Which Hyrox Stations Are the Hardest, According to a Runner and a Weightlifter

Hyrox is the new Crossfit—but what exactly is it, why do people like it, and what can you expect if you decide to try it?

Last Friday, my fellow Lifehacker writer Beth Skwarecki (a weightlifter) and I (a runner) completed a Hyrox race with far less than the recommended amount of training. We came out the other side with a final time of 01:36:48—and a lot of opinions about which stations nearly broke us. Let’s take a look at our personal rankings of the nine different movements that Hyrox demands.

How we're analyzing our Hyrox performance

We tracked our heart rate data throughout the race, which gives us some data to back up what we intuitively felt like were our different strengths and weaknesses. A high average heart rate at a station means your cardiovascular system was working hard throughout. For a runner like me, a relatively lower average can mean I was pacing myself or recovering well during the runs. For Beth, her strength background means she can handle heavier loads, but the runs didn’t offer much recovery. 

In the doubles format, we both had to do the runs together, but could divide the work at the stations any way we liked. That means that during the stations, we each got short rest breaks while the other worked. Our average heart rate for each station includes both the working and resting time.

However, we know that heart rate alone doesn’t tell the full story. Beth and I have added our opinions about how each station felt to us personally in order to round out the picture. With that framing in mind, here's how each station shook out for us. All heart rate numbers are in beats per minute (bpm). Our full, numbered rankings are at the end.

Ski erg

Beth: Max 180, average 172

This was the easiest station for me. It comes early in the race, before you’re tired, and it’s quick enough to switch that we each did 125 meters (so, four turns each). This was over in no time and didn’t feel particularly hard. 

What to watch out for: technique. There’s a way to use your hips and core to power the movement, rather than just yanking on the cords with your arms. This is definitely worth practicing. A cue I liked was: "Throw your chest to the floor.” 

Meredith: Max 185, average 160

Beth and I are aligned on this one. Looking at our heart rate data, neither of us spiked dramatically, which puts the ski erg firmly in the “most survivable” category.

Sled push

Beth: Max 190, average 182 

I liked this one and found it pretty easy. 

What to watch out for: technique again. You want to lean way into the sled, ideally with your chin over the center post. The better athletes hook their elbows around the front posts of the sled, and I did that at first. I also took one length with my arms locked overhead, which feels very natural coming from a weightlifting background. 

Meredith: Max 181, average 149

In our warm-ups before the race, I realized I didn’t have the proper grip or technique here—a theme that shows up across a few stations. Beth and I chatted it out, and we landed on sticking to how I trained (even if it’s technically less efficient), rather than trying to master something new in fifteen minutes. The sled push rewards leg drive and raw strength, and I simply don't have as much of either. Still, I felt fairly strong on this one, and I enjoy the movement itself.

Sled pull

Beth: Max 193, average 179

I wish we could have braced our feet and done it seated, but this was fine. Not too hard or heavy—it just takes finding a rhythm as you walk back and forth. 

What to watch out for: rope management. You don’t want to give yourself a pile of rope to trip over, and you get a penalty if you impede someone else, so we carefully kept the rope at the side of our lane and spilling out the back. There was no divider between us and our neighbor, though, so it was always kind of in the way. Take time to practice how you’ll manage your rope. 

Meredith: Max 185, average 171

I’m thanking my lucky stars I had Coach Beth here. This was the most daunting station in my training, but Beth’s strategy made it dramatically easier. To fellow runners who think this looks like a crazy bicep workout: It doesn’t have to be. You just need to learn how to power the movement from your lower body instead.

Burpee broad jumps

Beth: Max 189, average 181 

This was the worst. If I could ban one station from all of Hyrox, it would be these damn burpees. 

Meredith: Max 189, average 161

This one was so difficult that it became fun for me. I think that burpees are cardio-adjacent enough that I can settle into a rhythm, albeit a tough one. Burpees are widely considered one of the most dreaded Hyrox stations, and the numbers back that up for us. Plus, it’s hard to ignore the fact that this station is in the first half of the race. I felt completely gassed afterwards, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how much we had left.

