{"id":178374,"date":"2025-10-04T03:38:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-04T03:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/178374\/"},"modified":"2025-10-04T03:38:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-04T03:38:10","slug":"hyrox-is-the-fitness-competition-a-flex-fad-or-here-to-stay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/178374\/","title":{"rendered":"Hyrox: is the fitness competition a flex, fad or here to stay?"},"content":{"rendered":"

SINGAPORE \u2013 The first time Mr Edward Soon, 36, joined a Hyrox race in 2024, he just wanted to spend time with his younger brother, who was going overseas for further studies. <\/p>\n

He has not looked back since. <\/p>\n

Over 14 months, he participated in nine categories across seven Hyrox races in four cities \u2013 Singapore, Beijing, Taipei and Bangkok. <\/p>\n

He has always been active, playing competitive basketball as a teenager, followed by multisports such as triathlons as an adult. So, he signed up for the men\u2019s singles category in Singapore in June 2024, following his 30-year-old brother\u2019s lead. <\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t perform very well. The intensity is very high compared with an endurance sport, which caught me off guard, and I also had muscle cramps,\u201d says Mr Soon, a regional business controller in a retail company. He took 1 hour and 39 minutes, slightly longer than the 1\u00bd-hour target many racers aim for. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut when I crossed the finishing line, everything was worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fitness competition, which follows the same format across the world, comprises a 1km run followed by a functional workout station, repeated eight times. The stations are 1,000m on a SkiErg machine, a 50m sled push, a 50m sled pull, 80m of burpee broad jumps, a 1,000m row, 200m farmer\u2019s carry, 100m of sandbag lunges and 100 wall balls. <\/p>\n

Participants aged 16 to 89 can sign up as an individual, pair up for doubles, find a group of four for the team relay or pick the adaptive category, which has modifications for various physical and neurological disabilities. There is also a pro category for advanced athletes and corporate relays. Fees to take part are dynamic, costing upwards of $114 a person. <\/p>\n

In his last Hyrox race in Beijing on Aug 23, Mr Soon finished the men\u2019s open singles category in 1 hour and 8 minutes, a personal record.<\/p>\n

Later that day, he competed again, this time in the mixed doubles category with his wife Low Yuanyu, 36, who works in the financial technology industry. She was inspired to join after previously supporting him from the stands, and the couple went sightseeing at the Forbidden City a day later, sore muscles notwithstanding. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mr Edward Soon has completed nine categories in seven Hyrox races in four cities since June 2024. His wife Low Yuanyu joined him in the Hyrox Beijing mixed doubles category in August 2025.<\/p>\n

ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was more meaningful doing it with my wife. I\u2019ve helped her to start a training programme so we can do another race together next year,\u201d says Mr Soon, whose dream is to finish the men\u2019s singles race under 60 minutes.<\/p>\n

He will compete in the AIA Hyrox Singapore race in November as part of a relay team with his gym friends and is gunning for a podium placing. <\/p>\n

The brainchild of two Germans, entrepreneur Christian Toetzke and former field hockey Olympian Moritz Furste, Hyrox debuted in Germany in 2017 with just 650 participants.<\/p>\n

Since then, it has grown into a global sporting phenomenon, with over 80 races and about 650,000 athletes competing in its 2024\/25 season, which started in July and ended in June. Time magazine named it among the 100 Most Influential Companies in 2024.<\/p>\n

Hyrox declined to answer questions from The Straits Times, but in an interview Mr Furste gave to the Business of Sport podcast in January 2025, he said the average race ticket now costs \u20ac130 (S$196.50). <\/p>\n

That puts its projected global revenue from ticket sales alone at almost \u20ac85 million, not including fees paid by affiliated gyms, licensing fees and so on. <\/p>\n

In Singapore, Hyrox\u2019s growth over the last two years has been nothing short of explosive. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The AIA Hyrox Open Asian Championships 2025 in June drew a record of more than 12,000 fitness enthusiasts over two days.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: HYROX SINGAPORE<\/p>\n

According to media reports, some 3,500 participants joined the first Hyrox race here in October 2023 at the National Stadium. That number almost doubled to 6,500 by the second race in June 2024. There have been two races a year here since 2024.<\/p>\n

The two-day AIA Hyrox Open Asian Championships in June 2025 drew almost 25,000 participants and spectators, of which 12,840 were racers. <\/p>\n

Hyrox is so popular that tickets, known to vary in price across the registration period, are quickly snapped up around the world. <\/p>\n

Some participants in Singapore reported paying $128 a person for the team relay category and about $174 for the men\u2019s singles for the November race here, excluding service fees and promo codes. <\/p>\n

When ST checked its website in early October, the only tickets left for the AIA Hyrox Singapore race on Nov 28 and 29 were those for the adaptive men and women\u2019s categories \u2013 priced at $196 \u2013 and corporate relays, priced at $150 a person, before service fees. <\/p>\n

