How To Train Hybrid Athletes
Inside the World of a HYROX Champion
This June, all roads lead to Chicago as the Windy City prepares to host the HYROX World Championships 2025. The event will bring together the world’s fittest hybrid athletes for a showdown that promises to be both brutal and breath-taking, with over 10,000 athletes and fans expected to attend, this championship isn’t just a race — it’s a declaration that hybrid fitness has arrived on the world stage.
What is Hybrid Fitness?
Hybrid fitness is all about combining strength and endurance training in one powerful session. It means mixing things like running, rowing, or cycling with functional movements like squats, lunges, and carries. The goal is to build all-round fitness—so you’re not training your clients to just be strong or fit, but also capable, athletic, and resilient.
Now that you’ve got a feel for what hybrid fitness is all about, it’s time to see it in action.
Some of the world’s top HYROX athletes have taken this training style to the next level, creating unique programmes and developing strategy to dominate on race day. By exploring how these elite competitors structure their training, you can gain valuable insights into how hybrid programming can be adapted for different goals, abilities, and performance outcomes.
Take a look at some of the standout athletes to watch in this year’s HYROX World Championships and how they train for success!
Hunter McIntyre
Men’s HYROX Champion
Training Overview
Hunter’s programme balances interval-based conditioning (think sled pushes, running, and ergs) with Olympic lifting and hypertrophy work to build both power and resilience.
PT Takeaway
Hunters training style highlights periodising hybrid fitness training, focusing not just on capacity, but also movement efficiency, recovery, and event-specific prep.
James Kelly
Current HYROX WR Holder
Training Overview
His plan typically includes zone-based running, erg efficiency (particularly SkiErg and rower), and targeted strength work for movements like wall balls, lunges, and sleds
PT Takeaway
Quality over volume! Practice consistent progress tracking and sport-specific technique to help clients improve both their race-day performance and overall hybrid fitness.
Jake Dearden
HYROX Elite 15 – UK Top Male Athlete
Training Overview
Jake’s programming typically includes mixed-modality workouts that mimic race conditions, blending running intervals with station work like sled pushes, burpees, and carries. He also integrates mobility, recovery protocols, and movement quality into his plan to support longevity and performance.
PT Takeaway
Consider sport-specific conditioning, strategic pacing, and recovery as part of a well-rounded hybrid training model.
Lauren Weeks
Current Women’s HYROX Champion
Training overview
Lauren’s plan often combines high-intensity running with functional strength circuits, focusing on transitions, pacing, and technical execution. She prioritises smart workload management, balancing intensity with recovery and includes cross-training elements to build versatility.
PT Takeaway
This training style demonstrates how hybrid athletes can thrive through intelligent programming, energy system development, and refining movement economy across all stations.
Joanna Wietrzyk
HYROX Breakout Star
Training Overview
Joanna’s approach places a strong emphasis on technical consistency across all stations, with a particular focus on sled technique, wall balls, and running form. She balances aerobic conditioning with strength and skill-based sessions, often using time trials and data tracking to monitor performance gains.
PT Takeaway
Understand the value of measurable progress, event-specific technique work, and tailoring training cycles to peak on race day.
Understand the value of measurable progress, event-specific technique work, and tailoring training cycles to peak on race day.
Sinéad Bent
HYROX Elite 15 – UK Top Female Athlete
Training Overview
Sinead’s programming combines high-quality running sessions with functional strength work, paying close attention to pacing, transitions, and technical efficiency across all stations. She incorporates mobility and recovery as non-negotiables and favours training blocks that build aerobic capacity while sharpening race-specific execution.
PT Takeaway
This training format underscores the importance of discipline, recovery planning, and blending endurance with controlled intensity to maximise hybrid performance.
With the HYROX World Championships just around the corner, these top athletes are showing what hybrid fitness is all about, strength, endurance, and smart training combined. Their programmes are a great reminder of how effective and exciting this style of training can be. Whether your clients want to compete or just get fitter, now’s the perfect time to bring hybrid fitness into your coaching. It’s growing fast, and it’s here to stay!
This summer, we’re launching THREE brand-new CPD courses designed to help you level up your skills, deliver more impactful sessions, and futureproof your business. Get ready for: Hybrid Fitness Coaching, Olympic Lifting, and Marketing for Fitness Professionals. Stay tuned for all the details—these are game-changers you won’t want to miss!
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