Hyrox is a hybrid fitness race that combines endurance running with demanding functional exercises. While the original solo format challenges athletes to complete all eight runs and eight stations on their own, Hyrox Doubles takes a team approach. In this version, two partners work together to split the workload while still running every kilometre side by side. The result is a fast, strategic, and highly competitive event that rewards both teamwork and fitness. This article has everything you need to know about how Hyrox Doubles works.
What Is Hyrox Doubles?
You may already be familiar with the original solo version of Hyrox. However, this new doubles format, completed with a partner, is rapidly gaining popularity anywhere the events are held.
If you’re not clued up on the Hyrox solo format, don't worry; we’ll explain it and its differences below.
How the Hyrox Doubles Format Works
The Hyrox Doubles format is a two-person relay version of the solo event where partners work closely with each other to complete the entire course. It’s open to everyone over 16 years old, and includes women's doubles, men's doubles, mixed doubles, and pro groups for men and women. The details vary in gender by the amount of weight being pushed or moved. They also use the average combined age of both participants for age group classifications.
Just like the solo version, the course is made of eight separate 1km runs interspersed with one of eight functional exercise stations, followed immediately by another 1km run.
The eight functional exercises are the same as those found in the solo version and consist of:
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SkiErg 1000m is a full-body cardio for your arms, shoulders, core, and legs. Learning efficient techniques for conserving energy will benefit you greatly.
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Sled Push 50m is a lower-body strength exercise for your glutes, quads, core, and posterior chain. Proper footwear with a good grip is a must.
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The 50m Sled Pull is a full-body exercise that tests grip strength, back, and arms. As you haul the sled back, focus on positioning and strong arms.
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Burpee Broad Jumps 80m is a full-body exercise that combines explosive power from forward jumps to enhance cardio and endurance.
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Rowing 1000m is another ergometer (erg) station that targets the legs, core, and cardio endurance, with an upper body component. It’s also the halfway point of the race.
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The Farmers Carry 200m tests grip strength, core stability, and upper back endurance by carrying heavy kettlebells over a distance.
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Sandbag Lunges 100m is a lower-body workout targeting your legs, glutes, and core as you lunge forward with a heavy sandbag on your shoulders.
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Wall Balls in 75 or 100 reps are a full-body burner that combines squats and throws to work leg strength, upper body power, and stamina.
The primary difference between doubles and solo events is the splitting of the responsibilities. In solo events, the individual must do everything themselves.
In a doubles format, the team divides the workload based on strategy, strength, and personal preferences. It allows a partner to take a break while the other completes a functional exercise. There is no rule governing how to split the workload, but each partner must perform a fair share of work. In some cases, they can split each station between them, such as switching every 15 reps on Wall Balls.
However, each partner must still complete all eight runs together, with no more than a 15-second difference in their pace.
How Equipment Rules for Hyrox Doubles Differ From Solo Events
Hyrox has strict rules about equipment use on race day since only one partner at a time may have access to the Hyrox equipment. General doubles rules go as follows:
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SkiErg: One partner must stand on the doubles mat and refrain from touching the erg while their partner completes their 1000m split.
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Sled Push: Partner must follow behind the partner pushing, not in front or in another lane, and must follow and cross to each end of the track.
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Sled Pull: During the sled pull, only one partner may stand on the pulling box. The other must remain directly behind, and only the pulling partner may handle the rope. Both athletes must stay at the same end of the track where the pull is happening.
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Burpee Broad Jump: During burpee broad jumps, one partner must stay behind while the other performs the movement. Transitions can be made side-by-side or by stepping forward through the partner’s legs. Each rep must begin with a burpee and end with a two-footed forward jump, taking off and landing on both feet.
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Rower: One partner rows the full 1000m while the other must stay on the doubles mat without touching the machine.
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Farmers Carries: Partner walks behind the partner carrying and can swap the kettlebells down and hand to the partner from that position without obstructing the other.
