Metabolic Adaptations for Hyrox: Plan better

Learn how your body adapts to different training stimuli at the cellular level.

HYROX combines strength endurance with cardiovascular fitness through 8 workouts separated by 1km runs.

The training must be designed to develop these 4 pillars:

  1. Lactate threshold
  2. Mitochondrial density
  3. Type IIa muscle fiber efficiency
  4. Glycogen storage capacity

Weekly Structure

3 metabolic conditioning sessions 2 strength sessions 1 long endurance session 1 recovery day

Week 1-2: Base Building Phase

Monday: Strength Focus

  1. 5x5 Front Squats (75-80% 1RM)
  2. 4x8 Romanian Deadlifts
  3. 3x12 Walking Lunges
  4. Farmers Carries 5x50m

Cellular adaptations you can expect: Increased myofibrillar protein synthesis Enhanced motor unit recruitment Upregulation of mTOR pathway

Tuesday: Metabolic Conditioning

8 Rounds:

  • 400m run
  • 20 burpees
  • 20 kettlebell swings
  • 1min wall balls

Cellular adaptations you can expect: Increased lactate threshold Enhanced glycolytic enzyme activity Improved H+ ion buffering

Wednesday: Recovery/Light Movement

Light cycling or swimming Mobility work

Thursday: Endurance Development

Copy- 10km run at aerobic pace

  • Every 2km: 30 sled pushes

Cellular adaptations you can expect: Increased mitochondrial density Enhanced capillarization Improved fat oxidation

Friday: Strength Endurance

Circuit (4 rounds):

  1. Sandbag carries 100m
  2. 25 lunges
  3. Sled push/pull 50m
  4. 20 box step-ups

Saturday: HYROX Simulation

Rounds:

  • 1km run
  • 2 HYROX movements (scaled)

Sunday: Active Recovery

Mobility Light swimming Tissue work

Week 3-4: Specific Preparation Phase

Continue with the same program as the first two weeks but make these key changes as suggsted by the refuel app based on your strain and workout history logged:

  • Increase running volume
  • More HYROX-specific movement patterns
  • Higher intensity intervals
  • Introduction of competition-specific implements

Recovery Protocols

  • 7-9 hours sleep daily
  • Protein intake 1.8-2.2g/kg daily
  • Carbohydrate timing around workouts

Tips

  • Keep one full recovery day
  • Have two lower-intensity days in the week
  • Don’t skip mobility work
This is what we want you to focus on this program. Feel free to reach out to us if you have questions. Try using the Refuel app on iOS store if you are looking for an app to track your progress. It uses data from your apple watch and the weight logged by you to estimate your adaptations using proxy metrics provided by wearable devices such as the Apple Watch.

Mitochondrial Adaptations: 20-40% increase in mitochondrial density Enhanced electron transport chain efficiency Improved fatty acid oxidation

Muscular Adaptations: Increased Type IIa fiber recruitment Enhanced calcium cycling Improved cross-bridge cycling efficiency

Cardiovascular Adaptations: Increased stroke volume Enhanced cardiac output Improved oxygen delivery

Metabolic Adaptations: Enhanced glycogen storage (up to 20% increase) Improved glucose transport Better substrate utilization

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