Fitness
What is the Red Bull 100 Challenge at HYROX – and how to crush it
The final and most feared station in HYROX is Wall Balls. Red Bull rewards those who complete them unbroken. Discover how to train both your body and mind for this ultimate test.
Think you’ve got what it takes to conquer the Red Bull 100 Challenge? Here’s your guide to completing 100 unbroken wall balls, earning your finisher patch, and proving your grit at HYROX.
The Red Bull 100 Challenge is calling all HYROX athletes to prove their grit, strength, and determination. The task? Complete 100 wall balls unbroken at the end of a HYROX race to earn the Red Bull 100 finisher patch – a badge of honor for those who dare to push their limits.
But what does it mean to go "unbroken," and how can you train to rise to the occasion? Let’s break it down and help you ace the Red Bull 100 Challenge.
01
What is the Red Bull 100 Challenge?
The Red Bull 100 Challenge is a raw, no-excuses test of physical and mental toughness. The mission: complete 100 wall balls unbroken at the end of your HYROX race - either in the Open or Pro Individual categories. No breaks, no drops, no excuses!
Participants throwing Wall Balls at HYROX
© Graeme Murray / Red Bull Content Pool
Pass the fitness endurance challenge and you’ll be one of the few to earn the exclusive Red Bull 100 finisher patch. It’s not available in Doubles or Relay, and as anyone who’s done a HYROX will tell you, it’s not for the faint-hearted!
02
What does “unbroken” really mean?
In this context, “unbroken” means all 100 reps in one continuous set - no walking away from the station, no letting the ball rest on the floor, and no deliberate pauses that break rhythm.
It doesn’t mean every rep has to be perfect - you might receive a “no rep” here or there - but the clock doesn’t stop, and neither can you. That means any no rep only adds to your fatigue, making it even more important to move with precision.
03
HYROX Wall Ball standards: the fine print
To make your reps count, they have to meet the HYROX standard:
- Squat depth: Hips below parallel at the bottom.
- Target height: Men hit a 10ft target with either a 9kg (Pro) or 6kg (Open) ball. Women hit a 9ft target with either a 6kg (Pro) or 4kg (Open) ball.
- Target accuracy: The centre of the target must be hit. Brushing the edge or missing the mark can be ruled a no rep.
Poor depth or inaccurate throws won’t break your set, but they’ll cost you in efficiency. One or two no reps might not seem like a big deal - but under fatigue, resetting your squat or re-throwing a heavy ball can derail your rhythm and drain energy fast. You can check the HYROX rulebook for more details.
Ida Steensgaard powering through Elite 15
© Baptiste Fauchille/Red Bull Content Pool
04
Why Wall Balls matter for your race result
Wall balls aren’t just the final station - they’re the final test. And if you’re good at them, you can make up serious time.
We’ve seen this repeatedly in Elite 15 races. On the women’s side, athletes like Lauren Weeks, Megan Jacoby, and Joanna Wietrzyk routinely go unbroken. And in the men’s field athletes like Graham Halliday and Beau Wills have gained multiple positions at the wall ball station to surge past competitors who were crumbling under fatigue.
Jake Dearden digging deep at the wall balls station
© Baptiste Fauchille/Red Bull Content Pool
At the 2025 World Championships, Hunter McIntyre went unbroken in his final 100 wall balls (for the first time ever in HYROX), closing the gap to Tim Wenisch with a big late push. He didn’t take the win - the deficit going in was too great - but it was a reminder of just how much time you can make up if you're strong and confident at the end.
Confidence at the Wall Ball station changes how you race
And here’s something people don’t talk about enough: confidence at the Wall Ball station changes how you race. If you're dreading that final set, you'll subconsciously hold back earlier in the race. But if you know you can attack the wall balls – and perhaps go unbroken - you can push harder through the runs and earlier stations. It unlocks your full potential
05
How common is 100 unbroken?
