A specific warm-up protocol for Hyrox raises your race-day performance by 3-5%. That's 2-5 minutes off your finish time at most paces. A generic "I'll just jog around" doesn't.
This is the 30-minute protocol that primes the body, the nervous system, and the mind for race start.
The minute-by-minute protocol
| Time before race | Activity | |---|---| | -45 min | Final small snack (gel or banana) | | -35 min | General warm-up: light jog 5 min | | -28 min | Dynamic mobility: 5 min | | -22 min | Activation: 3-4 movements, 2 sets each | | -15 min | Station rehearsals: 2 movements, light | | -10 min | Opener: 2 short intervals at race pace | | -6 min | Easy walk + breathing + mental cues | | -2 min | Line up. Race-start posture. |
Total time: ~33 minutes. Adjust if your event has different staging.
-35 to -30 min: light jog
5 minutes of easy jogging. Heart rate climbs to 100-120 bpm. Body warms up. Mental switch flips from "preparing" to "active".
Use the venue's warm-up space if there is one. If not, the carpark or any flat open space works.
-28 to -23 min: dynamic mobility
A standard sequence:
- Walking lunges with twist × 10 each leg
- High knees × 30 seconds
- Butt kicks × 30 seconds
- Leg swings (front, side, cross) × 10 each direction, each leg
- Arm circles + ski erg motion practice × 1 min
- Hip circles × 5 each direction
Total: 5 minutes. Targets: hips, hamstrings, shoulders, ankles. Skip stretching anything (static stretching cold-stiffens muscles for explosive work).
-22 to -16 min: activation
Specific muscle activation for the patterns the race demands:
- Glute bridge × 15 reps
- Hip thrust (bodyweight or single-leg) × 12 reps
- Plank × 30 seconds
- Push-up to T-rotation × 8 reps (4 each side)
- Air squat × 15 reps
Two rounds. 6 minutes total. These prime the posterior chain and core for sled work, lunges, and wall ball.
-15 to -11 min: station rehearsals
If equipment is available, do light rehearsals of the early stations:
- Ski erg: 30 seconds at moderate intensity. Just to feel the motion.
- Light sled push (50% race weight, 10 m): if available, one short push.
If equipment isn't available (often the case): pantomime the motion. Standing ski erg pull with hands miming. Light bodyweight squats. The neuromuscular pattern still primes.
-10 to -6 min: opener intervals
The most important part of the warm-up. Two short race-pace efforts to wake up the cardiovascular system.
- 30 seconds at race pace running. (Could be on the spot if no space.)
- 90 seconds easy walk.
- 20 seconds slightly faster than race pace.
- 2 minutes easy walk.
These openers raise blood lactate to about 4 mmol/L (the threshold zone), which then clears before race start. The first 1 km of the race feels easier because the system has been pre-shocked.
-6 to -2 min: breathing + mental cues
Settle. Breathing slow and deep. Mental script:
- "I've trained for this."
- "First 1 km is conservative. Find rhythm."
- "Stations 1-3 at 75-80%. Save the back half."
- "Wall ball is decided by how I pace the first half."
Repeat your race plan to yourself. Visualise the first three stations.
Sip 100-150 ml of water. Not more. Last bathroom should be done by now.
-2 to 0 min: line up
Position yourself near the front of your wave. Don't be at the back; you'll waste energy weaving around slower athletes in the first 50 m.
Posture: tall, light on the feet, slow deep breaths. Don't bounce around expending energy.
What to skip
Common warm-up mistakes:
1. Long static stretching. Cold muscles don't benefit. Stiffens explosive muscle.
2. Heavy warm-up sets at the sled. You're racing in 15 minutes. Save the heavy work.
3. Full station rehearsals at race weight. Tempting because the kit is there. Wastes glycogen.
4. Stretching the same muscle for 60 seconds. Reduces power output for 30+ minutes.
5. Standing around for 20 minutes after warming up. The body cools down. Re-do a brief activation if you've been waiting too long.
If your wave is delayed
Sometimes events run late. If your wave is pushed back 30+ minutes:
- Don't re-do the full warm-up. You'll burn out.
- Move every 10 minutes. Easy jog 60-90 seconds, light squats, arm circles.
- Re-do the openers (30s + 20s race-pace efforts) in the 5 minutes before your actual start.
If the delay is shorter (10-15 min), keep moving and re-do one opener.
Caffeine timing
For athletes who use caffeine:
- Dose: 3-6 mg per kg body weight.
- Timing: 30-60 minutes before race start.
- Form: Coffee, espresso, caffeine tablets, or pre-workout drink. Test in training first.
- Don't experiment on race day.
Caffeine peaks 30-45 minutes after ingestion. If you ingest at -60 minutes, you'll be at peak effect for the first 30-45 minutes of the race. Plan accordingly.
Race-morning fuelling
Reminder of the timing (covered fully in the nutrition timeline article):
- 3 hours before: Real meal, 80-120 g carbs.
- 45 minutes before: 30-50 g fast carbs (gel or banana).
- 15 minutes before: Final sip of water.
If you skip the final small snack, the first 1 km feels harder.
The mental warm-up
The 30 minutes before race start are also a mental rehearsal. While you do the physical protocol:
- Visualise the start line.
- Picture the ski erg pace you'll hold.
- See yourself executing the sled push posture.
- Imagine the wall ball station and the rhythm you'll keep.
Athletes who rehearse the race mentally perform 3-5% better on race day. The brain treats vivid visualisation as semi-real practice.
The honest summary
A specific warm-up beats a generic one by 2-5 minutes of finish time. The protocol: light jog, dynamic mobility, activation, station rehearsal, opener intervals, breathing.
Total time: 30-35 minutes. Skip the static stretching, the heavy lifts, the over-rehearsed station work. The warm-up exists to prime, not to test.
Race-day performance is 90% training and 10% the day-of decisions. The warm-up is a big chunk of the 10%.
[ FAQ ]
Frequently asked
How long should I warm up before a Hyrox?
25-35 minutes is the sweet spot. Less than 20 and you're under-primed. More than 40 and you've used race-day energy.
Do I need to do a full sled push in warm-up?
No. Two short, sub-maximal pushes (10-15 m, 50% load) to prime the pattern. Save the heavy work for the actual race.
What about caffeine timing?
If you use caffeine, 30-60 minutes before start. The peak effect arrives about 30 minutes after ingestion.
Should I warm up alone or with friends?
Alone is more focused. Friends often distract and rush your protocol. Warm up alone, race with friends.
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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