Why Hyrox + Zone 2 Training Is Booming And How Sports Science Testing Can Help You Dominate

🎽 Hyrox’s Growth Wave

Hyrox is now a major global fitness phenomenon, and is only getting bigger, they are expected to draw in over 500,000 participants across 83 events in 2025, and the latest UK events regularly sell out within minutes. Whether you're training for your first event or chasing a podium finish, understanding your physiology is the secret to unlocking your personal best. At Edge Performance Science, we use advanced testing, like VO₂max, lactate threshold, and body composition analysis, to really support our athletes train smarter and perform better.

Hyrox athletes embarking on the 1-km run (Photo: Courtesy of Hyrox).

💪 What It Takes to Win at Hyrox

Now the key here is that it's a perfect mix of running and functional strength, and better still it's standardised so your performance can be measured globally. The jury is still up and we'd love to get your thoughts but due to the format of:

• 8 × 1km runs

• 8 functional fitness stations (e.g. sled push/pull, ski erg, wall balls, sandbag lunges)

There are lots of different ways to pace the event, and areas where functional strength can make up for lost time on the run (vice-versa). It may even be advantageous to be an endurance athlete who is already exceptionally fit who needs to gain strength, or on the flip-side would the perfect athlete be one who possesses the correct amount of strength/power but needs to build their endurance? Everyone is different and as of yet Hyrox and sport scientists are still working to build a consensus on the ingredients which make up the perfect Hyrox athlete.

What we do know is, to perform well, you need:

• Aerobic endurance for the running segments

• Anaerobic power for short, explosive stations

• Muscular endurance to keep moving under fatigue

• Smart pacing to avoid burning out late in the race

🔬 What Happens to Your Body During a Hyrox Event?

Recent studies show that Hyrox participants:

• Spend up to 90 minutes at 80–90% of their max heart rate

• Reach blood lactate levels of 8.5 mmol/L during stations (a marker of intense fatigue)

• Experience huge spikes in perceived exertion near the end, especially during wall balls

Physiologically, you're switching between energy systems, draining muscle glycogen, accumulating lactate, and battling heat and dehydration. Only those who train with data-backed structure can thrive under that stress, and most importantly prepare their bodies for the repeated efforts that are required in training, at the correct intensity.

Post-interval lactate testing provides valuable data on fatigue resistance and optimal pacing strategies for Hyrox athletes.

🧪 How Testing Can Help You Train Smarter and Race Stronger

We offer three core assessments that can transform your preparation:

1. VO₂max Testing

• Measures your aerobic capacity

• Predicts endurance and recovery ability

• Helps tailor your long runs and tempo sessions, in particular identifying Zone 2 training intensity.

2. Lactate Threshold Testing

• Identifies your sustainable race pace

• Sets training zones for tempo and interval workouts

• Informs pacing strategy to avoid burnout during training and racing

3. Body Composition Analysis (BIA & Skinfolds)

• Tracks muscle mass, body fat, and body composition using segmental analysis.

• Supports tailored nutrition and strength plans

• Measures adaptation and recovery over time

  
  

📍 Book your performance test now

🧠 From Data to Action: What You Can Do with the Results

Using your results, by way of providing in-depth analysis and a ~14 page report on your test results we’ll help you:

• Build aerobic volume around your real thresholds

• Train in precise intensity zones—not guesswork

• Develop race-day pacing aligned to your physiology

• Monitor how body composition affects performance

• Adjust training and nutrition as your fitness evolves

This is critical! Failure to train and prepare at the correct intensities will result in poor performance and most importantly, no matter of interventions (carbon shoes, supplements etc.) will pull you out of this rut.

🧱 Build Your Winning Hyrox Strategy (Backed by Science and Evidence)

Training Phase	Focus Area	Based On
Base Phase	Steady runs, mobility	VO₂max + body comp
Threshold Training	Tempo runs, long intervals	Lactate testing
Simulation Phase	Run + station combos	Thresholds + pacing
Power Development	Sleds, lunges, carries	Strength + recovery data
Deload & Taper	Rest, body comp focus	Progress monitoring

📅 Ready to Train Like a Pro?

By understanding your unique physiology, you’ll:✅ Train in the right zones✅ Recover more effectively✅ Peak at the right time✅ Maximise every training session

🎯 Get tested. Get focused. Smash your Hyrox PB.

👉 Book your testing now