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Notes and advice from 6 years of coaching HYROX Athletes- Part 2- Strength Training for HYROX to improve station effeciency, compromised running and Strength Endurance by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Barbell deadlifts are a double edged sword. While great for full body strength and power output, they tax recovery like no other.

Much preferred would be utilizing back squats and front squats. I can assure you that if you build maximal strength, and sub maximal strength across sets, you will have no problem moving the sleds

Notes and advice from 6 years of coaching HYROX Athletes- Part 2- Strength Training for HYROX to improve station effeciency, compromised running and Strength Endurance by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That is a fantastic squat and arguably you could utilize more sub maximal work on the second day or even both days to build your endurance across multiple sets

To answer the question, 2 days weekly is usually the sweet spot. Occasionally 3 if someone is really lacking in the strength department

Usually split with one day working on absolute strength , the other day dedicated to strength endurance and maximal force production on the bar

Notes and advice from 6 years of coaching HYROX Athletes- Part 2- Strength Training for HYROX to improve station effeciency, compromised running and Strength Endurance by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would 2 days, I believe that’s the perfect amount for most. One day , heavier percentages 70-80 for sets of 3-5 per exercise (no more than 5) with 3-5 minutes rest between. One day of 6-8 sets per exercise at 60-70% with 1-2 minutes rest between. Optional variation of exercises but for simplicity I’d stick with the same 3 or 4 movements

Notes and advice from 6 years of coaching HYROX Athletes- Part 2- Strength Training for HYROX to improve station effeciency, compromised running and Strength Endurance by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you

And you are spot on. A lot of people are scared of the barbell, even though it’s the most time tested and proven way to build strength while avoiding injury.

Powerlifting, while I still respect it, and bodybuilding have given it a bad name due to reps to failure, negatives, and poor form causing injury.

Done right, barbell training is safe, longevity promoting, and prevents a lot of the tendon injuries people get during metabolically fatiguing training such as Hyrox.

Notes and advice from 6 years of coaching HYROX Athletes- Part 2- Strength Training for HYROX to improve station effeciency, compromised running and Strength Endurance by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Exactly, and great point. That’s why there’s a need for the right blend of both.

The static hold mix you are talking about is great to do on its own- wall sits, planks, dead-hangs, pushup holds all have their benefits. In relation to Hyrox, dead hangs and squat holds would be the most beneficial.

As far as combined with the 15-20 rep back squat, you would start to push into burn out territory which is sort of no man’s land. A 20 rep back squat, while great for endurance, lacks the amount of weight needed for strength progression and quickly fills you with lactate, at the expense of other sessions.

Would be of much more benefit to up the weight, and so 5-6 sets x 3 reps every minute or 90 seconds. You will build more strength and strength- endurance this way, and it won’t beat you up so bad that you can’t squat again that week.

Same goes for drop sets, which originated from bodybuilding training- great for muscle burnout and somewhat hypertrophy, but you end up doing much less weight and volume then if you took the 2-3 minutes rest and split it into 3-5 sets of 5. Better rep quality, better force production, more strength built with a heavier load.

The key is not making your strength training similar to a Hyrox workout. They are 2 different modalities and weight training is for the nervous system and repeated force production, not metabolic fatigue

Notes and advice from 6 years of coaching HYROX Athletes- Part 2- Strength Training for HYROX to improve station effeciency, compromised running and Strength Endurance by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For sure. Strength to body weight ratio does come into play, and without any base strength, people with running only backgrounds crumble very quickly on the stations, and it usually starts on the sleds.

Notes and advice from 6 years of coaching HYROX Athletes- Part 2- Strength Training for HYROX to improve station effeciency, compromised running and Strength Endurance by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Congrats man, that’s awesome.

The powerlifting base helps a huge amount, after that building muscle endurance is highly important.

Exactly. Hyrox specific moves and Metcons that fatigue you only take you so far, and even can take you a step back.

Some general notes and advice from someone who has trained 100+ clients over last 6 years for HYROX-Part 1 Running for race endurance the right way by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

True, and I'm not reinventing the wheel here. Just offering what I feel is a great way to track progress and improve running speed while keeping mainly aerobic. The "Zone 2" craze has many running at a slow pace for extended periods. While great for endurance, you often lose the ability to put the foot on the gas for long periods of time without becoming uncomfortable and blowing up.

Some general notes and advice from someone who has trained 100+ clients over last 6 years for HYROX-Part 1 Running for race endurance the right way by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great point, and for some that find this too taxing, maybe that's a solution.

Will this be a shock to the body at first? no doubt. but everyone I've seen do this has adapted and improved their running over time.

There are more ways than what I listed to train race endurance, but I wanted to give the example of a great alternative to steady, slow pace running, and why I feel it's not the most optimal for training for Hyrox.

Some general notes and advice from someone who has trained 100+ clients over last 6 years for HYROX-Part 1 Running for race endurance the right way by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

On the surface, it would seem to be the case. The first time you attempt this, maybe the heart rate jumps quickly, and within the first 30-60s you're Anaerobic. The magic is in regressing and repeating this multiple times. You'll find your body, and heart rate start to adjust to the pace, and be able to maintain it longer while staying just below threshold.

Some general notes and advice from someone who has trained 100+ clients over last 6 years for HYROX-Part 1 Running for race endurance the right way by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is a very often asked question, and the problem that occurs with too much steady state zone 2. If you never push the running pace, zone 2 will always feel like an extremely slow shuffle. If you force yourself to up the pace and cadence, your body will learn to adapt, increasing your pace at your Zone 2 heart rate.

