Hybrid races like Hyrox have become popular for a reason. They are fun to train for, with multiple different components to challenge you and keep it interesting, and they push your body to its absolute limit. While most athletes put tons of thought into training, nutrition can often be the missing piece. If you’re new to Hyrox (or competed once and realized mid sled-push that you underestimated the nutrition piece), this blog is for you.
We are breaking down the physiological demands of hybrid training and how proper nutrition can help you train harder, recover faster, and perform your best on race day.
What is Hyrox?
Hyrox is a hybrid endurance race that combines running with functional fitness. The format includes 8 x 1km runs, each one followed by a workout station (ski erg, sled push, sled pull, burpee broad jumps, rowing, farmer’s carry, sandbag lunges, and wall balls). For most competitors, the race takes between 75-90 minutes to complete, putting it somewhere between a 10k and a Crossfit metcon in terms of duration and intensity. The variety in the event challenges athletes not only aerobically, but also demands endurance, explosiveness and mental grit.
What is Hybrid Training?
Hybrid training is a blend of strength and endurance. For example, think lifting and running or cycling and CrossFit workouts. This kind of training is demanding because it challenges your body to be powerful, efficient, and durable enough to work for long periods of time. This presents a unique challenge when it comes to fueling as your body needs to be able to access and utilize different energy systems and recover quickly between efforts.
More specific to Hyrox, competing requires high intensity efforts (stations like sled push and pull), endurance (total run is roughly5 miles), and strength and power (as with the 100 wall balls at the end!). This means you are taxing both your anaerobic (fast intense bursts) and aerobic (longer, sustained energy) systems. If fueling isn’t dialed in, you may be setting yourself up for increased risk of inadequate energy and nutrient intake, injury and burnout.
Zone 2 training (low to moderate intensity aerobic work) is often used during hybrid training to develop metabolic flexibility. Simply put, metabolic flexibility is your body’s ability to switch between different fuel sources. However, in order to capitalize on this efficiency, your daily fueling habits need to support it.
Foundational Nutrition for Hyrox
Carbohydrates: Your Main Hyrox Energy Source
Carbohydrates are essential for both high intensity and endurance efforts. Glycogen, the stored form of carbohydrate in your muscles and liver, is your primary fuel source in a Hyrox race. Without enough carbohydrate intake, you run the risk of hitting a wall hard during training or competition. Adequate carbohydrate intake aids in:
- Replenishing muscle glycogen so you have energy for your next workout
- Delaying fatigue in training and competition
- Supporting high power output during stations
- Maintaining mental focus and decision making
While future content will get you better acquainted with how much carbohydrate you need and when, take some time to get comfortable including carbs throughout the day, especially easily digestible carbs before your workouts and high quality sources to aid in recovery after.
Protein: Repair and Recovery
Protein supports muscle repair, limits muscle breakdown and helps your body adapt to the stress of hybrid training. This is especially important with a high training demand. Maintaining muscle mass while training hard and increasing mileage can be tough- protein (with a good strength training program! ) is your ally here. You also want to think of protein as a structural and metabolic nutrient – not one that you want to burn for energy. This is why reaching your protein needs, but not exceeding them in large amounts, is ideal.
Fat: Support for Endurance and Recovery
While carbs and protein may tend to be the focus, fat plays a big role in supporting Hyrox athlete nutrition. Fats are important for providing sustained energy for lower intensity efforts and rest days. It also supports hormone production, brain health and joint function. Fats also play a role in nutrient absorption, specifically vitamins A, D, E, and K which are important for recovery, bone health, and more.
Hydration and Electrolytes
With busy schedules and an affinity for coffee, we get that it’s easy to overlook hydration. But prioritizing fluid intake means optimizing use of the energy nutrients covered, regulating body temperature, and ultimately enhancing your training and competition experiences. Just a 2% fluid loss impairs physical and mental performance. What’s a 2% fluid loss? For some, it’s when you notice you’re thirsty. Consider these guidelines ahead of and during your hybrid training and find what hydration products might be best for you here.
Want to learn more? Sign up to be the first to know when we release our next Hyrox nutrition articles, recipes, sports nutrition product reviews, and programming.
Written by Ellie Meyers MS, RD, CPT a sports dietitian to pro and collegiate athletes who regularly attends Hyrox training sessions and completed her first Hyrox competition in NYC in 2023.
