HYROX Rules

3 Divisions and age groups

Divisions

Pro divisions use heavier weights; the running distance stays the same. Sections 10–11 cover staying together in Doubles and Relay handovers.

Station weights

Wall Ball target height: 2.70 m for women and 3.00 m for men. Women Pro uses a 6 kg ball, but the target stays at 2.70 m. In Mixed Doubles, both athletes use a 6 kg ball; the woman throws to the 2.70 m target and the man to the 3.00 m target.

SkiErg, Row and Burpee Broad Jump have no added weight; the distance is the same in every division.

• Doubles: Women’s pairs use Women Open weights. Men’s and Mixed pairs, along with Women Pro pairs, use the middle column. Men Pro pairs use Men Pro weights.
• Relay: Women’s teams use Women Open weights and men’s teams use Men Open weights. The rulebook table doesn’t specify Mixed team weights separately; ask the organizer before your race.
• Equipment colors also identify weights: for Farmers Carry, Sandbag and Wall Ball, white is Women Open, gray is Men Open and Women Pro, and black is Men Pro. Choosing the correct weight is your responsibility.

Age groups

Singles and Doubles: The first group is ages 16–24 (including 24), followed by five-year groups: 25–29, 30–34 … 85–89. Your age group is based on your age on race day. In Doubles, the team’s age group is calculated from the two athletes' average age.

• At regular races, age groups 80 and above can also enter Pro divisions. The World Championships has a separate rule below.
• Athletes aged 60 and above qualify for the World Championships only through Open and race there with Open weights.

Relay: There are two age groups: under 40, and 40 and above. The team’s group is based on the average age of all four members. For example, athletes aged 24, 38, 48 and 40 have an average age of 37.5, so their team races in the “under 40” group.

Racing twice at the same event: If you race twice in the same division, only your best time counts toward the rankings, and you can’t take more than one podium place in that division.

4 The eight stations, one by one

First, three rules that apply to every station:

1. Every station must be completed in full. The current penalty table lists disqualification for an incomplete station. Don’t plan to skip the remaining reps and accept a time penalty. Section 6 addresses the different wording in the DNF section.
2. You must make the movement standard clear to the judge. A deviation or unusual technique may result in a no rep or time penalty, depending on the station.
3. The judge assigns your equipment and lane. You can’t choose your own. At Lunge, Burpee Broad Jump and Farmers Carry, you may pass a slower athlete when safe; the lines there are for guidance only.

This section covers shared movement standards. Section 10 explains how work and switches are handled in Doubles.

Most stations follow the same penalty pattern for movement faults: a warning for the first fault, 15 seconds for the second, and 15 seconds without another warning for each further fault. Exceptions are noted under each station.

4.1 SkiErg · 1,000 m

• The judge resets the monitor before you start. The damper starts at 6 for everyone; you may adjust it as often as you like.
• Your feet belong on the SkiErg base plate. Your heels may extend beyond the edge, but must not touch the venue floor.
• Your feet may briefly leave the plate during a dynamic pull or jump, but you must land back on it. Touching the venue floor instead of the plate is a fault.
• At 1,000 m, raise your arm to signal the judge while keeping your feet on the plate. You can’t step off until the judge confirms completion.

4.2 Sled Push · 50 m (4 × 12.5 m)

• The judge assigns your lane, and you must stay in it.
• Both you and the sled must be completely behind the starting line before you begin.
• You and the sled must stay within your lane, without encroaching on the neighboring lane.
• The entire sled must cross the 12.5-meter line before you change direction.
• The station is complete after four lengths, once the entire sled crosses the line.

4.3 Sled Pull · 50 m (4 × 12.5 m)

• The judge assigns your lane. Before starting, both you and the sled must be inside the working area at the end of the lane (the Racers Box).
• While holding the rope, you can’t step on the straight lines at the front or back of the working area.
• Once the whole sled crosses the 12.5-meter line, run to the other end of the lane and pull it back.
• You must remain standing while pulling. No sitting or kneeling.
• The rope may extend behind your lane, but must not obstruct a neighboring lane.
• The station is complete after four lengths, once the entire sled crosses the line.

