HYROX Divisions: Open, Pro, Doubles & Relay — How to Choose

1. Division overview

Officially, HYROX separates Open and Pro in the solo format and offers Doubles and Relay as team formats. In practice, the key decision is whether the load and structure match what you can actually execute well on race day.

Open: the foundational division

Open is the division designed for completing the full HYROX experience solo. You run all eight 1 km segments and handle all eight workout stations at standard weights. The vast majority of first-time racers start here. Because every split is recorded as your individual result, Open gives you the clearest picture of where you slow down and where you are strong. That data becomes the foundation for all future training decisions.

Pro: heavier loads for experienced racers

Pro follows the exact same race structure as Open, but the weights increase at Sled Push, Sled Pull, Farmers Carry, Sandbag Lunges, and Wall Balls. The difference is not marginal. It is large enough to fundamentally change how the race feels. Most athletes follow a natural progression: finish Open, review section times, train with Pro weights, then enter Pro when the heavier loads feel manageable under fatigue.

Doubles: a partner format with shared stations

Doubles is a two-person category, but both athletes must run all eight 1 km segments. Workouts can be split between partners, so if one person struggles with a specific station, the other can take it on. The split is planned in advance, and smart allocation based on each partner's strengths is what makes Doubles tactical.

Relay: four athletes, lower individual load

Relay is a four-person team format. Each member handles two 1 km runs and two workout stations. The individual load is the lightest of all divisions, making it ideal for groups who want to experience the event atmosphere. However, less individual volume does not mean zero preparation. Your assigned stations directly affect the team's total time, so practicing your specific movements beforehand matters.

Age groups

Both Open and Pro are further divided into age categories, typically in five-year bands: under 24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, and so on. The workout content and course remain identical regardless of age group, but age-group rankings let you set more realistic targets. Knowing that you are competing against peers in your bracket can be a strong motivator, even if your overall ranking is not elite.

2. Weight and load differences

The divisions where Open and Pro differ most are Sled Push, Sled Pull, Farmers Carry, Sandbag Lunges, and Wall Balls. Pro weights are not just slightly heavier; under race-day fatigue, the increase feels disproportionately harder. Below is the full station-by-station comparison for both men and women.

Full station comparison (Men)

Full station comparison (Women)

Doubles and Relay weights

Doubles and Relay use the same station weights as Open. In Doubles, partners split the eight stations between them using the YGIG system. In Relay, each of the four athletes handles two stations. The weights below apply to all team formats (Men, Women, and Mixed categories).

In Mixed Doubles and Mixed Relay, each athlete uses the weight corresponding to their gender. For example, the male partner uses the men's sled weight and the female partner uses the women's sled weight.

Why the weight gap feels bigger than the numbers suggest

On paper, "+50 kg on the sled" or "+3 kg on the wall ball" may not sound dramatic. But HYROX is structured so that workout stations sit between 1 km runs. By the time you reach each station, you are already carrying cumulative fatigue from kilometers of running and previous stations. Under those conditions, even a moderate weight increase changes the experience fundamentally.

Three stations where this compounds most severely:

• Sled Push (Station 2): Coming straight off a run, you need full-body force to move the sled. An extra 50 kg can turn a smooth push into a grinding halt. Without regular practice at Pro weight, this station alone can cost several minutes.
• Farmers Carry (Station 6): Positioned in the second half of the race, your grip is already compromised. At Pro weight, athletes set the kettlebells down more frequently, and each pause adds up quickly.
• Wall Balls (Station 8, final): The cumulative load of 100 reps means that even a small per-rep increase becomes overwhelming. At the men's Pro weight of 9 kg, athletes without specific preparation often hit a wall around 50 reps where their arms simply stop reaching target height.

The key takeaway: Pro weight is not "a bit heavier." It is a multiplied challenge when combined with fatigue. If you have not yet finished a race and do not regularly train at those loads, starting with Open is the more rational choice.

