Doubles is the most tactical version of Hyrox and the most fun way to do a first one. Both of you run all 8km together, and you split the station work however you like.
The rules in short
You run every metre together, side by side. At each station you can divide the work in any way you choose, swapping as often as you want, provided only one of you works at a time. Loads match the equivalent individual division.
Do not split everything 50-50
This is the default and it is usually wrong. If one of you is stronger on the sled and the other is better overhead, an even split wastes both strengths.
Play to what each of you is good at. A partner who takes 60 wall balls and 20 fewer metres of sled push is a faster team than two people doing half of everything.
Station by station
-
SkiErg and row: swap every 250m or 500m. Frequent swaps keep both of you fresher but cost transition seconds. 500m each is the simple default.
-
Sled push and pull: the strongest pusher does more. Swapping mid-length is expensive because restarting a stopped sled is the hard part, so swap at the turns.
-
Burpee broad jumps: swap every 10 to 20 metres. Short frequent turns work well because the recovery is quick.
-
Farmers carry: swap when grip fades, not on a fixed distance. Grip recovers fast.
-
Sandbag lunges: swap every 20 to 25 metres. Longer turns get ugly.
-
Wall balls: sets of 10 to 15 each, alternating. Continuous alternating keeps the ball moving and gives real rest.
Run together, properly
You must stay together, so pace to the slower runner. That sounds obvious and gets ignored. The faster partner pulling ahead just means the slower one races at their limit and falls apart later.
Talk before the race, not during
Agree your splits and swap points beforehand. Mid-race negotiation while both of you are out of breath is how teams lose time and patience.
Agree a fallback too: what happens if one of you is having a bad day. The other picks up more work, and knowing that in advance stops it becoming an argument.
Frequently asked
Can we both work at once? No, one at a time on the stations.
Do we have to finish together? Yes, you cross the line together.
Is Doubles good for a first Hyrox? Excellent. Shared workload, someone to pace with, and much less likely to end badly.
Racing soon? Our compression tights for Hyrox use 15-20 mmHg graduated compression in a 225 GSM knit built to hold shape through sled and sandbag work, and our compression race socks run at 25-30 mmHg. Free UK delivery over £50.
Hyrox Doubles: Splitting the Work Properly
Doubles is the most tactical version of Hyrox and the most fun way to do a first one. Both of you run all 8km together, and you split the station work however you like.
The rules in short
You run every metre together, side by side. At each station you can divide the work in any way you choose, swapping as often as you want, provided only one of you works at a time. Loads match the equivalent individual division.
Do not split everything 50-50
This is the default and it is usually wrong. If one of you is stronger on the sled and the other is better overhead, an even split wastes both strengths.
Play to what each of you is good at. A partner who takes 60 wall balls and 20 fewer metres of sled push is a faster team than two people doing half of everything.
Station by station
Run together, properly
You must stay together, so pace to the slower runner. That sounds obvious and gets ignored. The faster partner pulling ahead just means the slower one races at their limit and falls apart later.
Talk before the race, not during
Agree your splits and swap points beforehand. Mid-race negotiation while both of you are out of breath is how teams lose time and patience.
Agree a fallback too: what happens if one of you is having a bad day. The other picks up more work, and knowing that in advance stops it becoming an argument.
Frequently asked
Can we both work at once? No, one at a time on the stations.
Do we have to finish together? Yes, you cross the line together.
Is Doubles good for a first Hyrox? Excellent. Shared workload, someone to pace with, and much less likely to end badly.
Racing soon? Our compression tights for Hyrox use 15-20 mmHg graduated compression in a 225 GSM knit built to hold shape through sled and sandbag work, and our compression race socks run at 25-30 mmHg. Free UK delivery over £50.