4.4 Burpee Broad Jump · 80 m

• Starting position: For the first burpee of each section, both hands are on the floor behind the starting line and your chest is on the floor. “Chest on the floor” means clear contact at chest level.
• Getting up from the burpee: You may jump or step out of the burpee, and may use your knee for support. Your feet must not pass the tips of your fingers.
• The jump: Both feet must take off and land together on each broad jump. The toes of one foot may be no more than 5 cm ahead of the other. No extra steps or shuffling forward. Jump length is up to you.
• Subsequent burpees: You may place your hands no more than 30 cm in front of the toes of your leading foot, measured from the heel of the palm. Once your hands are down, you can’t slide them forward. Your chest must clearly touch the floor at the bottom of the burpee.
• You don’t have to perform the movement around turning points. At the end of each section, however, jump completely over the white line with both feet, then start the next section with your chest down and hands behind the line.
• The station is complete when you jump over the finish line. If either foot lands on the finish line, perform one more Burpee Broad Jump.

4.5 Row · 1,000 m

• The judge resets the monitor before you start. Everyone starts with the damper at 6 and the footplate at position 4. You may adjust the footplate before starting and change the damper as often as you like.
• Stay on the seat until 1,000 m is complete. You may stop at any time, return the handle to its holder and rest with your feet on or off the footplates.
• You can’t stand up or leave the seat until you’ve completed 1,000 m and the judge confirms it.

4.6 Farmers Carry · 200 m

• Depending on the venue, 200 m may involve several laps. Checking the athlete map to learn the lap count is your responsibility.
• The station starts when you pick up the kettlebells from the marked box beside the starting line and ends when you return them to the same box.
• Carry both kettlebells while moving, with your arms straight at your sides.
• You may set the kettlebells down to rest, as long as they don’t move forward as you put them down.
• At the finish, return them to the correct box with the handles upright. Leaving them in the wrong place or on their sides costs 30 seconds. There’s no penalty if you go back and correct this before leaving the Roxzone.
• Wrong weight: If you complete all or part of the station with the wrong weight, you must redo the entire station with the correct weight. Otherwise, you’re disqualified.

4.7 Sandbag Lunge · 100 m

• The station starts when you pick up the bag from the marked area beside the starting line and ends when you return it there.
• The bag must stay across both shoulders throughout the lunges. You can’t offload it onto the floor, a barrier, your foot or anything else. Each infringement costs 15 seconds.
• Start the first lunge standing upright with both feet behind the line.
• Your rear knee must clearly touch the floor on each lunge. Every rep finishes standing upright with hips and knees fully extended.
• Alternate lunges: right knee, then left knee. You may move continuously or bring both feet together between reps, but no extra steps or shuffling forward between them.
• At the end of each lane and at the finish, your leading foot must clear the white line completely. You don’t need to lunge around turns, but start each new section with both feet behind the line and lunge across it.
• Returning the bag to the wrong place costs 30 seconds. There’s no penalty if you correct it before leaving the Roxzone.
• Wrong weight: As with Farmers Carry, redo the station from the beginning with the correct bag or face disqualification.

4.8 Wall Ball · 100 reps

• Each rep starts standing upright, holding the ball with both hands. Perform a full squat, then throw with both hands and hit your assigned target. Women use the 2.70 m target and men the 3.00 m target.
• You can’t pick the ball up from the floor and throw it straight away; every rep starts from an upright stance.
• After the ball hits the target, either catch it and continue or let it drop. You can’t catch a ball after it bounces off the floor and continue straight into the movement. If it hits the floor, reset to an upright stance.
• At the bottom of the squat, your hips must drop below knee level. The judge may use a box to check depth if needed. You can’t request this box or sit on it to rest.
• If any requirement isn’t met, the rep doesn’t count (“no rep”). There are no warnings at this station: a rep is either valid or invalid.
• Using powdered chalk costs 2 minutes.
• You may leave your shoes beneath your target and perform the station barefoot. Collect your shoes before heading to the finish area; you can’t come back afterward.
• Some events use digital displays showing reps and no reps. The display is only an aid; the physical target and the judge’s approval determine a valid rep. Without a digital display, head to the finish area once the judge confirms 100 valid reps.

5 Running and Roxzone rules

Section 1 explains the basic running format. Here are four common sources of penalties.