3. HYROX Relay explained

What is HYROX Relay?

HYROX Relay is a four-person team format where the full race (8 x 1 km runs + 8 workout stations) is divided among four athletes. Each team member completes two 1 km running segments and two workout stations. The order of stations follows the standard HYROX sequence, and team members rotate in a predetermined order. Relay uses the same weights as the standard HYROX Open division, so the loads per station are identical to what a solo Open athlete would face.

Who is Relay for?

Relay is designed for groups who want to experience race day together without committing to the full individual workload. It works especially well for:

• Corporate teams: Companies entering workplace wellness challenges or team-building events. The shared effort and race-day atmosphere create a strong bonding experience.
• Friend groups: Four friends who train at different levels can still compete together. Each person only faces two stations, making the barrier to entry much lower than solo or Doubles.
• First-timers testing the waters: If the idea of eight runs and eight stations feels overwhelming, Relay lets you experience the HYROX environment, learn the format, and decide whether to attempt a solo race next time.

Strategy: station assignment matters

Because each athlete handles only two stations, picking who does what has a disproportionate impact on total time. The core principle is simple: match your strongest athlete to the heaviest station.

• Sled Push and Sled Pull: These are the most load-dependent stations. Assign them to the team member with the most raw strength and body weight. Moving 152 kg (men) or 102 kg (women) on a sled rewards pure power.
• Wall Balls and SkiErg: Both are high-rep endurance stations. Give these to the team member with the best stamina and shoulder endurance.
• Burpee Broad Jump and Rowing: Burpee Broad Jump favors lighter, agile athletes. Rowing rewards steady aerobic output. Pair these for an athlete who is efficient at bodyweight movements.
• Farmers Carry and Sandbag Lunges: Both tax grip and lower body under load. A strong all-rounder fits these stations well.

Before race day, have each team member practice their assigned stations at least twice. Familiarity with the specific movement pattern matters more than general fitness when you only have two stations to execute.

For pair-based strategic thinking that also applies to how Relay duos within a four-person team coordinate, see the HYROX Doubles strategy guide.

4. How to choose your first division

Open: for those who want to finish and learn

Open is the right choice if your primary goal is understanding the race format. The most valuable outcome of a first HYROX is discovering where you slow down: which run segment costs you the most time, which station breaks your rhythm, and how fatigue changes your pacing. Open gives you that complete self-assessment at standard weights, and the data becomes the foundation for every training decision after.

Doubles: for partners who complement each other

Doubles works well when you have a compatible partner and want to share the station load. Under the official Doubles rules, both athletes run every segment, but workouts follow a YGIG (You Go I Go) system: one partner does a station while the other rests, then they swap for the next station.

Practical ways to split stations:

• By strength profile: The partner with more upper-body strength takes Sled Pull and Wall Balls. The partner with stronger legs takes Sled Push and Sandbag Lunges.
• By body weight: A heavier partner often has an advantage on sled stations, while a lighter partner may move more efficiently through Burpee Broad Jumps.
• By endurance: Give Wall Balls (the final station) to the partner who holds up better in the back half. Let the other partner handle front-loaded stations to build an early buffer.

Important: because both partners run every 1 km segment, Doubles is not automatically easier. If your running ability is limited, the run segments will still be the bottleneck regardless of how well you split the stations.

Relay: for groups who want to start together

Relay suits those who want to experience the event atmosphere as a team. Each of the four members handles two 1 km runs and two workout stations.

Effective Relay assignment strategies:

• Sled stations go to the most powerful member: Sled Push and Sled Pull are heavily influenced by body weight and raw strength. Give them to the strongest person on the team.
• Wall Balls and SkiErg go to the endurance athlete: 100 reps and 1,000 m of skiing reward stamina over power.
• Burpee Broad Jump goes to the lightest, most agile member: Covering 80 m efficiently favors lighter athletes with quick transitions.
• Place the strongest runner in the later segments: Team time is the sum of all segments, so a strong runner in the back half prevents late-race fade.