Ms Adidah Shah, 36, owner of F45 Tanjong Katong gym, which offers high-intensity circuit training, says a third of her over 100 members are training for the November race, double the number who joined the June one.<\/p>\n

F45 is an official global training partner for Hyrox, and Ms Adidah\u2019s gym holds two Hyrox preparation sessions a week, including one class that follows a 12-week programme to build Hyrox-specific fitness, and another that comprises outdoor runs and simulated Hyrox stations. <\/p>\n

Members, who pay $250 to $300 a month for unlimited classes, can top up $100 for a block of 14 Hyrox-related sessions. <\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough not all participants have secured their Hyrox race tickets, with the first and second waves selling out almost instantly, their enthusiasm for training and participation remains strong,\u201d she notes. Her gym\u2019s senior coaches have served as head judges for Hyrox races here. <\/p>\n

On the probability of scoring a race ticket, Mobilus gym trainer Richmond Loo remarks wryly: \u201cIt\u2019s like getting a BTO (Build-To-Order) flat or Lady Gaga tickets.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mobilus, a Hyrox-affiliated gym with three branches, sent more than 100 members to the first Singapore race in 2023 and over 160 to the last local race in June. Most of them were in their 30s and 40s. <\/p>\n

It offers a 12-week Hyrox preparation programme infused with CrossFit training, which is included in the membership of $70 to $80 a week. Non-members can buy class packs starting at $444 for 13 classes just for Hyrox prep. <\/p>\n

Even non-Hyrox-affiliated gyms like REVL Katong have geared up to attract Hyrox fans. <\/p>\n

Studio owner Angelique Poh added a sled and turf to her 2,000 sq ft gym and launched a 10-week race preparation programme in 2024. Its race prep packs start at $199 for five sessions, while regular membership starts at $69.95 a week for a six-month minimum commitment. <\/p>\n

Around 10 of her gym members took part in the Hyrox race in November 2024. The figure went up to over 50 in the June race. Almost 30 have secured tickets for the November race. <\/p>\n

\u201cHyrox has broad appeal because it\u2019s highly accessible \u2013 the movements involved are straightforward and functional, which means that almost anyone, regardless of age or fitness level, can take part,\u201d says Ms Poh, 31, who has completed three Hyrox races. <\/p>\n

That accessibility appeals to chef Mark Tai, 37, who played basketball as a youngster, but had never joined a sports race. <\/p>\n

He signed up for the Hyrox men\u2019s doubles here with his older brother in November 2024 after his wife Calista Ong became a Hyrox fan that year. Many of his gym friends are also Hyrox athletes. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mr Mark Tai (left) signed up for the Hyrox men\u2019s doubles here in November 2024 with his older brother Tai Wei Hao. <\/p>\n

PHOTO: COURTESY OF MARK TAI<\/p>\n

Mr Tai, who works at a preventive and longevity care centre, also participated in the men\u2019s singles category in the November 2024 and June 2025 races here. <\/p>\n

\u201cHyrox is like a black hole. Once you fall in, you just keep going. You want to sign up for more events and test your limits,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Come November, he aims to better his 1 hour 45 minute timing here. He hopes to do a mixed doubles race one day with his wife, who races at the pro level.<\/p>\n

Ms Ong, 37, a trainer at a local culinary institute, has travelled to Taipei, Hong Kong and Mumbai to race, and placed first with her teammates in the women\u2019s team relay category in Mumbai in May. <\/p>\n

Hyrox\u2019s allure extends even to gym newbies like Ms Karuna Khemlani, 38.<\/p>\n

The mother of two started running after delivering her younger child in August 2023 and has completed 5km and 10km races. <\/p>\n

When Hyrox popped up on her social media feed repeatedly, she signed up for the women\u2019s singles category in the November race as she could not find teammates for the doubles or relay. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was researching it, a lot of people said the hardest part is running 8km. I thought: \u2018I could do that,\u2019\u201d says Ms Karuna, a reading specialist in the pre-school industry. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ms Karuna Khemlani started regular gym classes in preparation for her first Hyrox race in November. <\/p>\n

PHOTO: COURTESY OF KARUNA KHEMLANI<\/p>\n

She realised she could not prepare for the race using only YouTube videos, so she started resistance and cardio classes, each twice a week, at an F45 gym. She also runs twice a week and plans to do a Hyrox conditioning class closer to the race date. <\/p>\n

Ms Karuna, who rated herself 30 per cent ready in mid-September, hopes to inspire her kids through the race.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever be 100 per cent ready. This race is more of a mental game than a physical one, but I\u2019m going to finish it, no matter how long it takes,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

