional movements can become increasingly aerobic, while still carrying very different local muscular and power demands from running.Get the WDM HYROX Coaching NotesEach week, I take the most useful ideas from the podcast and turn them into practical coaching notes you can apply to your own training.Sign up here:https://www.wdmcoaching.com/newsletterMake sure you confirm your email after signing up so the notes actually reach you.The discussion then moves into the HYROX-specific ramp test Gommaar has been developing. By combining burpee broad jumps, wall balls and progressively faster running, the aim is to bring the physiological testing used in endurance sport into a compromised HYROX environment. The resulting data can be used to identify different athlete profiles, including athletes who need a larger aerobic engine, athletes with a large gap between threshold and maximal capacity, endurance athletes who need greater functional power, and athletes who already possess both a high ceiling and a high threshold.One of the most useful sections for coaches is the discussion around race pace and threshold. Gommaar breaks down research showing how HYROX running pace falls as the race progresses, even though the athlete’s physiological strain remains high because of the accumulated cost of the stations. Aaron and Chris discuss why highly trained, higher-volume athletes appear able to hold much closer to their normal threshold pace during a race, while less-developed athletes often see a much larger gap.The conversation also gets into movement economy. Looking efficient is not necessarily the same as actually being efficient. Gommaar explains how biomechanics and oxygen consumption could be used together to determine whether a change in technique genuinely reduces the energy required to perform the same amount of work.From there, the discussion moves towards the future of elite HYROX. How much training volume will the best athletes eventually tolerate? How much station work is actually required once an athlete is sufficiently strong? Can functional movements be kept predominantly aerobic enough to accumulate much more race-specific volume without destroying recovery?There is also a lengthy debate over whether a sub-50 solo HYROX is physiologically possible and what the athlete capable of doing it might eventually look like.Finally, Gommaar discusses research looking at training frequency and concurrent training. When total training load was matched, longer sessions performed fewer times per week did not clearly outperform or underperform shorter, more frequent training. The conversation then moves into research suggesting that separating endurance and strength work may become increasingly valuable for highly trained athletes. For athletes who already possess enough strength, maintaining it may require substantially less strength-training volume than building it in the first place.The recurring theme throughout the episode is simple: the goal is not to maximise every individual training quality. It is to develop the combination of aerobic capacity, threshold, movement efficiency and power that allows you to produce the highest sustainable performance across the entire HYROX race.Check out Gommaar's website: https://www.wod-science.com/

How should you structure HYROX training when you’re racing throughout the year and never really have a traditional off-season?In this episode, Aaron and Chris explain why HYROX periodisation doesn’t need to follow a traditional progression from general base training into strength, threshold and finally race-specific work.Instead, aerobic development continues throughout the season while training blocks place greater emphasis on the areas that need the most improvement. Race-specific exposure stays in the programme because movement economy across the stations is much easier to maintain than rebuild.They also discuss when tempo running is more useful than threshold work, whether athletes need dedicated aerobic base phases, how training volume affects the amount of intensity required, and where VO2 max sessions can fit before an important race.The main message is simple: consistent, recoverable training will produce more progress than repeatedly pushing sessions beyond their intended purpose.Train, don’t strain.Also covered:The latest racing from Bordeaux, Karlsruhe and TorontoWhy elite HYROX racing is leaving less room for weak stationsHow wall balls can decide closely matched racesWhy traditional periodisation doesn’t fit HYROX particularly wellUsing focused training blocks without neglecting the rest of the raceHow frequently stations need to appear in your trainingWhy general fitness alone won’t maximise HYROX performanceWhether you should spend a prolonged period building your aerobic baseHow training volume changes the amount of intensity you needContinuous tempo runs versus broken tempo intervalsWhere VO2 max training fits around priority racesWhy faster running isn’t always the best route to faster HYROX runningManaging fatigue while maintaining race-specific fitnessJoin the HYROX Coaching Notes newsletter:https://www.wdmcoaching.com/newsletterJoin WDM Complete:https://wdm-coaching.fitr.training/pa/WDM_Complete

