The ski erg opens the Hyrox race. Station one of eight. The temptation: go hard, build a lead, feel strong. The reality: a poorly paced ski erg costs you 60-120 seconds across the rest of the race because your shoulders and lats are taxed for the next 80 minutes.
What the ski erg actually demands
A Concept2 SkiErg or similar. You stand in front of it, grab two handles above your head, and pull them down to your hips in a unified motion. The display shows 1,000 m and counts down with each stroke.
The movement uses (in order of contribution):
- Hip hinge: drives most of the power
- Lat pull: connects the upper body to the hip drive
- Triceps and shoulders: the finish
- Legs: anchor the floor
Done right, the ski erg is one of the most full-body movements in fitness. Done wrong, it's a shoulder destroyer.
The damper setting
Damper sets resistance. Lower numbers = less resistance per stroke = need higher stroke rate. Higher = more resistance per stroke = lower stroke rate.
For Hyrox specifically:
- Damper 5-6: Most open athletes' sweet spot. Sustainable for 4 minutes.
- Damper 7: Strong athletes who can produce force without burning out.
- Damper 3-4: Lighter athletes who need cadence-based pacing.
Test all three in training over 4 weeks. Pick the one where you hit your target pace with the lowest perceived shoulder fatigue.
The stroke pattern
The technique, in order:
- Start position. Arms extended overhead, handles gripped, body in a tall hinge (hips slightly back).
- The catch. Initiate the stroke by hinging the hips back further while pulling the handles down past the face.
- The drive. As your hips drive back, your arms pull the handles past your hips to full extension behind your body.
- The finish. Arms back, hips fully hinged back, body folded forward slightly.
- The recovery. Smoothly reverse the motion. Stand up, raise the arms back overhead. Don't rush; this is your micro-rest within each stroke.
Common mistakes:
- Pulling with shoulders only. Hip hinge is missing. Burns out fast.
- Bending the knees deeply. This is not a squat. Hip hinge with mostly straight legs.
- Rushing the recovery. The pause at the top is the rest. Use it.
Stroke rate
For 1,000 m at race pace, target:
- 30-34 strokes per minute for most open athletes.
- 26-30 for taller, longer-armed athletes.
- 34-38 for shorter athletes who can't generate as much per-stroke power.
Lower stroke rate with more power per stroke is more efficient for tall athletes. Higher stroke rate with less per-stroke power suits shorter athletes. Find your number in training, then hold it.
Breathing pattern
The classic rower / ski erg breathing pattern:
- Inhale on the recovery (the stand-up).
- Exhale on the drive (the pull-down).
One full breath per stroke. At 32 strokes per minute that's 32 breaths per minute. Sustainable for 1,000 m.
Some athletes prefer two breaths per stroke during easier sections and one per stroke when working hard. Both work. Pattern matters more than the specific count.
Pacing the 1,000 m
The ski erg target time:
- First 200 m at 80% effort. Conservative. Find rhythm.
- 400-800 m at 85% effort. Sustained working zone.
- Last 200 m at 90% effort. Build slightly into the run, not finish gassed.
The strategy: leave the ski erg breathing hard but in control. If you finish breathing into the floor and unable to start the run, you went too hard.
What kills ski erg performance
In order of frequency:
- Going too hard in the first 200 m. The race is 90 minutes; the ski erg is 4. Don't blow the next 86.
- Using only the arms. Hip drive disappears, shoulders fry.
- Sloppy recovery. Rushing back to the top costs energy and breath.
- Wrong damper setting. Either burning shoulders (too high) or spinning arms uselessly (too low).
- Inconsistent stroke rate. Speeding up and slowing down is more tiring than holding one rate.
Training the ski erg
If your gym has one:
- 2 sessions per week in the 6 weeks before race day.
- Session A: 5 × 500 m at goal race pace + 90 s rest. Builds the pace.
- Session B: 2 × 1000 m at race pace + 3 min rest. Builds the duration.
If your gym doesn't have a ski erg:
- Cable lat pulldowns standing, with a hip hinge cue. Trains the pattern.
- Sandbag good mornings + bent rows. Trains the hinge + pull combo.
- Rowing erg as substitute. Doesn't transfer perfectly but builds the aerobic base.
Race-day transition
After the ski erg, you have a 1 km run. The transition decides whether the run is comfortable or panicked.
The technique: as you finish the last stroke, step off the platform, exhale fully, take 3 deep breaths as you walk to the run lane, then break into a steady jog. Don't sprint.
Athletes who walk-jog the first 50 m of the post-ski-erg run finish the 1 km faster than athletes who sprint immediately.
The honest summary
The ski erg is the most pace-sensitive station in Hyrox. Get it right and you're set up for a strong race. Get it wrong and you're paying for it for the next 80 minutes.
Full body. Hip drive. Steady stroke rate. Conservative first 200 m. Breathing in pattern. Walk-jog transition.
Train it weekly. Test your damper setting honestly. Race it at 80-85% effort. The race is decided in stations 6-8; don't lose it in station 1.
[ FAQ ]
Frequently asked
What damper setting on the ski erg?
Most athletes do best between 5 and 7. Higher (8-10) feels powerful but burns shoulders. Lower (1-4) wastes time pulling cable that doesn't resist enough. Experiment 6 weeks out.
How long should the ski erg take?
Open men: 3:30-4:30. Open women: 4:00-5:00. Elite athletes: under 3:15. Target a steady pace you can hold for 1,000 metres without falling apart.
Is it a shoulders or full-body movement?
Full body. The shoulders pull, the lats drive, the hips hinge, the legs push the floor away. Athletes who use only arms blow up by 600 m and lose 30 seconds.
Should you sit or stand?
Standing. The Hyrox ski erg is done from a standing hinge position. Don't sit.
Written by
The Suth Performance teamCoaches and editors
The Suth Performance programming team, led by HYROX Elite 15 athlete Ben Sutherland.
[ KEEP READING ]
Related guides
Technique
Hyrox farmers carry: grip, pacing, and the strategy that earns back 40 seconds
The farmers carry is the deceptive station. Strong athletes drop the kettlebells; smart athletes finish in 90 seconds. The technique, breathing, and pacing that turn the carry into a recovery station instead of a redline.
Technique
Hyrox rowing strategy: pace targets, posture, and the zero-cost transition
The rower sits at station 5. Get the splits, the posture, and the exit right and you save 30-90 seconds against the field.
Technique
Hyrox burpee broad jump: technique, breathing, and the rhythm that saves the back end
The burpee broad jump is where pacing goes to die. Twenty metres of compounding fatigue. The technique fixes, breathing pattern, and scaling options that protect the second half of your race.