Hyrox, the fitness craze that runs and runs

Inside Strawberry Arena, a cavernous¹ stadium in Stockholm, thousands of chiselled² men and women are puffing³ and slick⁴ with sweat. A few are the colour of the fruit. And little wonder: they have run a kilometre, covered the same distance on a ski-training machine, then run again. Between laps⁵ of the stadium they have also rowed⁶, lunged⁷, done burpees⁸, carried kettlebells⁹, pushed and pulled a sled¹⁰ and lobbed¹¹ a medicine ball¹². A respectable¹³ race time is about 90 minutes; the fittest strive¹⁴ to finish in under an hour.

This cross between a relay¹⁵ race and high-intensity¹⁶ interval¹⁷ training is called Hyrox. (The name is believed to be a portmanteau¹⁸ of “hybrid¹⁹”—a reference to its mix of cardio²⁰ and strength exercises—and “rock star”, to make it seem cool.) To the unathletic²¹, it may all sound nauseating²². But Hyrox claims to be the “fastest-growing mass-participation²³ fitness concept in the world”. At the first race, in Hamburg in 2017, some 650 people took part. In the 2026-27 season more than 2m will compete across six continents. September alone features events in 12 cities, including Athens, Mumbai and Washington.

The format has certainly set pulses²⁴ racing. The hashtag²⁵ #hyrox has been viewed more than 500m times on Instagram and TikTok. Peloton, a home-exercise firm, offers Hyrox training classes. Later this year a four-day European cruise²⁶ will allow athletes to train at sea, with tickets for a cabin starting at a bracing²⁷ £2,200 ($3,000). There is a Hyrox dating app and bank card. “Hyrox is not just a race or an event,” one acolyte²⁸ proclaims²⁹ online. “Hyrox is a lifestyle.”

The hype³⁰ is partly explained by a boom in gym culture: men and women are pumping ironmore than they used to. Across America, Britain and Europe, fitness-club memberships have reached a record high. Isabella Helm, a 25-year-old trainee³¹ accountant, loves Hyrox and trains six days a week in London: “You get addicted to feeling fitter and stronger.”

Hyrox adds a social element to what is generally a solitary³² pursuit³³. There is also the adrenalin³⁴ rush that comes with competition. Leaderboards³⁵ foster³⁶ friendly rivalry³⁷. Athletes can race solo³⁸, in pairs or teams; friends can pay to watch on in comfort from the stands³⁹.

Participants often turn races into mini-holidays. As the format spreads across the globe, there is no shortage of new destinations to visit. Danny and Zoe Rae are British influencers⁴⁰ who, like a number of couples, combine races with recreation⁴¹ and doing “something nice”. “It’s a great way to travel,” Mr Rae avers⁴².

The sport attracts racers of all ages. The average age of participants is 36, but the oldest at the world championships in Stockholm was 75. Laura Hitt trains several older people at her gym in Exeter, in south-west England. She says that “it’s one of the most accessible⁴³ sports I’ve been part of.” Hyrox is kinder on the body than other fitness races—such as CrossFit, which peaked in popularity in the 2010s—because it does not require complex weightlifting⁴⁴. This may explain why it appeals to retired athletes as well as hobbyists⁴⁵.

Will Hyrox run out of breath? Some grumble⁴⁶ that tickets are scarce⁴⁷ and cost upwards⁴⁸ of £150—even without accounting for travel, hotels and months of gym fees. But Moritz Fürste, the co-founder of Hyrox (and an Olympic-medal-winning hockey player), believes the format has room to grow, and hopes it will be included in the Olympics in 2032. He concedes⁴⁹ that it is expensive, but that demand is still far exceeding⁵⁰ supply. “It’s like tennisand golf,” he observes: “Once it becomes your sport, you’ll keep coming back.” ■

This article was downloaded by zlibraryfrom https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/09/01/hyrox-the-fitness-craze-that-runs-and-runs