Shaping Up: What is HYROX – and why are so many people talking about it?

It’s designed to test your strength, fitness, and endurance – all in one go.

The event includes eight different workouts, and after each one, you have to run 1km.

So that’s eight workouts and eight runs, one after the other!

You compete either on your own, in a pair, or as a team of four. The workouts include things like rowing, sled pushes, burpee broad jumps, farmer’s carries, and wall balls.

It’s tough, but also really addictive. Once you’ve done one, you’ll want to beat your time and do it again.

That is why it has become so popular throughout the UK recently – and I can definitely see why!

At East Coast Fitness, we recently put on our own version of HYROX – and we called it MINIROX.

It was just for our members to begin with, and it went down an absolute storm!

We followed the same idea as HYROX, but we made it more accessible.

We halved the running distance, so instead of 1km after each station, we did 0.5km. And we adapted some of the exercises to suit all fitness levels.

It was still a challenge, but it meant everyone could take part – and enjoy it!

The feedback we got was brilliant. Here are just a couple of things members said.

Amy Collinson said: "The atmosphere was unreal, everyone supporting each other. I’ll definitely be signing up for the next one!"

Claire Allan added: "It was something I never thought I could do just six months ago. The sense of achievement was amazing!"

And Nick Watson said: "The best event I’ve been to so far. A real sense of achievement, with great variety and the best atmosphere!"

We will be doing another MINIROX at the end of June/start of July, and this time we’re going to open it up to the public!

So if you like pushing yourself, love the idea of a challenge, or just fancy trying something new with a great group of people – this will be perfect for you.

We’ll be sharing more details soon, so keep an eye on our socials or drop me a message if you want to be the first to know when bookings open.

Trust me – you’ll love it!

WORKOUT

MINIROX CHALLENGE WORKOUT

8 Rounds – Each round includes:

500m Run (or 2 minutes fast cardio if you’re indoors – e.g. treadmill, rower, or skipping)

Followed by one of the following: Round 1: 30 Air Squats Round 2: 20 Dumbbell Snatches (10 each arm) Round 3: 20 Box Step Overs Round 4: 15 Burpees Round 5: 20 Kettlebell Swings Round 6: 20 Dumbbell Thrusters Round 7: 20 Walking Lunges (Bodyweight or weighted) Round 8: 30 Wall Balls (or squat to overhead press if you don’t have a wall ball)

Finish with a 500m Run to end strong!

Push yourself but pace it right – it’s a real test of strength and endurance!

Tag us in your workout videos and let us know how you get on.

Good luck, and enjoy the challenge!

RECIPE

MINIROX RECOVERY SHAKE

Perfect for post-workout recovery after a tough HYROX-style session!

After a workout like the MiniROX Challenge, it’s important to refuel your body with the right nutrients – especially protein to help with muscle repair, and some carbs to boost your energy levels.

Here’s a quick and tasty shake you can whizz up in minutes:

Ingredients:

250ml semi-skimmed milk (or unsweetened almond/oat milk)

1 scoop (30g) vanilla or chocolate protein powder

1 small banana

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 teaspoon honey (optional, for a touch of sweetness)

A handful of ice cubes

Method:

Add all the ingredients into a blender.

Blend until smooth.

Pour into a shaker or glass, and enjoy!

Nutrition (approximate values):

Calories: 320

Protein: 25g

Carbs: 28g

Fat: 12g