The 12-week beginner plan, in one line
Quick answer
You do not need to be fast to start HYROX, you need a base and a plan. This 12-week structure takes a complete beginner with basic fitness to a confident first finish. It is the same periodised logic behind the full 8stations training plan, stripped to what a first-timer needs.
The 4 phases, week by week
Each phase has one job. Build the base before you add intensity, add intensity before you simulate the race, then back off so the work shows up on race day.
| Phase | Weeks | Sessions / week | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation | 1–4 | 3–4 | Build an easy running base, learn the eight stations with light load, and get used to consistent weekly training. |
| Build | 5–8 | 4 | Add running intervals and compromised running (run–station–run), and move the stations toward race load. |
| Peak | 9–11 | 4–5 | Sharpen with race-pace work, longer compromised-running blocks and a partial race simulation at race weights. |
| Taper | 12 | 3 | Cut volume, keep a little intensity, rehearse pacing and transitions, and arrive fresh and confident. |
A sample beginner week
This is just a universal example, not the plan you would get. A representative week from the Build phase, it opens with a quality run interval session early, keeps the easy run later, and mixes in one strength day and one session that combines running with stations (compromised running). In the 8stations app your real plan is different: it is tailored to you and rebuilt every week around your own training, feedback, results and goals.
| Day | Session | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Run intervals | Repeats at a strong, controlled pace with jog recovery. |
| Tuesday | Strength | Squat, lunge, hinge, carry and pull patterns + core. |
| Wednesday | Rest / mobility | Walk, stretch or easy SkiErg. Recover. |
| Thursday | Easy run | 30–45 min conversational aerobic running. |
| Friday | HYROX mix | Run–station–run blocks: ski, row, wall balls, lunges, burpees. |
| Saturday | Long aerobic | A longer easy run, building toward race distance. |
| Sunday | Rest | Full rest day. |
Prefer this auto-built and adjusted to your own data? The 8stations app takes your starting point and rebuilds the week as you progress.
The weights to prepare for
From the Build phase onward, train the loaded stations at the weights you will face. Here are the standard Open and Pro loads, as a beginner you will race Open, but it helps to know the full range.
| Station | Open · Men | Open · Women | Pro · Men | Pro · Women |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sled Push | 152 kg | 102 kg | 202 kg | 152 kg |
| Sled Pull | 103 kg | 78 kg | 153 kg | 103 kg |
| Farmers Carry | 24 kg (each) | 16 kg (each) | 32 kg (each) | 24 kg (each) |
| Sandbag Lunges | 20 kg | 10 kg | 30 kg | 20 kg |
| Wall Balls | 6 kg | 4 kg | 9 kg | 6 kg |
Beginner dos and don’ts
- Do prioritise easy running, it is the foundation of every HYROX time. Read HYROX running training.
- Do practise the stations under fatigue, not just fresh, that is what race day feels like.
- Do rehearse the wall balls, 100 reps at the end is where beginners most often stall.
- Don’t go out too hard. Even pacing beats a fast start you pay for at the sleds.
- Don’t skip the taper. The final week is about arriving fresh, not cramming.
Once you have a finish under your belt and want to get faster, step up to advanced HYROX training or dig into specific HYROX workouts.