What to watch out for: control. Aim for consistent, mid-sized jumps rather than massive, explosive leaps. What’s more, Hyrox burpees aren’t what you typically find in a workout class. You don’t need to do a push-up, but you do need to watch your hand and foot placement.

Rowing

Beth: Max 186, average 176

This wasn’t too bad because I prepared ahead of time to take this as an active rest. I had practiced my rowing technique, and that really paid off, since I was able to take long, smooth strokes and relax on the recovery. 

What to watch out for: smart splits. In hindsight, I should have made Meredith take most (all?) of the rowing, since it’s cardio-heavy and I could have used more of a break.

Meredith: Max 182, average 149

With rowing, I got cocky during my training, and I paid for it on race day. I felt like my body wouldn’t adjust any of the form cues my brain was trying to send. My numbers suggest I was either under-pulling or pacing too conservatively.

Farmers carry

Beth: Max 192, average 187 

My grip strength is solid, so I wanted this to be easy, but running with kettlebells is (again!) cardio. Technique-wise, it’s very simple: Keep your upper body steady and shuffle your feet as fast as they’ll go. If only my lungs could keep up!

What to watch out for: grip strength. So many people have trouble with their grip on this station. Actually train your grip on purpose, don’t just expect occasional farmer’s carries in training to be enough.

Meredith: Max 184, average 164

The farmers carry accumulates fatigue in your grip, shoulders, and legs in a way that seems to catch up with you fast—so I decided to “full send” and move my legs as quickly as I could. As a result, I performed better here than I was expecting. I also enjoy where this station falls in the race. With only two more runs and two more stations between us and the finish line, it was natural to push myself here.

Sandbag lunges

Beth: Max 183, average 179 

These were tough, but nowhere near as bad as burpees. 

What to watch out for: transitions. We practiced having the partner in the back grab the bag by the sides and scoop their head under. It’s a simple, smooth movement, but the front partner has to make sure to stay in place until the transition is completed.

Meredith: Max 186, average 173

Beth and I are aligned here, although I know this movement was tougher for me than it seemed to be for her. Both of us were working hard here, and the relatively similar heart rates suggested this was one of the more equalizing stations. Looking at my footage, I can see my knees bending inward in such a way that I’ve taken this whole week off running and am solely focusing on mobility work.

Wall balls

Beth: Max 194, average 187

I was happy to get to this station because the weight is light and I have no problem hitting depth on squats no matter how tired I am. I was, of course, completely gassed by this point. 

Meredith: Max 189, average 168

Race day was the first time I attempted this movement, and, well, it showed. I look like I’m trying to shoot a free throw—another thing I have no idea how to do, actually! Thank you, Beth, for not making fun of me here. I didn’t know it was legal to have your boss watch you flail about like this.

What to watch out for: momentum. The most efficient movement here would get you called out by a fitness instructor for “cheating” with the momentum. (Beth here: I would just call it good timing! The catch should flow into the squat, which should naturally make the ball fly out of your arms when you stand up.)

So which Hyrox stations are actually the hardest?

Beth’s ranking, as a weightlifter, from easiest to hardest:

Ski erg

Rowing 

Sled push

Sled pull 

Farmers carry

Lunges

Wall balls

Running

Burpee broad jump

Meredith’s ranking, as a runner, from easiest to hardest:

Running

Farmers carry 

Ski erg

Rowing

Sled push

Sled pull

Lunges

Burpee broad jump

Wall balls

It seems like Hyrox is specifically designed to find your weaknesses. If you're a runner, the strength stations will humble you. If you're a lifter, the 8 km of running between stations will find your limits. Luckily, Beth and I always knew that. And somehow, finishing together with a time of 1:36:48 felt like exactly the kind of thing you can only do when you've got someone next to you who's strong where you're weak.