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Lunges: The partner walks behind the lunging partner, and the sandbag cannot touch the floor; you may transition the sandbag back-to-back, but never forwards.
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Wall Balls: Partner stands in the rig facing the partner completing the wall balls. While you can change at any point, the ball must be passed forward at waist height or dropped to the floor to collect.
Divisions, Teams, and Age Groups
The Hyrox Doubles teams consist of two athletes. They can be in any of the following arrangements:
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Open Male-Male completes all stations at Male Open weights.
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Open Female-Female completes all stations at Female Open weights.
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Open Mixed (Male-Female) completes all stations at Male Open weights.
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Pro Male-Male completes all stations at Pro Male weights.
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Pro Female-Female completes all stations at Pro Female weights.
Within each doubles category, you also need your age to be categorized. This is done by taking the average age of both group members (total age divided by 2) to classify an age class for your partnership.
Strategy and Communication for Hyrox Doubles
Communication about planning and coordinating changeovers is a crucial strategy decision paramount to success on race day.
As you train, practice planning and effective communication throughout your prep period. Race-day practice requires teamwork, communication, and smooth transitions. Partners should train with verbal and non-verbal cues to signal rest needs, especially during shared stations like alternating 25m chunks on the sled push.
Station-by-Station Rules & Tips
Now, let’s examine some essential Hyrox workout station rules and tips to ensure top performance without penalties.
Practice Smooth Transitions
Smooth transactions are essential during the relay format. When training, spend time learning and closely following the Hyrox format and practice seamless handoffs to shave time off your total.
Train Together
Train together as much as possible, at least once a week, to develop smooth transitions and effective communication, learning from each other's strengths, weaknesses, and pacing.
Teams must carefully follow the Hyrox Doubles Rulebook to avoid potential penalties or disqualification.
Focus on Functional Fitness
While each partner must complete the run sections together, you should each be comfortable in every exercise. Even if you don’t plan on any changes, last-minute adjustments are sometimes necessary on race day.
For better functional fitness gains at home, use a cable resistance machine like the Speediance Gym Monster 2. This machine allows you to quickly add resistance to your lunges, squats, pushes, and pulls, giving you significant advantages on race day.
Run Together
Just like training together, running together is essential since you must be within 15 seconds of each other on race day runs, or you will be penalised. Running with your partner will help you learn what pace works best for both of you.
Plan Your Strategies Together
Another vital part of training time together is planning your strategy as a team, each being honest about each other’s strengths and weaknesses, so that you can plan the best partner for each functional task.
If you have additional questions, contact the specific event you’re signing up for to inquire about any site-specific rules you may need to know.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Difference Between Hyrox Singles and Doubles?
The Hyrox singles is a solo endurance and functional fitness race in which an individual completes all eight runs and eight stations. Hyrox Doubles is done in pairs, in which each partner must complete the eight runs together, but can divide up the eight functional events among themselves.
Is Hyrox Doubles Difficult?
It’s not difficult since you can divide the eight functional fitness events between partners according to your strengths and weaknesses. Still, each partner must exit the station together and have the endurance to complete all eight runs while staying as close as possible to their partner to avoid penalties.
What Is a Respectable Hyrox Double Time?
A respectable Hyrox Double time varies depending on the division and gender of the partners. Still, in the standard open category, under 1 hour 20 minutes for men and under 1 hour and 30 minutes for women is considered respectable, while elite athletes complete it in less than an hour.
Hyrox Doubles Competition Combines Strength, Running, and Team Strategy
Hyrox Doubles brings a new dimension to hybrid racing by combining endurance, strength, and strategy with the teamwork of a partner. While the course and exercises mirror the solo format, the ability to split functional stations makes pacing, communication, and transitions just as important as raw fitness. Success comes from training together, racing together, and then practicing handoffs to maximize efficiency. For more structured strength training at home, the Speediance Gym Monster 2 will help you prepare for the demands of race day.