Pro: for experienced athletes seeking a harder challenge

Pro is for athletes who already train with heavier loads and whose Open performance leaves room for a harder test. There is rarely a good reason to choose Pro for a first HYROX.

Benchmarks for moving from Open to Pro

When you start thinking about stepping up, these training benchmarks can help you gauge readiness:

• Sled Push: You can push Pro weight (Men 202 kg / Women 152 kg) for 50 m without stopping.
• Farmers Carry: You can walk 200 m at Pro weight (Men 2 x 32 kg / Women 2 x 24 kg) without setting the weight down.
• Wall Balls: You can complete 75+ reps at Pro weight (Men 9 kg / Women 6 kg) nearly unbroken.
• Running: You can hold a steady pace under 5:30/km for 8 km, with minimal slowdown between stations.
• Sandbag Lunges: You can lunge 100 m at Pro weight (Men 30 kg / Women 20 kg) without form collapse.

If all of these are comfortably within reach, Pro is a realistic next step. If even one benchmark is far off, another Open race to sharpen your overall time will lead to a better Pro debut. Use a race record template to track your splits and measure progress between races.

Decision framework

When you are unsure, answer these three questions:

1. What is your goal? Finish experience = Open. Partner race = Doubles. Team event = Relay. Record chasing = Pro.
2. What is your current running ability? Cannot run 8 km continuously = Relay. Can run 8 km = Open or Doubles. Can run 8 km with margin = Pro.
3. Are you comfortable with heavier loads? Do not regularly train at Pro weights = Open. Already training at Pro weights = Pro.

5. Common mistakes

Mistake 1: Choosing Pro for prestige

"I train at the gym, so I can handle Pro." This reasoning leads to mid-race shutdowns more often than people expect. Gym strength and HYROX strength are different things. In HYROX, heavy stations come after kilometers of running. The weight you can handle fresh and the weight you can handle after 4 km of running are not the same number. Even if you can push 200 kg on a sled in the gym, doing it after Station 1's SkiErg and a 1 km run is a fundamentally different task.

Mistake 2: Treating Doubles as easy mode

Because Doubles lets you split stations, it looks like the load is halved. But both athletes still run all eight segments, totaling 8 km each. If your running ability is weak, the run segments will bury you regardless of how cleverly you split the workouts. A large pace gap between partners makes it worse: the faster athlete ends up waiting at stations, breaking team rhythm and wasting time.

Mistake 3: Entering Relay with zero preparation

With only two stations per person, it is tempting to skip practice entirely. But showing up without ever touching your assigned equipment leads to a surprisingly painful experience. Sled Push and Wall Balls in particular require movement familiarity that you cannot fake on race day. At minimum, practice your assigned stations one or two times before the event.

Mistake 4: Picking a division before assessing your training

Announcing "I am doing Pro" and then building your training around that decision often backfires. The training becomes Pro-focused at the expense of fundamental running fitness and station technique. A better approach is to assess where you are, train accordingly, and then let your current ability dictate the division choice.

Mistake 5: Ignoring pace and strength gaps in team formats

In Doubles and Relay, large fitness gaps between teammates create friction. The slower or weaker member drags the team time, and the stronger member's motivation drops. Before committing, share honest numbers: your 5 km run time, your experience with sled weights, your Wall Ball capacity. Set a realistic team target time based on the weakest link, and the race-day experience will be far more positive.

The safest sequence is: assess your current running and load capacity, find a training environment, then choose your division. Starting from reality rather than aspiration leads to the best possible first experience. For a complete pre-race checklist, see the first race checklist.

7. Summary

• For most first races, Open or Doubles is the most sensible choice.
• Pro is a real load increase that makes more sense for experienced racers who already train at those weights.
• Relay is the lowest individual barrier and works best for team and group entries.
• Your division should follow your training reality and race goal, not status or prestige.
• Assess your running fitness and load tolerance first, then let the data guide your division decision.