Which forms of cross-training actually improve your HYROX performance, and which ones simply add more fatigue?In this episode, Aaron and Chris explain how to use the bike, StairMaster, SkiErg, rower and other cardio machines to build a bigger aerobic engine without relying on endless running.They discuss the difference between developing general aerobic fitness and becoming more efficient at the specific movements used in HYROX. They also explain why the right amount of cross-training depends on your training availability, injury history and ability to recover.The conversation also covers why frequent, easy work on the SkiErg and rower may be more valuable than occasional hard sessions, and why improving your SkiErg pace doesn’t necessarily mean you should race it faster.Also covered:Results and talking points from HYROX Oslo and RomeWhy bike and StairMaster training transfer well to HYROXHow cross-training allows you to add aerobic volume with less impactWhen running should remain the priorityHow training availability changes your approachThe role of the Echo Bike, spin bike and BikeErgWhy technique can break down during long SkiErg and rowing sessionsUsing short, frequent erg sessions to improve efficiencyWhy some popular interval sessions are performed too hardHow going too fast on the SkiErg can damage the rest of your raceBuilding fitness you can sustain rather than chasing the one-percent gainsJoin WDM Complete:https://wdm-coaching.fitr.training/pa/WDM_CompleteGet the WDM Coaching newsletter:https://www.wdmcoaching.com/newsletterListen to the podcast on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/2KsJj5u5fwZROZGD4Sk6Qi

Aaron is joined by Elite 15 athlete and Threshold Lab founder Stephen Pelkofer for a conversation about what good coaching actually looks like beyond simply writing sessions.Drawing on his background in data science, basketball and elite HYROX racing, Stephen explains why he prefers to be data-informed rather than data-driven. They discuss how pace, heart rate and race splits can be useful, but only when they’re combined with context, athlete feedback and an understanding of the person behind the numbers.The conversation also covers why aerobic fitness remains the main limiter for many HYROX athletes, the danger of copying the training of people with completely different backgrounds, and why missing or shortening one session rarely matters. Aaron and Stephen explore the difference between building fitness and chasing it, how to judge progress without becoming obsessed with race times, and why the best coaching decisions sometimes involve doing less.They also discuss:Using RPE alongside pace and heart-rate dataWhy athletes should leave feedback after trainingIdentifying whether an athlete needs more volume, intensity or strengthWhy poor pacing can make a station look like the limiterThe value of repeatable benchmark sessionsWhy missed sessions shouldn’t automatically be added elsewhereAdjusting training around work, family, recovery and life stressCoaching the person rather than just delivering a programmeAdapting feedback and communication to the individualWhy consistency beats trying to force one exceptional sessionFind Stephen:Instagram: @stephen.pelkoferThreshold Lab: https://www.thresholdlab.co/Join the WDM Complete HYROX & Fitness Racing System:https://wdm-coaching.fitr.training/pa/WDM_CompleteSubscribe to HYROX Coaching Notes:https://www.wdmcoaching.com/newsletter