Missing a lap

If you miss a lap within a running section, a penalty is added to your finish time. Its size depends on how many laps make up 1 km at that venue:

Example: at a venue where 1 km is three laps, an athlete who misses two laps during the race and finishes in 1 hour 24 minutes gets 10 minutes added: 1 hour 34 minutes. Skipping an entire running section is treated separately, as explained below.

Skipping an entire run or station

Skipping a whole 1 km running section or an entire station results in disqualification.

Station order

Complete stations 1 to 8 in order. If you skip one, you can go back and complete it before entering Wall Ball (Station 8), with a 3-minute penalty. Completing more than one station out of order means disqualification.

Entry and exit arches

Entering the Roxzone through the “OUT” arch or leaving through the “IN” arch costs 2 minutes each time. Timing chips often detect these errors automatically; a judge doesn’t need to see them.

6 Penalties, DNS, DNF and disqualification

How are penalties applied?

• Time penalties can apply both on the running course and at stations. Some are detected automatically by the timing system, such as using the wrong arch or missing a sled length.
• At Stations 1–7, you get one warning for movement standards at each station. For the second fault, regardless of its type, the rep is invalid and a time penalty is added. Each further fault brings another penalty.
• Wall Ball has no warnings. Some serious infringements can also receive an immediate penalty without a warning.
• Errors such as using the wrong weight, returning kettlebells incorrectly or performing an invalid Wall Ball squat can be penalized immediately by the judge or Head Judge.
• Only the Race Director can disqualify an athlete, based on reports from judges or the Head Judge, or on their own observations.

The difference between DNS, DNF and DQ

Different wording on incomplete stations: The Singles rulebook’s penalty section (12.1.3) and penalty table list an incomplete station as DQ. The DNF section (12.3), however, says an athlete unable to finish a station may continue without a result. Since those statements don’t fully align, confirm permission to continue with the Race Director if you can’t complete a station. Don’t assume you can finish with a valid result, or continue after withdrawing for health reasons.

Penalties and result corrections may be added within 48 hours after the event.

Running and general race penalties

The codes below help you find the corresponding entries in the official penalty table. Station penalties are grouped in the next table.

Station penalties: quick reference

Section 4 explains the movements and other station penalties, including the 30-second penalty for returning the sandbag to the wrong place. An invalid Wall Ball rep doesn’t count; it doesn’t automatically mean a 15-second penalty.

7 Clothing, equipment, chalk and water

Shoes: Closed-toe shoes are required throughout the race. The only exception is the Wall Ball station, where you may take them off.

Permitted accessories

The rulebook permits the following:

• Knee sleeves
• Gloves (but not palm protectors known as “grips”)
• Weightlifting belt
• Wristbands
• Hydration pack
• Prescription medication such as an asthma inhaler
• Breathing devices (subject to the relevant rulebook notes and anti-doping rules)

Anything not explicitly listed is prohibited by default. You can’t use it without written permission from the Race Director before the race.

If you use any of these items, you must carry it from start to finish. Handing it to someone and taking it back during the race counts as outside assistance and can lead to disqualification.

Prohibited equipment

• Headphones and earplugs
• Mobile phones (if you have a medical device that requires a phone connection, obtain the Race Director’s approval in advance)
• VR glasses and smart glasses with cameras or recording, broadcasting or data-transfer capabilities
• GoPros and similar body-worn cameras
• Equipment that creates a risk for other athletes, such as helmets, breathing apparatus and compressed-air cylinders

Prohibited items will be confiscated. You can collect them from the Customer Service desk after your race. Uniforms and weighted vests are allowed as long as they don’t affect anyone else’s safety or performance.

Chalk

Only organizer-provided chalk may be used, and only at Sled Pull and Farmers Carry. Bringing your own, taking chalk away from a station or using it at another station costs 2 minutes. Using powdered chalk at Wall Ball also costs 2 minutes.

Water and nutrition

• Water is available at least once before, during or after each Roxzone transition; sports drinks may also be provided.
• If you plan to use gels or similar nutrition, carry them from the start of the race.
• You can’t receive food or drink from anyone outside the aid stations. This counts as outside assistance and brings a time penalty each time.
• Drinks at the aid stations are for drinking only. Pouring them over yourself costs 2 minutes.

