HYROX for women: weights, training, your cycle and pregnancy

HYROX for women is the same race as for men: 8 x 1 km runs and the same eight stations in the same order, with lighter sled, kettlebell, sandbag and wall ball loads and a lower wall ball target. You train for it the same way, adjusting day to day around how you feel, including across your cycle. This guide covers women's weights by division, Open vs Pro, Mixed Doubles, your cycle, pregnancy and postpartum, and kit.

This is general training information, not medical advice. If you're pregnant, recently postpartum, or have very heavy, painful or missed periods, talk to your doctor or midwife first.

What weights do women use in HYROX?

Women's Open uses the lightest loads in the race: a 102 kg sled push, a 78 kg sled pull, 2 x 16 kg kettlebells, a 10 kg sandbag and a 4 kg wall ball thrown to a 2.70 m target. Women's Pro steps up to the Men's Open loads but keeps the 2.70 m target. These figures come from the official 26/27 rulebook.

Station	Women (Open)	Women Pro
SkiErg 1,000 m	No load	No load
Sled push 50 m	102 kg incl. sled	152 kg incl. sled
Sled pull 50 m	78 kg incl. sled	103 kg incl. sled
Burpee broad jumps 80 m	Bodyweight	Bodyweight
Row 1,000 m	No load	No load
Farmers carry 200 m	2 x 16 kg	2 x 24 kg
Sandbag lunges 100 m	10 kg	20 kg
Wall balls 100 reps	4 kg, 2.70 m target	6 kg, 2.70 m target

The runs never change: 8 km total for everyone, in every division. Some older blogs list the sled pull as 73 kg; the 26/27 rulebook says 78 kg.

You must be at least 16 on race day. Official rankings are based on sex at birth, and anyone racing for fun without being ranked can register under their gender identity.

Should I race Women's Open or Women's Pro?

Start with Women's Open unless the Pro loads (the Men's Open weights) are comfortable in training and you're chasing World Championships qualification.

Pro makes sense when:

• The Pro loads feel like working weights, not maxes, even when you're tired: a 152 kg sled push, 2 x 24 kg for 200 m and 100 wall balls with 6 kg.
• You want a Worlds spot. Under the 26/27 Singles rulebook, racers in age groups up to 59 qualify for the World Championships through the Pro division. Racers 60 and over qualify through Open. See how HYROX World Championships qualification works for the details.

Mistake to avoid: moving up because Open "felt easy" while your runs fell apart. A faster Open time is often the smarter first goal.

What weights does a woman use in Mixed Doubles?

In Mixed Doubles both partners use the same loads, and they're the Men's Open / Women Pro loads: a 152 kg sled push, a 103 kg sled pull, 2 x 24 kg kettlebells, a 20 kg sandbag and a 6 kg wall ball. The one difference is the wall ball target. Each racer throws to the target for their own sex, so the woman's target stays at 2.70 m.

You can split station work however you like, so plan around those loads:

• Sleds and carries: trade in short chunks so neither partner grinds to a stop. 24 kg kettlebells are a big jump from 16 kg, so practice quick handovers.
• Wall balls: use short sets with the 6 kg ball. Hand it over or let it drop, because a flying catch-and-squat transition is a no-rep.
• Runs: you run every kilometer together, so pace for the slower partner.

Women's Doubles uses Women's Open loads and Pro Women's Doubles uses Women Pro loads. In a Mixed Relay, each athlete uses her or his own category's loads, so women keep the Open weights. Our Doubles strategy guide covers splits and the partner rules.

How should women train for HYROX?

Train the way any HYROX athlete does: run about three times a week, lift twice a week and practice stations under fatigue. Running still matters most. Beyond that, these areas often limit Open racers:

• Sled push and pull. Leg strength and body position move the sled, not arm strength. Train heavy sled pushes, split squats and deadlifts. For the pull, add rows and hand-over-hand rope pulls. See the sled push and pull tips.
• Grip. A 200 m farmers carry with 16 kg in each hand after six stations is a grip test. Add heavy carries and dead hangs once or twice a week.
• Wall balls. 100 reps to 2.70 m is the last thing you do, on tired legs. Practice sets of 15 to 25 with good squat depth, because your hips must go below your knees. The wall ball guide has rep schemes.

Eat enough. Long-term underfueling, which the IOC calls Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs), can affect hormones, bones, mood and performance. Missed periods, frequent injuries or constant fatigue mean see a doctor or sports dietitian, not push harder.

The beginner and intermediate plans work as written. Just use the women's loads.

Should you train around your menstrual cycle?

You don't need a rigid "cycle syncing" plan, but tracking how you feel and adjusting session by session is sensible. The research doesn't support big phase-based changes for everyone. A 2020 meta-analysis in Sports Medicine (McNulty and colleagues) found performance might be trivially lower in the early follicular phase, around your period, but the evidence was low quality and the authors recommended an individual approach rather than general rules. A companion review found the pill had only a trivial effect on performance on average.

