Natalie Exeter, Nutrition Specialist at the Red\u00a0Bull Athlete Performance Centre<\/p>\n
01<\/p>\n
Fuelling for the effort, not individual HYROX stations<\/p>\n
While some fitness races concentrate on strength and others endurance, HYROX is a combination of the two. Understanding that you need to fuel the body to cope with running and functional workout stations is the cornerstone of a good nutritional plan. <\/p>\n
Nutrition is as important as training for athletes like Alexander Ron\u010devi\u0107 <\/p>\n \u00a9 Mihai Stetcu\/Red\u00a0Bull Content Pool<\/p>\n As Exeter puts it: \u201cIt\u2019s a high-intensity endurance event with repeated bouts of strength work layered on top. Your ability to perform the sled push, burpee broad jumps or wall balls is heavily influenced by how much energy you have available.\u201d<\/p>\n In other words, energy is everything. \u201cYour body runs on energy whether you’re running, lifting or pushing a sled,\u201d adds Dan Sargeant<\/a>, a performance chef and nutritionist who has worked with footballers Harry Kane and Jack Grealish, as well as boxer Conor Benn. \u201cWhat makes HYROX different is the constant switch between endurance, strength, and power, often with very little recovery in between.”<\/p>\n \u201cCalories matter, but HYROX fuelling goes far beyond calories in versus calories out,\u201d adds Exeter. The demands of HYROX are unique because athletes are constantly switching between running and muscular endurance work. That combination relies heavily on muscle glycogen, which is essentially stored carbohydrates. <\/p>\n Topping this up doesn\u2019t start the morning of your race. According to Exeter, you need to begin fuelling up to 24-48 before. \u201cAthletes should focus on adequate daily carbohydrate intake to maintain glycogen stores, as well as consistent protein intake to support muscle repair and adaptation,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n What this looks like varies from person to person, so it\u2019s vital you experiment in training so you\u2019re not left deflated on the day.<\/p>\n 02<\/p>\n Do female athletes need to fuel differently for HYROX? Female athletes can be at a greater risk of under-fuelling<\/p>\n \u00a9 Mihai Stetcu\/Red\u00a0Bull Content Pool<\/p>\n While the principles of a HYROX race remain the same whatever your gender, Exeter explains that \u201cfemale athletes are at greater risk of under-fuelling, particularly if they’re also pursuing body composition goals”. She adds that chronic low energy availability can not only impact recovery, adaptation, and performance, but it can also have a negative effect on menstrual function.<\/p>\n \u201cWomen may need to pay closer attention to factors such as iron status, menstrual cycle-related changes in appetite, and carbohydrate needs, all of which can influence training quality, recovery and long-term performance,\u201d adds Sargeant.<\/p>\n Regardless of your gender or ability level, Sargeant says that the biggest nutritional shift you can make is to \u201cstart thinking and eating like an athlete”. <\/p>\n This means enough protein to support recovery and adjusting your carbohydrate intake to match your training. This includes high-quality fats, staying on top of hydration and giving recovery just as much attention as the training itself.<\/p>\n 03<\/p>\n What should I eat while training for a HYROX race?<\/p>\n Training is where you refine your nutrition, perfect your hydration strategy and discover the foods that work best for your body. Race day isn’t the time to experiment; it’s the time to trust the work you’ve already put in.<\/p>\n Hidde Weersma is a former triathlete and still works as a strength coach<\/p>\n \u00a9 HYROX<\/p>\n The most important thing is that your carb intake has been good in the days leading up to it. HYROX is very high intensity and you will burn a lot of carbs<\/p>\n For sessions lasting more than 60-90 minutes, Exeter recommends consuming 30-60g of carbohydrates per hour from sports drinks, gels or chews that can help maintain energy, delay fatigue and improve training quality. \u201cDuring shorter strength-focused sessions, water is usually sufficient, but carbohydrate and electrolyte drinks can still be beneficial during longer hybrid workouts,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Get this right and you can feel confident and properly prepared without worrying if your body is going to run out of fuel mid-set.<\/p>\n What should I eat for breakfast before a HYROX race?<\/p>\n As a general rule, Exeter says that a good pre-race breakfast should consist of high carbs, moderate protein and low fat. \u201cThree to four hours before the race, athletes should aim for approximately one to four grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight, depending on how much time they have before the start,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n Lucy Procter in action in Stockholm<\/p>\n \u00a9 Mihai Stetcu\/Red\u00a0Bull Content Pool<\/p>\n Elite 15 legend Lucy Procter<\/a> prefers a breakfast of porridge, bagels and jam. \u201cFor breakfast, I try to get just 400 grams of carbs, all things that are really easy and quick to digest,\u201d she says. \u201cProtein is not something I\u2019m focused on, and I like to keep the fats low. I don\u2019t tend to carb-load. A lot of people do, but personally I haven\u2019t found it to be a huge benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n Hidde\u2019s preferences is slightly different. \u201cThe most important meal for me is around three hours before I start my warm-up. That’s white rice with ketchup, nothing else. And that’s perfect because it’s carbohydrates, sugar and salt. That’s everything you want. An hour before the race, I\u2019ll have a snack of a bagel with honey, or a banana with honey.\u201d<\/p>\n 04<\/p>\n Reducing fibre before a HYROX race<\/p>\n Forty-eight hours before a race, Hidde will try to limit his fat and fibre intake (without cutting them out entirely). \u201cWater is bound to fibre, so if you decrease the amount you eat before a race, then you will be a little bit lighter,\u201d says Hidde. \u201cThat\u2019s nice because then you don’t have to carry that weight during the run.\u201d<\/p>\n Sargeant agrees, in principle. \u201cReducing fibre during the final 24 to 48 hours before a race works to reduce gut load and lower the chance of stomach discomfort while you’re running,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n What you eat ahead of a HYROX can affect your performance <\/p>\n \u00a9 Lauri Vuorinen\/Red\u00a0Bull Content Pool<\/p>\n It\u2019s all about carrying less digestive bulk, which is something combat sport athletes regularly do. You\u2019re not trying to slim down, but to make yourself more comfortable while giving it your all. <\/p>\n \u201cThat said, I certainly wouldn’t remove fibre altogether. It’s still an important part of a healthy diet, so it’s about making small adjustments rather than dramatic changes,\u201d adds Sargeant.<\/p>\n 05<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
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