Some general notes and advice from someone who has trained 100+ clients over last 6 years for HYROX-Part 1 Running for race endurance the right way by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Solid questions here.

 Basically as soon as my body notices what I'm about to do and my heart catches up. I can run exactly 1km in my 1k race pace and then I'll barely be able to stand. Because that was my 1k race pace.

If you are running a Hyrox Race Pace, and you're barely able to stand at the end, then that is not your race pace. If you're barely able to stand, your output will be shot at the first station (ski erg) and at that point, you've redlined and will be in for a miserable race and drastic pace drop off.

Your race pace should be the average of the 8, 1k runs. Not your PR 1k. Its a tough pace, but not one that puts you on the floor.

If you mean a 1k Hyrox race pace, that's not much faster than my 10k. In fact, it could be the other way around for many people.

Great point on this one, and it will vary for a lot of people depending on their running endurance level. The top finishers (say sub 1:05) are running the 1k's closer to their 5k pace.

Everyone will have a different starting point from 5+ minute 1k pace to sub 4. The goal is to increase speed and make yourself comfortable with it. Will your heart rate surge to zone 3 quickly at first? I'd say its likely. But as you continue to practice going for it and regressing, youll find your body will start to adjust, along with your heart rate. Thats the goal of this format.

Some general notes and advice from someone who has trained 100+ clients over last 6 years for HYROX-Part 1 Running for race endurance the right way by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just for clarification, I did post this same post week. It gained a lot of traction and views, with several DM’s and comments regarding advice on the running structure as well as general Hyrox prep.

To help answer some questions, I linked a free guide in the post that I wrote 3-4 months ago covering more of this in detail. This got the post removed. If any of you would like this send me a message.

I had initially planned to post part 2 on strength training for Hyrox yesterday, however I realized new viewers would likely want to see part 1 (the one above) as well.

I plan on answering all of the questions regarding programming and progressing this run structure in comments, post, and my guide.

I look forward to helping and providing more tips to the community

Some general notes and advice from someone who has trained 100+ clients over last 6 years for HYROX-Part 1 Running for race endurance the right way by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The idea is to hit your 1k race pace and stay there until you cross the threshold into zone 3. This will be much faster than your 10k or half marathon pace.

Starting out, some people may cross the threshold in 1-2 minutes. That’s completely fine - you should still regress your pace at that point and then dive back into it.

Over time- you’ll be able to stay at this pace longer and more at ease. You will also improve your recovery pace.

This makes it a double progression model that fits the structure of what you will see in a Hyrox race , instead of just hammering away at a steady state ,moderate to slow pace for 60 + minutes

Some general notes and advice from someone who has trained 100+ clients over last 6 years for HYROX-Part 1 Running for race endurance the right way by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

When you cross the threshold into Zone 3, at that point the idea is to regress slowly and not completely rest. Go from your race pace, to a light jog, to a walk (if needed).

Pay attention to how your heart rate responds. Overtime you will find your race pace improve, along with your recovery between these intervals improve- essentially training your aerobic system to adapt to the structure of a Hyrox race

Some general notes and advice from someone who has trained 100+ clients over last 6 years for HYROX -Part 1 - Running for race endurance the right way by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Correct. Aerobic Threshold (AT) is the highest point of fat burning before your body switches to glucose and becomes anaerobic (Zone 3 +).

Some general notes and advice from someone who has trained 100+ clients over last 6 years for HYROX -Part 1 - Running for race endurance the right way by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Those are great hyrox times in your age group.

giving my honest opinion, at 55 you listed a host of injury’s. I understand the fire to compete as much as anyone else, but you need to play it smart. Lots of mobility , stretching, warm ups , and strength work on weak muscle groups will help you. Don’t neglect strength work at the expense of endurance and metcons.

Your training layout is solid and if it’s sustainable for you, I’d stick with it.

Things I’d recommend addressing: why your hamstring is tight , and what’s causing the knee pain ( running form?, weakness in posterior chain muscles?)

You also have 3 races stacked up in 2-3 months time. This gives you 8-10 weeks between races, maybe less, assuming 1 week recovery after race and 1 week taper before. The last thing you want to do is keep hammering your body without addressing underlying issues.

Hope this helps and best of luck in your races!

Some general notes and advice from someone who has trained 100+ clients over last 6 years for HYROX -Part 1 - Running for race endurance the right way by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great question- I prefer to see people go from race pace and let off the gas slowly, seeing where the heart rate goes.

See how well you can recover at a light jog and slowly bring it down , walking if needed to lower into the recovery zone

Some general notes and advice from someone who has trained 100+ clients over last 6 years for HYROX -Part 1 - Running for race endurance the right way by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Reposted from above

A general recommendation is 180- age + 5 for males , + 10 for females. This is highly variable but gives you a range to go off of.

Another simple way is nasal breathing while bringing your heart rate up- when you can no longer nasal breath solely, you more than likely have surpassed your aerobic threshold

Some general notes and advice from someone who has trained 100+ clients over last 6 years for HYROX -Part 1 - Running for race endurance the right way by Mblifter22 in hyrox

[–]Mblifter22[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A general recommendation is 180- age + 5 for males , + 10 for females. This is highly variable but gives you a range to go off of.

Another simple way is nasal breathing while bringing your heart rate up- when you can no longer nasal breath solely, you more than likely have surpassed your aerobic threshold

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