Hyrox off season training

Off season, no off season, pre-season, no rest for the wicked, drink beer and forget about it? A common theme on social media this week, but here’s what I know for certain. I want to come back faster and stronger next season as Im sure everyone else does too.

Off season is obviously the hot topic right now and maybe there’s a right and wrong way. But I’m going to share what I’m doing and why it’s going to make me a better athlete next season…hopefully

The Professional Athlete Mindset (Without the Professional Schedule)

I’ve timed my training perfectly with a 12-week window before jumping into race-specific preparation. I’m treating this like a football or basketball pre-season with no real skill specific training, but laser focus on the deeper, slower-forming adaptations that can determine your performance ceiling.

During race season the intensity of Hyrox-specific training and a packed race calendar creates too much stress for significant gains in certain areas. Most of us simply don’t have the time to do everything at once. I try to approach my training like a professional, but I accept that 99% of us aren’t full-time athletes. We have demanding jobs, families, and life happening between training sessions.

It’s a triple win – I love running, it increases my aerobic base, and it’s the biggest component in Hyrox.

This is where smart periodisation becomes into play.

The Long Game: Why Patience Pays in Performance

Major factors in racing performances are your aerobic base and true strength. They work hand in hand, but both require long-term commitment. These adaptations need 12-16 weeks of specific, progressively programmed training to create lasting cellular changes in your body.

But the huge benefit of this is the longer an adaptation takes to build, the longer it lasts and the easier it is to maintain.

Your strength and aerobic foundation won’t disappear during race season. The nature of training and racing will maintain or even slightly improve these areas while you focus elsewhere. It’s like compound interest for your fitness.

My Strategic Split:

Off-season: Build deep, lasting adaptations in aerobic base and strength
In-season: Focus on skill acquisition, speed, and VO2 max (these can see significant improvements in just 6-10 weeks) With the help of professional coaches in the sport which I of course use.

Running: The Triple Win Strategy

My main off-season focus is running, and here’s why it’s low-hanging fruit: it’s over 50% of the race, I don’t have any particularly weak stations, and the aerobic base I build through running improves my entire game.

It’s a triple win – I love running, it increases my aerobic base, and it’s the biggest component in Hyrox.

Being goal-oriented by nature, I need a north star to work towards. A 12-week running block ending in a half marathon in early August makes perfect sense to me as your half marathon pace closely mirrors your Hyrox running pace (give or take 10-15 seconds per kilometer), which positions me perfectly for an 8-10 week race-specific training block leading into my first race of the season.

Nothing can be perfectly timed, but I’m using my time as intentionally as possible to set up a strong season.

Strength Training: The Foundation That Never Fails You

Let’s not overlook the iron work. Two critical points:

You can absolutely get stronger while running high volume – you just need to be strategic. I front-load my strength training early in the week and schedule high-volume running toward weekends.
The sleds aren’t going to move themselves.

True strength develops through long-term adaptation via progressively overloaded programming. I’m focusing on both compound movements and unilateral work to improve raw strength and motor control.

“Build unilateral strength, gain bilateral efficiency.”

This approach will be crucial in the later stages of races when you’re performing under fatigue. I’ve never finished a race thinking, “I’m too strong for this.”

Why strength matters:

Get strong for running efficiency
Get strong for station performance
Get strong for injury prevention
Get strong for durability

Being strong is always a positive, but like aerobic base building, it needs focused attention and time. During race season, I intend on having a busy racing schedule both in hyrox and other events so This 12-14 week period is my opportunity to build strength before race-specific training begins.

Back to the Roots: The Beauty of Simplicity

Running and lifting was the foundation of hybrid training for me and most others. So having this period to focus purely on these fundamentals feels perfect to me, I’m in my groove and absolutely loving it.

But make no mistake: every run and every weight session is intentional. There’s no just filling time or going through the motions.

This is my off-season. This is where next season’s PBs are built…