Each week, I take one of the most useful ideas from the podcast and turn it into practical coaching notes you can apply to your own training and racing.Sign up here:⁠https://www.wdmcoaching.com/newsletter⁠In this episode of the HYROX Coaching Podcast, Aaron and Chris are joined by Linda Meier to talk through the period after becoming HYROX World Champion, how that success changed the expectations she placed on herself, and why objectively good performances can start to feel disappointing when they are constantly compared with your best day.Linda reflects on the training block that led into Chicago, where consistency, structured training and small improvements in movement efficiency all added up over time. Rather than describing one breakthrough session, she talks about finally training with a clear schedule, tracking progress and building confidence from seeing the work move in the right direction.The conversation then moves into what changed after winning the title. Linda explains how she began to feel that every race had to prove she was still capable of performing like a world champion. Good results became harder to enjoy, and the pressure shifted from improving her own performance to feeling she had to justify what she had already achieved.Aaron and Chris also discuss how this kind of pressure can affect athletes at every level. A PB, podium or qualification can become something athletes feel they need to defend, rather than a performance they can use as evidence of what is possible.Linda talks openly about working with a sports psychologist, trying to focus less on expectations and more on possibilities, and rebuilding the enjoyment and freedom she previously felt when racing. She is clear that this is still a work in progress rather than something she has already solved.The episode also covers how Linda balances elite-level training with a full-time career, why having an identity outside sport has helped her maintain perspective, the challenges of managing coeliac disease while travelling and training, and why doubles racing has given her a more positive racing experience during a difficult period.Linda’s training block before winning the World ChampionshipWhy consistency mattered more than one breakthrough sessionImproving movement efficiency and station executionIntroducing more structured threshold and VO2 max trainingHow winning changed the expectations Linda placed on herselfWhen a personal best becomes a standard you feel you have to defendWhy good performances can still feel disappointingThe difference between focusing on execution and focusing on proving yourselfBalancing elite training with a full-time careerWhy work outside sport can provide perspective and identityManaging training around flexible working hoursLinda’s experience of managing coeliac disease as an athleteHow health disruptions can affect recovery and training consistencyWorking with a sports psychologistRebuilding confidence and enjoyment in racingWhy positive doubles experiences have helpedThe value of giving different races different purposesLooking ahead to the rest of Linda’s season

This week, Aaron and Chris review a huge weekend of HYROX racing before getting into the main coaching discussion: the difference between fitness, conditioning and pacing, and why being fitter does not automatically mean you will race better.Fitness is the individual physical qualities you possess. Conditioning is your ability to express those qualities across the complete demands of HYROX. Pacing is how you decide to spend them on race day. Get that final part wrong and a station that looks like a weakness may simply be the point where poor decisions earlier in the race finally catch up with you.Each week, Aaron takes one of the main ideas from the podcast, expands on it properly and turns it into something practical you can apply to your own training.Subscribe here:https://www.wdmcoaching.com/newsletterMake sure you confirm your email after signing up, otherwise the newsletter will not arrive.The major results and talking points from Athens, Washington, Tenerife and AcapulcoWhy racing conditions have to influence your pacing strategyWhy a slower result in difficult conditions does not necessarily mean poorer fitnessThe difference between fitness and conditioningWhy good individual station tests do not guarantee a good HYROX raceHow running fitness can fail to transfer when the athlete lacks event-specific conditioningWhy a station that falls apart late in a race may not actually be your weaknessHow to identify genuine limiters from training rather than simply looking at race splitsWhy full HYROX simulations are not always the best way to develop race conditioningUsing overload intervals and targeted race-specific work insteadWhy the first 10–15 minutes of HYROX should feel controlledHow going too hard on the SkiErg creates problems that appear much later in the raceWhy saving a few seconds early can cost minutes laterUsing the runs to regain control between stationsStrategic breaks versus being forced to stop because you are already cookedWhat the spread of runs 2–7 can tell you about race executionHow race experience helps you learn when restraint can finally give way to racingWhy pacing is ultimately a decision about how to express the fitness you already possessHYROX performance is not simply a collection of eight station abilities plus a running time.You can possess excellent fitness in isolation and still fail to put it together across the complete race. Training needs to develop those qualities individually, condition you to combine them under fatigue and then teach you how to pace the event so that you can still access them at the back end.A well-paced race should not feel desperate from the opening minutes. The objective is to reach the finish line as quickly as possible, not to prove how hard you can work in the first fifteen minutes.If your wall balls, lunges or row repeatedly collapse late in races despite being strong in training, look further upstream before deciding they need more work. The real limiter may be conditioning, pacing, or both.