For some Hyrox participants like Ms Jaslin Yeo, 30, one race is enough. <\/p>\n

She added running to her strength-training regimen when her gym mates started doing Hyrox-related runs around January. At the time, she had no intention of joining the race and just wanted to become fitter. <\/p>\n

Later, one of her gym friends persuaded her to join him in the June race here. She was one of the few women in their gym strong enough to handle the heavier load of the mixed doubles category. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

One Hyrox race is enough for Ms Jaslin Yeo (centre), but she appreciated how motivating the crowd’s cheers were. <\/p>\n

PHOTO: COURTESY OF JASLIN YEO<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t need a competition to train, but I think for a lot of people, Hyrox is a form of recognition. My friend said he was glad he did it because he had to train and it improved his strength,\u201d says Ms Yeo, who works in financial data analytics. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut having people cheering for you is really motivating. I usually train alone and am in my own zone, so that was something I recognised through the Hyrox experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Toetzke has dubbed Hyrox the \u201cmarathon of fitness\u201d, but as the event gears up for its 10th anniversary in 2027, can it run the distance in a world where many seem to be chasing the next fitness flex? <\/p>\n

Ms Adidah believes it still has room to grow, as its unique format sets it apart from traditional cardio-based races. It also fosters a stronger sense of community among gymgoers.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnlike solo endurance events like triathlons and marathons, Hyrox encourages camaraderie, connection and collective motivation,\u201d she notes.<\/p>\n

Sport psychologist Emily Ortega adds that it gives everyday athletes the chance to train for competitions like elite champions without needing advanced skills. <\/p>\n

\u201cAs its race format stays the same across the world, it inspires people to push themselves further to better their times and\/or compete with others around the world,\u201d says Associate Professor Ortega, dean of the School of Humanities and Behavioural Sciences at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.<\/p>\n

Hyrox\u2019s Mr Furste has said as much himself, stating in the Business of Sport podcast that \u201cwe want them to feel like they\u2019re Olympic athletes\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mobilus\u2019 Mr Loo, 43, can attest to that. <\/p>\n

He and his men\u2019s doubles partner Matthew Slater, 47, who works in the financial industry, came in second in the June race here for the 45-to-49 age group. That qualifies them to participate in the Hyrox World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden, in June 2026.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mr Richmond Loo (second from left) and Mr Matthew Slater (far left) came in second in the 45-to-49 age group at the AIA Hyrox Open Asian Championships in June.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: COURTESY OF RICHMOND LOO<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dream has always been to represent Singapore in something. I cannot think of anything better than going to the championships and doing my best,\u201d says Mr Loo. He adds that he and Mr Slater, who is from Britain, were motivated to do better after receiving penalties in a 2024 race for forgetting to complete running laps. <\/p>\n

Clever curation and marketing play a big part in Hyrox\u2019s success around the world. <\/p>\n

Unlike marathons and triathlons, where spectators cannot follow athletes throughout the race, Hyrox brings the action up close in a contained environment. <\/p>\n

Members of the public can buy spectator tickets \u2013 which cost $19 before a service fee for the November race here \u2013 and support and take photos of the athletes as they tackle different stations.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt Hyrox, you constantly hear the cheers, and it\u2019s like the spectators are in the race. It\u2019s a clever way of organising it,\u201d says Mr Soon.<\/p>\n

An upbeat playlist and emcees rallying the crowd add to the race vibes, adds entrepreneur Zachary Young, 38, who has done two Hyrox races here and put on 10kg of muscle in the process. <\/p>\n

Details like providing\u00a0lower-resolution\u00a0social media-ready photos,\u00a0which can be downloaded and uploaded faster, instead of just high-resolution ones, \u201cencourage you to post, and when you post, you get more people into the race\u201d, says the founder of Foundry & Co, a consultancy that helps small- and medium-sized firms to scale up.<\/p>\n

Instead of a T-shirt or medal that many races give out, Hyrox athletes get a finisher patch, which Mr Young says is a smarter way to promote the race. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mr Zachary Young (right), who has completed two Hyrox races, says the finisher patch is a smart marketing move as it can be attached to bags and caps and worn daily. <\/p>\n

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ZACHARY YOUNG<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t wear the same T-shirt every day and no one walks around with a medal, but you can put a Velcro patch on your backpack or cap so it becomes a flex.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sheer number of races across the Asia-Pacific every month or so \u2013 there are three in November alone \u2013 also makes Hyrox racing irresistible for travel-savvy Singaporeans.<\/p>\n

Ms Tan Ee Wa, 42, completed Hyrox races in Taiwan in April, Singapore in June and Hong Kong in July. A conversation with an acquaintance in 2024 had piqued her interest at a time when she was looking to take her fitness to the next level. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ms Tan Ee Wa completed three Hyrox races in quick succession in 2025: Taiwan in April, Singapore in June and Hong Kong in July. <\/p>\n

ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH<\/p>\n

\u201cMy decision to race overseas was twofold \u2013 to challenge myself on an international field and to enjoy a short travel adventure. It was the perfect way to combine my passions,\u201d says Ms Tan, who works in compliance analytics and insights in a financial institution and had raced in the women\u2019s singles category. <\/p>\n

One of her most memorable moments was doing sandbag lunges at the same time as Hong Beom-seok, the Season 2 runner-up from fitness K-reality show Physical 100 (2023 to present). His men\u2019s pro category started about 90 minutes after hers. <\/p>\n

\u201cI had a brief fan-girl moment in the middle of all that exhaustion,\u201d she gushes.<\/p>\n

On social media, Hyrox is a theatrical showcase of glistening muscles, shirtless bodies and maximum effort. <\/p>\n

Behind the scenes, though, athletes speak of a collective experience that transforms body, mind and spirit. <\/p>\n

Ms Suzanne Chen, 42, says she cried a week before her first women\u2019s doubles race in Singapore in June. She felt she had not done enough preparation and did not want to let her partner down.<\/p>\n

Looking back, she says: \u201cWhat surprised me was not that I could complete it, but the discipline that I put into it. I woke up at 6am to throw wall balls and ran at noon to acclimatise to the heat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ms Suzanne Chen, who has done two Hyrox races, says she was surprised by her discipline, including waking up at 6am to throw wall balls.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SUZANNE CHEN<\/p>\n

She had so much fun on her first Hyrox outing that she joined a relay team in the Yokohama race in August. What she thought would be an easier race turned out to be \u201cquite humbling\u201d as she had to take on two stations by herself, unlike the doubles race, where partners can share the workload. <\/p>\n

\u201cI told myself that my timing might not be the best, but at the end of the day, I\u2019m better than I was yesterday.\u00a0 I thought I wouldn\u2019t have been able to do 80m of burpees, but now I can,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

Mr Loo says one of his best Hyrox memories is completing the June race here with his wife Selene Zhang, who is in her 30s and does marketing for Mobilus.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mr Richmond Loo cheering his wife, breast cancer survivor Selene Zhang, at the AIA Hyrox Open Asian Championships in June. <\/p>\n

PHOTO: COURTESY OF RICHMOND LOO<\/p>\n

The couple took 2\u00bd hours to complete the circuit, but what stayed in his mind is how Ms Zhang, a breast cancer survivor, pushed the same sled weight of 152kg. <\/p>\n

\u201cAs husband and wife, it\u2019s a symbol of how much we are willing to go to the wire for each other,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n

In Ms Kamilah Tohar\u2019s case, participating in Hyrox a second time was a goal she thought had slipped out of her grasp. <\/p>\n

She competed in the relay category in the inaugural Singapore race in 2023 and had hoped to progress to doubles the next time. But in March 2024, she learnt that her decade-long battle with breast cancer, in remission for several years, had relapsed. <\/p>\n

Cancer cells had spread to her bones, lungs, liver and ovaries. Ms Kamilah, 41, is now on hospitalisation leave from her job in the healthcare industry. <\/p>\n

The former competitive athlete, who took part in the Spartan Race, an outdoor obstacle course, thought her racing days were over with late-stage cancer.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ms Kamilah Tohar completed a Hyrox race in Bangkok in May despite suffering from late-stage breast cancer. Her mixed doubles partner Sam Chong helped make her Hyrox wish come true. <\/p>\n

PHOTO: COURTESY OF KAMILAH TOHAR<\/p>\n

Her Spartan training buddies rallied around her, including Mr Sam Chong, 44, a regional director in the food technology industry. <\/p>\n

He signed them up for mixed doubles in the Hyrox Bangkok race in May as it coincided with her rest week during chemotherapy. <\/p>\n

Mr Chong did most of the heavy lifting and Ms Kamilah attempted most of the stations except the sandbag lunges and farmer\u2019s carry. Modifications were made for her at some stations to lighten her load. <\/p>\n

She ran about 2km of the 8km distance, while Mr Chong pushed her in a wheelchair for the rest of it. <\/p>\n

A medical staff member followed her throughout, which gave her peace of mind that she was not overexerting. Even though her condition has deteriorated, she hopes to race again if the timing is right.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe other participants and even the Hyrox staff were very encouraging and cheered me on. That was very surprising because I had to sit in a wheelchair for most of the runs,\u201d says Ms Kamilah.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt gave me courage to finish the race.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SINGAPORE \u2013 The first time Mr Edward Soon, 36, joined a Hyrox race in 2024, he just wanted…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":178375,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[6647,102,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-178374","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=178374"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178374\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/178375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=178374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=178374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=178374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}