8 Race day

Check-in

When you arrive at the venue, head to athlete check-in first. Bring official photo ID and your registration confirmation. You’ll receive:

• A timing chip and ankle strap
• Your race number
• A wristband

Depending on your division, the wristband may be white, gray, black and/or green. It identifies your start wave and division and must remain visible on your wrist throughout the race. The chip must be on your ankle; wearing it elsewhere can produce invalid or incomplete timing.

Changing rooms and bag storage

The venue has changing rooms and a bag storage area. The organizer isn’t responsible for lost or stolen belongings.

Warm-up area

An equipped warm-up area is available for athletes. Spectators aren’t allowed in it.

Start area

Be at the start tunnel area 10 minutes before your start time. You’ll receive starting instructions there. When your wave starts, move forward without waiting in the tunnel; otherwise, a 1-minute penalty may apply.

9 Conduct and doping

Sportsmanship

Threatening or aggressive behavior toward officials, judges, volunteers, spectators or other athletes can result in a penalty or disqualification. The rulebook defines unsporting behavior broadly: attempts to deceive or manipulate, excessive protesting, obstructing or harassing other athletes. These actions can also be penalized after a race, with consequences extending to a lifetime ban from HYROX events and legal action. Disqualified or banned athletes receive no refund.

General conduct

Put cups and gel wrappers in bins. Don’t spit or blow your nose onto the floor. Section 6 lists the time penalties and possible disqualification for these actions.

Doping

HYROX has an anti-doping policy and zero tolerance for prohibited substances or methods. Athletes are deemed to consent to in-competition and out-of-competition testing; HYROX may carry out random tests at any time. A Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) application can be made 28 days before the race. Detailed rules and the application form are on HYROX’s rulebook page.

10 Doubles-specific rules

Doubles is for teams of two: two men, two women, or one woman and one man (Mixed).

Start and finish

• Both teammates must be at the start line and start together. One athlete can’t start alone.
• The team’s finish time is recorded when both athletes have crossed the line, meaning when the second chip registers.

Running: together

• Both athletes complete every run together. If one teammate runs ahead, the team receives a 1-minute penalty.
• Enter each station together; work can’t begin until both of you arrive. Leave together once the reps or distance are complete.
• More than three “failure to stay together” penalties put the team Out of Competition, with no ranking.

Stations: sharing the work

• Share the station work, but only one athlete may work at a time. How you split it is up to you. On Row, for example, one athlete might row 250 m before switching, repeating this until 1,000 m is complete.
• The resting teammate must remain standing throughout the station. No kneeling, sitting, lying down or touching a knee or any other body part to the floor. Stay within the designated area without obstructing anyone.

Switching at stations

• SkiErg and Row: Only the working athlete may adjust the damper. You can’t hand the SkiErg handles or rowing handle to each other. Adjusting your partner’s damper or foot straps also counts as a fault. The resting athlete waits in the marked area.
• Sleds: The resting athlete stays directly behind the working athlete. At Sled Pull, they can’t help with the rope in any way. They may give verbal or physical directional guidance without stepping on the lines or into the working area.
• Burpee Broad Jump: When switching, the incoming athlete places their hands where the working athlete’s feet landed. The resting athlete walks behind the working athlete, rather than alongside and blocking the way.
• Farmers Carry and Sandbag Lunge: Kettlebells or the sandbag can’t be passed forward during a switch. The resting athlete walks behind the working athlete.
• Wall Ball: Switch by putting the ball down or handing it over. “Flying switches,” where one athlete throws to the target and the other catches it in a squat and continues, are prohibited. The resting athlete stays in the marked area beneath the rig.

Weights: Use the table in Section 3. Women Pro pairs using the same weights as Men Open doesn’t mean their Wall Ball target moves to the men’s height. The women’s target stays at 2.70 m; the men’s is 3.00 m.

Pro Doubles and nationality: To earn Elite ranking points, both Pro Doubles athletes must hold valid passports from the same country. This doesn’t affect regular race results or podium places.

11 Relay-specific rules

Relay is a relay race for teams of four: four women, four men, or two women and two men. All four members must be present at the start; incomplete teams can’t start.

Who does what?

• Every team member runs 2 × 1 km and completes two stations. The team decides who does which runs and stations.
• An athlete may complete their two runs and two stations consecutively, or finish one run-and-station section and return to the Transition Zone for another teammate to take the next section.
• Only one teammate is active in the race at a time; the other three wait for their turns.