Here's a practical way to use your cycle:

1. Track for 2 to 3 months: cycle day, sleep, energy, cramps and how hard sessions felt. Some women feel flat around their period; others notice nothing.
2. Adjust the session, not the plan. On a rough day, swap intervals for easy running or move the hard session a day. Keep the weekly structure.
3. Don't skip training by default. Many women train and race well on their period.

See a doctor for very heavy periods (ask about an iron check), pain that stops you training, periods that stop or turn irregular, or bleeding between periods.

Racing on your period

Yes, you can. Use products you already trust (tampon, cup, period underwear or a combination) and change just before you head to the start area, about 10 minutes before your wave. Dark shorts and any pain relief you've already used in training, cleared with your doctor or pharmacist, can make the day easier.

Can I do HYROX while pregnant or postpartum?

Yes, HYROX's 26/27 rulebook welcomes pregnant racers, but the decision is yours and your doctor's, not a training plan's. The rulebook says participation during pregnancy is at the racer's own discretion and responsibility, strongly recommends checking with a medical professional first, and asks anyone who wants modified movements, weights or reps to contact the HYROX team in advance. The rulebook marks races adapted for physical limitations as "Out of Competition" (a finish time, but no ranking or qualification), so ask HYROX how a modified race would be counted when you get in touch.

During pregnancy

General obstetric guidance, such as ACOG's Committee Opinion 804, says that without complications, staying active in pregnancy is safe and beneficial, and suggests about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week. It also advises avoiding contact sports and activities with a high risk of falling. What that means for burpees, heavy sleds, lunges or race-day intensity is a conversation for your doctor or midwife, because every pregnancy is different.

If you get the green light:

• Race for the experience, not a time. Doubles or Relay lets you share the work.
• Ask HYROX early about adaptations, such as lighter loads.
• Stop and get help if you notice bleeding, dizziness, chest pain, fluid leakage, painful contractions, or calf pain or swelling.

After giving birth

Go gradually, and get checked before you return to running and heavy lifting. The 2019 UK postnatal return-to-running guidelines (Goom, Donnelly and Brockwell) suggest that running generally starts no earlier than about 3 months after birth, once you've passed a set of strength and symptom checks. A pelvic health physiotherapist is the best person to do that assessment.

Leaking, a heavy or dragging feeling in the pelvis, pelvic or low back pain, a bulge along your tummy's midline, or bleeding that returns with training are all signs to slow down and get assessed.

Treat your first postpartum HYROX as a comeback, not a PR attempt.

What should women wear for HYROX?

Wear a high-support sports bra you've already run and burpeed in, close-fitting shorts or tights, a breathable top and closed-toe running shoes. The rulebook requires closed-toe shoes at all times, except that you may take them off at the wall balls.

• Bra: burpee broad jumps and 8 km of running test it hard, so check for chafing on a long session first.
• Shorts or tights: pick a pair that won't ride up during 100 m of sandbag lunges.
• Hair: tie it up securely, clear of the sandbag on your shoulders.
• Allowed extras: knee sleeves, gloves (not grips), a lifting belt, wristbands and a hydration pack, worn from start to finish.
• Not allowed: headphones, earbuds and your phone.
• Timing chip: it goes on your ankle, so avoid tights with a loose hem that could cover or snag the strap.

Our packing list covers the rest.

FAQ

How should women train for HYROX (including around the cycle)?

Run about three times a week, lift twice and practice stations under fatigue, with extra pulling and grip work. Track your cycle for a few months and adjust single sessions on rough days rather than following a rigid phase-based plan. Research shows only trivial average changes across the cycle.

Can I do HYROX while pregnant or postpartum?

HYROX's rulebook welcomes pregnant racers but leaves the decision to you and strongly recommends talking to a medical professional first. Contact HYROX in advance if you need modified weights or movements, and ask how a modified result would be ranked. After birth, return gradually, and get a pelvic health check before running. UK guidelines suggest running generally starts no earlier than about 3 months postpartum.

What weights do women use in HYROX?

Women's Open uses a 102 kg sled push, a 78 kg sled pull, 2 x 16 kg kettlebells, a 10 kg sandbag and a 4 kg wall ball to a 2.70 m target. Women's Pro uses 152 kg, 103 kg, 2 x 24 kg, 20 kg and a 6 kg wall ball, still to 2.70 m. The 8 km of running is the same for everyone.

What's the difference between Women's Open and Women's Pro?

Pro uses the Men's Open loads and is the Worlds qualification route for age groups up to 59. Start in Open and move up once Pro loads feel like working weights.

What weights does the woman use in Mixed Doubles?

Both partners use the Men's Open / Women Pro loads (152 kg, 103 kg, 2 x 24 kg, 20 kg, 6 kg ball), and the woman throws to the 2.70 m target.

Can I race HYROX on my period?

Yes. Use products you've trained in and change just before the start area. If your periods are very heavy or painful, talk to your doctor before race day.

Next steps

Pick a plan from the beginner HYROX training plan, check every load in HYROX stations and weights, and read HYROX divisions explained before you register. Then find your race on the race calendar.