What equipment for training Hyrox at home

Why not everyone needs the same equipment

Hyrox preparation doesn't necessarily require permanent access to an equipped gym. Some stations (SkiErg, rower, sled) remain hard to faithfully reproduce at home, but most of the base work — endurance, functional strength, basic technique — can be done with minimal equipment, complemented by occasional gym visits for the most specific movements.

The right equipment also depends on your profile: a beginner discovering the format doesn't have the same needs as an experienced athlete fine-tuning precise loads close to competition standards. Progressively adapting your equipment as your practice evolves makes more sense than buying everything at once before even knowing what will actually be useful to you. Many athletes end up with gear they never use, purchased in an early burst of enthusiasm rather than based on real, identified needs.

The minimal kit to get started

Here are the four items that cover most basic needs to start serious preparation, without a disproportionate investment:

With these four items, most base movements can already be worked at home, outdoors, or in a small space.

How to replace each station without specific equipment

Every Hyrox movement has a reasonable alternative when the exact equipment isn't available. The key is to reproduce the logic of the original movement (the type of effort it demands) rather than seeking a perfect copy, often impossible without professional gear:

• SkiErg — high band pulls combined with jump squats to reproduce full-body engagement
• Sled Push/Pull — heavy squats or weighted lunges; loaded carries for grip and posture
• Burpees Broad Jump — a bodyweight movement, no equipment needed
• Rowing — horizontal band pulls, or running if no water/rower is available
• Farmers Carry — kettlebells, weighted water jugs, or improvised dumbbells depending on what's available
• Sandbag Lunges — weighted backpack or improvised sandbag on the shoulders
• Wall Balls — jump squats with a light load held against the chest (kettlebell, light sandbag)

If you want to invest a bit more

For those training regularly at home over time, a few additions help get closer to the real feel of racing: a dedicated medicine ball for wall balls (the motion differs noticeably from a simple jump squat), a second pair of kettlebells at different weights to vary loads, or a dedicated interval timer rather than a phone app, more practical for repeated use.

Occasional access to a regular gym (even without a Hyrox-specialized coach) remains useful for occasionally working the rower and ski erg, two movements where specific equipment makes a real technical difference.

Space, an often overlooked factor

Beyond the equipment itself, having enough space to move freely (lunges, jumps, carrying over a few meters) matters just as much as equipment. A clear hallway, a garden, or even a nearby parking lot can be enough for movement-based exercises, without needing a fully equipped dedicated room.

How to tell if your current equipment is holding you back

A good indicator: if you notice you're systematically avoiding certain movements in your sessions due to lack of suitable gear, rather than substituting them intelligently, that's a sign a small targeted investment could unlock real progress. Conversely, training with minimal equipment used consistently remains largely sufficient for effective preparation over several months.

Combining home equipment with running sessions

The running component represents 8km total in a Hyrox race, split into 1km segments between each station. This part of preparation needs no special equipment beyond a good pair of shoes, and can be trained entirely outdoors, independent of the rest of your home equipment. It's often the easiest part to neglect even though it represents a significant share of total race time.

Structuring your sessions without a gym

Training at home generally requires a bit more discipline in structuring sessions, without a coach or group to set the pace. That's exactly what a structured program provides, telling you precisely what to do, in what order, and at what load, even with limited equipment.

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This content is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the advice of a healthcare professional or certified coach.