Everyone talks about the 8 kilometres of running in a HYROX, and yes, running matters. But ask anyone who has already crossed a finish line and they’ll tell you the same thing: the race is won or lost at the stations. That’s where people who haven’t drilled their technique bleed whole minutes and end up crawling.
With HYROX Tenerife just around the corner, we’ve put together an honest run-through of the 8 stations: what each one is, the key to not blowing up, and the classic mistake we see over and over. Let’s go.
1. SkiErg (1,000 m)
You kick things off on the ski. It looks like an arms game, but the real power comes from your triceps and your core and hips: you hang off the handles and use your bodyweight to pull down, not your shoulders on their own.
The classic mistake: going flat out with your arms for the first 200 metres. You’re wrecked within a minute and you’ve still got seven stations to go. Steady pace from the start.
2. Sled Push
The first mental wall. You push a loaded sled and suddenly understand why people respect this one.
The key: arms almost straight, body leaning forward, and drive with your legs in short, powerful steps. Don’t stop: if the sled stalls, getting it moving again costs three times the effort.
The classic mistake: bending your arms and trying to push with your chest. You lose the power and your back pays. Legs and short steps.
3. Sled Pull
Now the other way round: you drag the sled towards you with a rope. A lot is decided here, because technique makes a brutal difference.
The key: sit back and use your weight, pull with your back and arms, and gather the rope fast so it doesn’t tangle. Alternate hands and keep a rhythm.
The classic mistake: pulling with just your arms while standing tall. Use your bodyweight — that’s what it’s for.
4. Burpee Broad Jumps
Burpee, chest to the floor, stand up and jump forward. Repeat until you cover the distance. The station that levels everyone… from the bottom up.
The key: keep them small and sustainable. A short jump with no stopping beats three huge jumps and then ten seconds staring at the ceiling.
The classic mistake: rushing at the start and finishing on your knees. Tortoise pace, but never stop.
5. Rowing (1,000 m)
The row lands right when your legs are already tender, and that’s what makes it sneaky.
The key: the power comes from pushing with your legs first, then opening the hips, and finally pulling with your arms. In that order. Long, powerful strokes, not short and frantic.
The classic mistake: rowing with just your arms and a rounded back. You don’t go faster and your lower back won’t thank you.
6. Farmers Carry
You grab two weights and walk. Sounds like a joke until you do it with your body already fried.
The key: shoulders back, core tight and quick steps. The less you stop to put the weights down, the better: every time you drop and re-grip, you lose time and grip.
The classic mistake: hunching forward and holding on with loose fingers. Your grip goes before your legs do.
7. Sandbag Lunges
A sandbag on your back and lunges until you cover the distance. For many, the hardest station of the lot.
The key: set the bag high on your back so it doesn’t pull you forward, knee to the floor under control and step by step. There are no shortcuts here — it’s pure head game.
The classic mistake: taking lunges that are too long. Shorten them, tap the knee and keep moving; long steps just throw you off balance.
8. Wall Balls
The grand finale. Squat, throw the ball to the target, catch it and again. Just when you think you’ve finished the HYROX… these are still waiting.
The key: use the squat to drive the ball, not your arms. The movement is born in your legs; your arms just guide it. And breathe at the top, don’t hold your breath.
The classic mistake: trying to throw with arm strength. They’re gone in twenty reps and you’ve still got loads left.
And between stations… the 8 km
Between each station you run 1 km. That out-and-back to the station area (the roxzone) is where the silly seconds hide: come in knowing which station you’re heading to, set up your kit fast and don’t stand around recovering. In HYROX, whoever stops least, wins.
Train the real stations before the event
You can read about technique all you like, but you don’t learn the sled from a video — you learn it by pushing it. At BlackBOX, in Las Chafiras (South Tenerife), we have the real HYROX kit —sled, SkiErg, rower, sandbags, wall balls— and coaches who prepare the race.
If you’re racing HYROX Tenerife in September, come and practise the real stations in the days before. We run classes and drop-ins for visitors (€15 a single session), whether you’re passing through or you live here.
FAQ
How many stations does a HYROX have?
Eight, split by 8 runs of 1 km each: SkiErg, sled push, sled pull, burpee broad jumps, rowing, farmers carry, sandbag lunges and wall balls.
What is the hardest HYROX station?
It’s personal, but the sandbag lunges and the wall balls at the end are the ones that hurt most, because you hit them with your legs already cooked.
What weights are used at each station?
They vary by division (Open, Pro, age groups). Check the official weights for your category on the HYROX website before you race.
Can I train the HYROX stations in South Tenerife?
Yes. At BlackBOX (Las Chafiras) we have the real kit and classes to prepare them. Book on WhatsApp: +34 637 204 482.