The current buzzword in fitness is Hyrox.
It’s an indoor, hybrid fitness racing event designed to test strength and endurance by combining 8km of running with eight functional strength-based workout stations.
Founded by Christian Toetzke and Moritz Fürste, the Hyrox name is a combination of hybrid training and rockstar attitude, or sometimes described as “hybrid” and “rocks”.
Toetzke is a seasoned mass-participation event organiser (Ironman, marathons, etc), while Fürste is a three-time Olympic medallist and world champion in field hockey.
Hyrox has been attracting both pro athletes and everyday fitness lovers since its inception in 2017 in Germany, where 650 participants took part in the inaugural race in Hamburg.
Since then, more than 1.5 million people in 30 countries have competed in at least one race.
The diehards travel from one location to the other, sometimes in different countries, to take part and expand their fitness network, while making like-minded friends.
The events sell out in minutes and more than 15,000 gyms around the world have become official training facilities.
In May 2024, Time magazine declared Hyrox one of 2024’s most influential companies.
The race hasn’t arrived on our shores yet, although AirAsia officially announced its partnership with Hyrox Asia Pacific earlier this year (2026), with a race scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur in December.
However, nothing is confirmed as Malaysia is yet to be listed as a race venue on the Hyrox website.
A handful of local gyms are already offering Hyrox workout classes to prep participants for the race, with many also holding “mini tasters” for people to experience the event.
Our neighbours Thailand and Singapore have hosted a few races to date, with the island republic’s three-day event last month at its National Stadium drawing over 14,000 participants.
The organisers even have a Hyrox cruise coming up in Europe in October (2026)!
Across four days at sea, participants will train with elite athletes, learn directly from the sport’s leading coaches and access performance insight ranging from race strategy and sports science to recovery and nutrition.
Workout order
Participants begin with a 1km run, followed by one workout station.
Then, they repeat the cycle seven more times, tackling a different workout station each time.
The eight stations, which are designed to be simple, but physically, demanding, are in this standardised order:
- SkiErg (standing rowing machine) – 1,000m
- Sled push – 50m
- Sled pull – 50m
- Burpee broad jumps – 80m
- Row – 1,000m
- Farmer’s carry – 200m
- Sandbag lunges – 100m
- Wall balls (final station) – 100.
Each station tests a different combination of endurance, strength, coordination and pacing under fatigue.
Weights and/or repetitions at selected stations are adjusted and tailored to participants with varying physical impairments, making it an all-abilities event.
Whether you compete in single open, pro division, doubles or relay, the weights and format remain consistent in all countries, meaning that you know exactly what to expect on race day.
Popular among newbies is the relay event comprising four participants – each participant runs 1km twice and competes two workouts following the run.
Each team can decide on the order of the runners, which allows them to pick stations based on their strengths.
The format is accessible to all ages and abilities, with no qualifications to enter or cut-off time to complete the race.
Participants are allowed to take as long as necessary to finish the course, with staff and judges typically remaining on-site until the last person crosses the finish line.
The differences between Hyrox and CrossFit is that the latter is a training methodology with constantly varied workouts, while Hyrox follows a standardised endurance race format.
In CrossFit races, participants don’t know what they will be asked to do, meaning they have to train across a very broad spectrum.
Over 99% of participants, ranging from 16 to 85 years, finish the Hyrox race, making it a “race for everybody” rather than just elite athletes.
Most newcomers, or those in open divisions, generally finish within two to three hours.
However, it’s still a race and you need to train for it.
More importantly, every race has “start waves” of all ages happening every 10 minutes throughout the entire day, working through each division.
Simply put, this means that a three-hour participant can cross the finish line at the very same time as a sub-60 minute athlete.
It is a race to run at your own pace, with the continuous support of friends, family and fellow participants along the way.
Bring on the next race
Fitness and wellness coach Wong Ee Teng took part in her first Hyrox race in March (2026) in Bangkok, Thailand, and she is hooked.
“I wanted to challenge myself as I believe there is no limit to anyone’s ability.
“My friends and I were actually going to go for a holiday in Bangkok and we found out there was a Hyrox race there, so we decided to do a two-in-one,” says the 34-year-old who runs a small fitness studio in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
She competed in the doubles category with a friend, another fitness enthusiast, and started training in January (2026).
Wong says: “My strength is in the sled pull and wall balls.
“Running is my weakest element, but it is 50% of the race so I had to train for it in our parks.
“It wasn’t easy as I don’t like running ... I had to really push myself!“
On usual days, her own workout sessions seldom go past an hour, but as Hyrox is a continuous race, it put her cardiovascular endurance to the test.
“During the race, if one of us got tired at the workout stations, our strategy was to split the load in order not to get overly tired, which is allowed in the rules.
“It worked well for us.
“I almost cried once we finished the race in about 90 minutes as it was such a sense of achievement.
“Now I look forward to competing in the next race, hopefully in Malaysia,” she says.
All participants are awarded a finisher’s medal if they complete the race, regardless of placement, while specific medals are available for top performers at the “World Championship Event”.
The total time across the entire course determines the participant’s final timing.
Revathi Murugappan is a certified fitness trainer who tries to battle gravity and continues to dance to express herself artistically and nourish her soul. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