Transition Zone

• Handovers happen here. The incoming teammate enters shortly before the handover; don’t occupy the area before your turn. Getting teammates there on time is the team’s responsibility.
• After finishing a station, the athlete runs to the Transition Zone and high-fives the waiting teammate. The next athlete starts their run, and the outgoing athlete leaves the area immediately.
• An athlete doing two consecutive sections must pass through the Transition Zone after each station so their chip registers. Missing it triggers an automatic penalty.

Finish

• Once the final runner starts Run 8, the other three teammates go to Wall Ball via the spectator route. They may enter the station only after their racing teammate has started Wall Ball, using the designated Relay entrance. Once inside, they join their teammate and wait beneath the rig.
• After 100 wall balls are complete, all four teammates run together and cross the finish line as a team.

Weights and age groups: Women’s teams use Women Open weights and men’s teams use Men Open weights. The rulebook doesn’t specify Mixed teams separately; ask the organizer before your race. Relay has no Pro division. Section 3 explains age groups and average-age calculations.

12 2026/27 rule notes: if you’re using an older PDF

When comparing an older PDF or another summary, check these points in the 2026/27 files dated September 14, 2026:

• You can’t leave a station incomplete and receive a valid result. The penalty table lists DQ. Missing running laps carries a different penalty, explained in Section 5. Section 6 covers the different wording in the DNF section.
• Dynamic SkiErg pulls are allowed. Your feet may briefly leave the plate, but must land back on it.
• The sandbag must be supported across both shoulders. Offloading it onto the floor, a barrier or your foot costs 15 seconds per infringement.
• Chalk use is restricted. Only organizer-provided chalk is allowed, and only at Sled Pull and Farmers Carry.
• A health or hygiene risk may require withdrawal. This is recorded as DNF.

Before your race, recheck the official rulebooks page. An unchanged filename doesn’t mean unchanged content. Compare the season first, then the relevant rule.

13 World Championships and Elite: a brief overview

World Championships: At qualifying events, your division and age-group result may earn you a championship slot. If you don’t register within the time specified in the offer email, the slot may pass to the next athlete. Check the official rulebook for your format for slot allocation, license priorities and roll-down conditions.

Athletes aged 60 and above qualify through Open and compete at the World Championships with Open weights. The age group in which you qualify remains the same, even if you have a birthday before the championship.

Elite 15 and Challenger: These are a separate competition pathway based on points, rankings and eligibility from Pro races. Don’t think of Elite 15 simply as “the 15 fastest times”; invitations follow the season’s ranking system. Challenger offers a route into Elite 15. The current system and entry requirements are explained on the HYROX Elite page.

You don’t need every detail of this system for your first race. Focus first on your division’s weights, movement standards and the race format.

Appendix A Race-morning checklist

• Photo ID and registration confirmation packed
• You know your division and start time; the time is written visibly on your arm
• Timing chip on your ankle, wristband visible on your wrist
• Closed-toe shoes
• Any permitted items you’re using (knee sleeves, gloves, belt, hydration pack) are with you; you’ll carry them from start to finish
• No headphones, earplugs, cameras or prohibited smart glasses; prior approval obtained if you need a medical exception for your phone
• Gels or similar nutrition in your pocket if you’re using them
• No personal chalk (only organizer-provided chalk at Sled Pull and Farmers Carry)
• Athlete map checked: how many laps per 1 km, and how many for Farmers Carry?
• Weight colors understood: white (Women Open), gray (Men Open and Women Pro), black (Men Pro)
• At the start tunnel 10 minutes before your start time
• Ready to count your own laps
• Doubles switches discussed with your partner; Relay roles and Transition Zone discussed with your team

Appendix B Sources

• Official HYROX rulebooks and anti-doping documents
• Singles · English rulebook (PDF) — 2026/27, 46 pages
• Doubles · English rulebook (PDF) — 2026/27, 48 pages
• Relay · English rulebook (PDF) — 2026/27, 35 pages
• HYROX Elite
• Official race results

The three PDFs used for this guide have file creation and modification dates of September 14, 2026. Content at the direct PDF links may change; check the season on the cover.

The official English rules in force on race day, and officials' decisions within those rules, are binding.