Fitness
Jake Dearden and his Doubles partner dominated the HYROX World Championships by taking home Gold. How did they get so fit? Get an insight to his fitness routine that helped propel him to the top.
Watch the new highlights of the HYROX World Championships 2024 in Nice on Red Bull TV
United Kingdom HYROX pro and coach Jake Dearden clinched the HYROX World Championship Doubles title in Nice, France with his partner, Marc Dean. Dearden's triumph sends a strong message to his competitors about what's to come once he gets back to competing solo. He aims to make the Elite 15 field in 2025.
As impressive as his shape is, to complete the HYROX competition, you don't have to be a professional athlete like the the 25-year-old from Manchester. The fitness competition is designed to be accessible to many people, as the HYROX master coach explains, "The level of entry is really low. It's because the movements don't require a massive amount of skill compared to other sports. Anyone can enter; whether it's the average gym-goer or a HYROX athlete."
Anyone can enter; whether it's the average gym-goer or a HYROX athlete
What is HYROX?
HYROX is a fitness race that merges functional workouts with running, designed to challenge participants' strength, endurance and overall fitness. Its standardised format lets athletes measure their performance against others at different events and locations. Here’s what a typical HYROX race looks like:
Running: Participants complete eight one-kilometre runs (totalling eight kilometres). The race always starts with a one-kilometre run and is then followed by the same functional workout station. This set order never changes across competitions.
The eight HYROX workouts are:
- 1 kilometre SkiErg
- 50 metre sled push
- 50 metre sled pull
- 80 metre burpee broad jumps
- 1 kilometre rowing
- 200 metre farmers carry
- 100 metre sandbag lunges
- 100 wall balls for men and 75 wall balls for women
Participants must complete the exercises in sequence, with each workout immediately following a run segment.
How do you train for HYROX?
“Training is quite intense," says Dearden. "You’ve got high-impact, weight-bearing exercises, including running, and then you've got heavy strength exercises like the sled push and farmer's carries, so you’re putting a lot of pressure and a lot of stress on your body. If I was programming for a client or for myself, I’d plan a weekly training plan of one session each day, with one rest day." An ideal week for Dearden would include:
- "One lower body strength session where you're putting your legs through their full range of motion. This could include front or back squats, some unilateral work where you're working on strengthening your legs equally and then some lateral work like side lunges to strengthen your adductors and abductors. I'd probably finish on some heavy sled work, so more than you will be pushing on the day and some box step-ups.
- Two Hyrox conditioning sessions, where you’re doing some of the exact exercises like burpee broad jumps and sled pushes and pulls. The aim of this is to work on your metabolic conditioning and get your heart rate up, interspersed with rest periods – so high intensity interval training.
- Two to three runs, consisting of one long run – over the course of your training block, gradually build up to a long run. Ideally, this should be for the amount of time you think it’s going to take you to complete the HYROX course on the day (so around 90 minutes). Also, do one speed-work running session, for example, on a track where you run one kilometre eight times with a two-to-three-minute rest in between. Then, for your third weekly run, try to include some running where you’re under fatigue. This could be hill running or combining running with some leg work, like heavy squats or lunges, so that your body gets used to working under stress and handling that lactic acid."
- In terms of practising the course itself, I probably do this every two or three weeks just to get my body used to transitioning between exercises and start building up my strength ready for the event.”
HYROX Doubles workout: Training for double dominance
Training for an HYROX Double event requires a balance of strength, endurance, and teamwork. The event features the same workout station as the individual HYROX but is designed for pairs. Both partners have to run one kilometre eight times, but they can switch off as they like during the workout sessions.
Dearden recently shared a HYROX Doubles specific workout on Instagram. The exercises are supposed to be executed as fast as possible, but by alternating with your respective workout partner.
- 3000m SkiErg
- 150m sled push
- 150m sled pull
- 240m burpee broad jumps
- 3000m row
- 800m farmers carry
- 300m walking lunges
- 300 wall balls
"This session is aimed to help you build up your work capacity of the HYROX stations while also improving your efficiency," says Dearden. After you've completed the first workout together, he suggests you finish with four rounds of:
- 10 pull-ups
- 25 push-ups
- 15 GHD sit-ups
Can a beginner do HYROX?
As Dearden acknowledges, HYROX is designed to be accessible to a wide range of fitness levels, including beginners. However, it's important to prepare adequately and choose the right division to match your current fitness level.
For beginners, HYROX offers the Doubles division, where you compete with a partner, sharing the workload for the workouts but completing the running sections side by side. This can make the event even more manageable and enjoyable, as you can support each other through the various challenges.
The standard HYROX competition is the Open division, aimed at fitness enthusiasts who work out regularly but may not be experienced HYROX competitors. According to the race organisers, the HYROX Open is a manageable challenge for recreational athletes.
Once competitors have mastered the HYROX Open division and are looking for a more challenging race, HYROX Pro is the next level. Participants will still cover one kilometre eight times in total and work through the same workout stations but with heavier weights.
HYROX has something for everyone, it's a challenge that pushes your limits and rewards you with a sense of achievement. Whether you're aiming to break your personal record or just add some excitement to your routine, it's a fitness race that has it all.
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