Most athletes train Hyrox 9-10 months per year and try to be race-ready every weekend. The athletes who get faster year on year do the opposite: they train hard for 6-8 months and use the off-season to repair, vary, and build the next year's engine.
What the off-season is for
Three goals:
- Repair. Tendons, ligaments, and the central nervous system don't fully recover during in-season training. Off-season is when they catch up.
- Build. Strength, aerobic capacity, mobility. The engine that powers next year's race is built when you're not racing.
- Reset. Mentally. Race-target training is intense and narrow. Off-season variety restores enjoyment.
The off-season structure
A 12-week off-season template:
| Weeks | Focus | |---|---| | 1-2 | Active rest. Walking, hiking, easy cycling. No structured training. | | 3-6 | Strength phase. 3-4 sessions per week. Heavy compound lifts. Some easy aerobic. | | 7-10 | Aerobic base + variety. Long runs, long bike rides, swimming. One strength session per week. | | 11-12 | Transition to race build. Add intervals. Reintroduce station work. Prepare to start a 12-week race block. |
That's 12 weeks. Adjust the proportions for shorter or longer off-seasons.
Weeks 1-2: do less
The hardest off-season skill: doing nothing.
Most athletes immediately fill the calendar with "active recovery". A 60-minute easy bike. A long swim. A mobility class. This isn't recovery; it's just lower-intensity training.
What actually works:
- 3-4 full rest days per week.
- Walk 30-45 min per day.
- Sleep 9+ hours.
- Eat normally (no diet restriction).
After 2 weeks, you'll feel different. Energy returns. Soreness clears. Motivation comes back.
Weeks 3-6: strength
The off-season is the only window to build real strength without compromising race fitness. During race blocks, strength is maintained; it's not built.
The template:
| Day | Focus | |---|---| | Mon | Lower-body strength: trap-bar deadlift 5×3, Bulgarian split squat 4×8, hamstring accessory | | Wed | Upper-body strength: bench or floor press 5×3, weighted pull-up 4×6, accessory pulling | | Fri | Full body: clean variation 5×3, front squat 4×5, posterior chain accessory | | Sun | Easy aerobic 45-60 min |
Three quality lifting days. One aerobic day. Two-three rest days. Eat well.
What to expect: 5-12 kg added to most major lifts over 4 weeks. Body weight may go up 1-2 kg of muscle. Mood improves.
Weeks 7-10: aerobic base
The aerobic base phase is the secret weapon. Most athletes skip this and go straight from strength back to race-specific work. The athletes who add 4 weeks of easy aerobic see major race-day gains.
Template:
| Day | Focus | |---|---| | Mon | Easy aerobic 45-60 min (run or bike) | | Tue | Strength maintenance (1 session) | | Wed | Easy aerobic 60-75 min | | Thu | Variety: cycling, swimming, sport | | Fri | Easy aerobic 45-60 min | | Sat | Long aerobic 90-120 min (run, hike, or bike) | | Sun | Off |
Six sessions per week, mostly easy. Heart rate stays below 75% of max. Conversational pace.
This phase builds the mitochondrial density and capillary network that powers the back half of a Hyrox race. You can't fake this with intensity.
Weeks 11-12: race-block preparation
The last 2 weeks of the off-season transition into the next race block:
| Day | Focus | |---|---| | Mon | Aerobic intervals: 4 × 1 km at goal race pace | | Tue | Strength + accessory | | Wed | Easy aerobic 45-60 min | | Thu | Station reintroduction: sled push + ski erg + wall ball at moderate intensity | | Fri | Off or mobility | | Sat | Long aerobic 75-90 min | | Sun | Off |
By the end of week 12, you've reintroduced intensity and stations without yet being in full race-build mode. The next week starts the 12-week race programme.
What to skip in the off-season
- Race simulations. Wait until week 11 minimum. Earlier ones just deplete you.
- Max-effort sled push or wall ball work. No race for 8+ weeks; no need to be in race condition.
- Two-a-days. One quality session per day is plenty.
- Strict diets. Eat to support training. Don't restrict.
Variety: the off-season's other gift
Off-season is the time to do other things:
- Hike a long route. Half a day in the hills builds aerobic base and resets you.
- Mountain bike or road cycle. Different muscle pattern, similar aerobic benefit.
- Swim. Total-body, zero-impact aerobic.
- Play a team sport. Football, basketball, even rugby touch. Reminds you that fitness is fun.
- Yoga or pilates. Mobility work that you neglect during race season.
Two variety sessions per week in weeks 5-10 keep you engaged without compromising the core programming.
Common off-season mistakes
1. Going straight to "active recovery" race-pace stuff. It's neither recovery nor race-pace. It's just mediocre training that doesn't build anything.
2. Trying to maintain race fitness. You can't. Accept that race-specific fitness drops 5-8% in 8 weeks of off-season. It comes back fast in the race block.
3. Putting on excess weight. Some weight gain is fine and often helpful for strength. 4 kg of muscle is great. 6 kg of fat is a problem you'll spend the next race block fighting.
4. Drinking too much. Race-block discipline often disappears in off-season. Two drinks a week is sustainable. Eight drinks a week kills sleep and recovery.
5. Skipping the rest weeks. Years of accumulated training stress needs occasional clearing. Two weeks of full rest at the start of off-season is not optional.
How off-season ends
Twelve weeks later, you start a new race block. You'll feel:
- Stronger than you've ever been (the strength phase landed).
- Slightly slower on hard runs (intensity withdrawal).
- Better recovered (rest worked).
- Mentally fresh (variety helped).
The first race-block session at race pace will feel hard. By week 3 of the new block, you'll be back to in-season fitness. By week 8, you'll be ahead.
The honest summary
The off-season isn't a break from training; it's a different kind of training. Two weeks rest, four weeks strength, four weeks aerobic, two weeks transition. Twelve weeks total.
The athletes who get faster year on year are the ones who treat the off-season as a build phase, not a holiday. The athletes who plateau are the ones who keep doing the same race-pace work all year and never give the body a chance to repair.
Pick a date for your next race. Count back 12 weeks for the race block. Count back another 12 for the off-season. Plan the off-season as deliberately as the race block. Your future self will thank you.
[ FAQ ]
Frequently asked
How long should the Hyrox off-season be?
6-16 weeks depending on how many races you did and how hard. Two-race year: 6 weeks off-season. Five-race year: 12-16 weeks.
Should I keep doing Hyrox-specific work in the off-season?
Reduce it dramatically. Once a week is plenty. The off-season is for building the engine, not maintaining race specificity.
Can I take 4 weeks completely off?
Yes if you've raced hard. Two weeks of nothing won't undo your fitness; it will repair you. Two more weeks of easy variety completes the reset.
What should I do for variety?
Hiking, cycling, swimming, mountain biking, basketball, yoga. Anything that's enjoyable and develops fitness in a different way.
Written by
The Suth Performance teamCoaches and editors
The Suth Performance programming team, led by HYROX Elite 15 athlete Ben Sutherland.
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