Truthfully? It’s rare. Most HYROX athletes will complete sets of 4x25, 40-30-30, or even smaller. One useful approach if you’re not aiming to go unbroken is a descending ladder: start with 16 reps, then 15, then 14 – all the way down to 9 – helping you reach 100 in manageable chunks.
Earning the Red Bull 100 HYROX patch is something to be proud of
© Phil Pham / Red Bull Content Pool
Going unbroken is physically demanding, sure – especially at the end of a race – but the bigger test is mental. Can you push through the discomfort, resist the urge to rest, and hold form for all 100?
That’s why this challenge is so compelling. It's not just about power. It’s about pacing, mindset, and mastery of one of the race’s most technical stations.
06
How to train for the Red Bull 100: Focus on form under fatigue
Crushing 100 unbroken wall balls doesn’t happen by accident. It takes smart, progressive training and attention to detail.
Here’s how to work towards building that unbroken engine:
The wall ball is a reasonably simple movement, but your technique can break down fast when you're tired (like at end of a HYROX!). Drill perfect reps at the end of training sessions to simulate race fatigue. Focus on:
- Full range of motion
- Smooth catch and rebound
- Consistent breathing (inhale down, exhale on the throw)
Hyrox wall balls
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
Build capacity with specific sessions
Consider adding these workouts to your toolkit:
1. EMOM Capacity Builder
EMOM stands for Every Minute on the Minute: You do a specific movement or set of exercises when the clock starts, then rest for the rest of the minute. When the next minute starts, you go again. This Wall Balls specific session will help you practice the core movement and get stronger.
- 10 wall balls every minute on the minute for 10 minutes (with a heavier ball than comp weight)
- Progress to 15 reps per minute or reduce rest intervals
2. Wall Ball Finishers
- After a tough interval run (e.g. 6x800m), finish with 100 wall balls for time
- Simulates race fatigue and builds tolerance under stress
3. HYROX Combo WOD
This Workout of the Day (WOD) teaches transition efficiency and builds wall ball resilience in context, meaning you will fatigue yourself before having to compete a set of Wall Balls.
HYROX elite athlete Joanna Wietrzyk at the Ski Erg station
© Joerg Mitter / Red Bull Content Pool
5 rounds for time:
- 250m SkiErg
- 20m sled push
- 20m sled pull
- 25 wall balls
Train the mental game
During 100 reps, you’ll want to stop - that’s guaranteed! The key is managing that internal dialogue. In training, practice:
- Counting in sets of 5s or 10s
- Using phrases like “next 10 clean” to stay present
- Avoiding looking at the total — just commit to the next rep
For more tips on how to train for wall balls check out this article.
07
Don’t forget mobility
You can be as fit and focused as you like - but if your movement is restricted, wall balls will punish you for it. Tight hips, stiff ankles, and poor overhead range all add unnecessary effort to every rep. If your body can’t hit the positions cleanly, your form breaks down, no reps creep in, and your energy drains fast.
Build time into your week to move well. It’ll pay off when it matters most.
08
Final thoughts: It’s about committing to something hard!
Wall Ball with Red Bull 100 patch
© Phil Pham / Red Bull Content Pool
The Red Bull 100 Challenge is about more than wall balls. It’s about committing to something hard - and finishing it without compromise.
Train smart. Practice often. Back yourself.
When race day comes, and that ball touches the wall for the 100th time without a single rest, you'll know: you didn’t just survive HYROX — you owned it. And you’ll have the patch to prove it!
Greg Williams runs the platform Rox Lyfe, where the former sprinter turned hybrid athlete covers all the information you need to know about HYROX events, training and technique tips, nutrition and supplementation, mindset tips and much more.
Learn more about HYROX here and check the event calendar to find your next race and take on the Red Bull 100 Challenge!
Love HYROX? Be sure to watch 'Beyond the Rox' to see what it takes to be in the Elite 15 on Red Bull TV for Free!
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