Is HYROX good training for military fitness tests?

Yes, for most of them, as long as you also practice the events HYROX doesn't cover. HYROX training builds the running engine, leg and grip strength, and ability to work hard while tired that the US Army Fitness Test, British Army role tests and Canada's FORCE Evaluation all reward. Its sleds and farmers carry map closely onto drags and carries in those tests. It won't get you ready for push-ups, pull-ups, a heavy three-rep deadlift or loaded marching on its own, so a good plan keeps HYROX as the base and adds short, specific test practice each week. This guide maps the events, shows what carries over and what doesn't, and gives a sample week.

• 5events in the US Army Fitness Test since June 2025
• 90 lbsled in the AFT sprint-drag-carry
• 2 × 22 kgjerry cans carried 240 m in the British combat test

What do the main military fitness tests involve?

US Army Fitness Test (AFT)

The AFT replaced the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) as the Army's test of record, phased in from June 1, 2025. The standing power throw was dropped. There are five events, each scored 0 to 100 points:

You need at least 60 points in every event. Combat-enabling roles need 300 points in total, scored by sex and age. The Army's combat standard, for 21 combat specialties, requires 350 points and is sex-neutral (scored on the same table for everyone of a given age). It applied to active-duty combat soldiers from January 1, 2026, and to the Reserve and National Guard from June 1, 2026.

For a sense of scale, here are the official 60- and 100-point marks for ages 17 to 21. The combat standard uses the male column.

*From a third-party summary of the official tables. Other figures are from the Army's own scoring tables, effective June 1, 2025. Standards differ for other age groups.

British Army: role fitness tests and the conditioning review

The British Army sets standards by role. Its official "Fit to Fight" fact sheets describe:

• Role Fitness Test (Entry): a seated throw with a 4 kg medicine ball, a mid-thigh pull (a deadlift on a machine that measures force) and a 2 km best-effort run. When the tests launched in 2019, Forces News reported the lowest adult entry standards as a 2 km run in 11:15, a 2.9 m throw and a mid-thigh pull of 46 units. Many roles need more.
• Role Fitness Test (Basic Training): the same three tests plus a loaded march. For infantry and armored roles, that's 4 km carrying 20 kg in 50 minutes, then 2 km with 15 kg in 15 minutes.
• Role Fitness Test (Soldier) for ground close combat roles, done annually. Gender and age free, it includes:
  • a loaded march: 4 km with 40 kg in 50 minutes, then 2 km with 25 kg in 15 minutes
  • fire and movement: twenty 7.5 m bounds, a 15 m crawl and a 15 m sprint in 55 seconds
  • a casualty drag: a 110 kg bag over 20 m in 35 seconds
  • a jerry can carry: two 22 kg cans over 240 m in 4 minutes
  • a 70 kg lift held for 3 seconds
  • a repeated lift and carry: 20 kg bags, 20 times over 30 m, in 14 minutes
• Soldier Conditioning Review (SCR): a gym-based diagnostic of broad jump, medicine ball throw, hex bar deadlift, 5 × 20 m shuttle sprints, pull-ups and a 2 km run.

The conditioning review is changing. Soldier magazine reported a year-long trial of a new Soldier Conditioning Assessment in 2025, dropping the medicine ball throw, broad jump and sprints. Third-party coaching sites describe it as a 2 km run, hex or trap bar deadlift, press-ups and pull-ups. We couldn't confirm its final events or pass marks on an official page, so check with your unit.

Canadian Armed Forces FORCE Evaluation

Canada's FORCE Evaluation has four timed tasks, with standards published by Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services:

There are no push-ups or pull-ups in it.

What carries over from HYROX training?

A lot, especially for tests built around carrying, dragging and running.

Running. HYROX plans are built on easy running plus threshold work, which is exactly what improves a two-mile or 2 km time. Eight hard kilometers on tired legs is a tougher test of pacing than most military runs.

Drags and carries. The HYROX Open farmers carry is 200 m with two 16 kg kettlebells for women and two 24 kg for men. That's heavier per hand than the AFT's two 40 lb (about 18 kg) kettlebells for men, and close to the British jerry cans at 22 kg each. The HYROX sled push (102 kg for Open women and 152 kg for Open men, sled included) and sled pull build the legs and grip that drags need.

Working while tired. HYROX trains you to keep moving at a steady effort for well over an hour. The sprint-drag-carry and FORCE tasks are short, but they're done after other events, so fatigue resistance helps.

What doesn't carry over?

Be honest about the gaps, because they're where people fail tests.

• Push-ups and pull-ups. HYROX has burpees but no push-up or pull-up event. The AFT's hand-release push-ups and the British conditioning review's pull-ups need their own practice.
• Heavy, low-rep strength. A HYROX race builds strength-endurance, not a heavy three-rep deadlift. A 100-point AFT deadlift is 340 lb (about 154 kg) for men aged 17 to 21. You need dedicated heavy lifting for that.
• Sprinting and changing direction. The sprint-drag-carry includes sprints and a lateral shuffle, and FORCE has rushes to the floor. HYROX is steady work with no sprinting or lateral movement.
• Loaded marching. Carrying 40 kg for 4 km is a different skill from anything in HYROX. Lunges and carries help your legs, but your feet, shoulders and pace need real rucking practice.
• Technique details. The AFT sled drag uses straps and walking backward, while the HYROX sled pull is hand over hand on a rope. Practice the test version.

A sample week combining HYROX and test prep

This assumes you're training for a test 8 to 12 weeks away and have no duty training on top. If your job already includes physical training, count it and remove sessions here.

How to adjust it:

• For the AFT: practice the full sprint-drag-carry every week or two, and keep hand-release push-ups in at least three sessions a week. Do a full mock test every three to four weeks.
• For British role tests: replace the Saturday compromised session with a loaded march every other week, and build the load and distance gradually. Add pull-ups if your unit uses the conditioning review or its replacement.
• For FORCE: add sandbag lifts and loaded shuttles with a 20 kg bag to Wednesday.
• Two weeks out: cut volume by about a third, keep a little intensity, and rehearse the test order once.

Should I race HYROX before my test?

A HYROX race is a good fitness check, and its splits show whether your running or strength is the weak point. But it's a long, hard effort. Leave at least a couple of weeks between a race and an important test so you arrive fresh. Find a race and a good gap on the race calendar, and use the pace calculator to set run targets.

FAQ

Is HYROX good training for the Army Fitness Test?

Yes, for the two-mile run, the sprint-drag-carry and the deadlift, provided your plan includes heavy lifting. You'll also need to practice hand-release push-ups, sprinting and the lateral shuffle, which HYROX doesn't train.

What events are in the AFT?

Five: a three-rep max deadlift, hand-release push-ups, the sprint-drag-carry, a plank and a two-mile run. It replaced the ACFT from June 1, 2025, and dropped the standing power throw. You need at least 60 points in each event.

Does the HYROX sled pull help the sprint-drag-carry?

Yes. Both build leg drive and grip, and the farmers carry is heavier than the AFT's two 40 lb kettlebells for men. The technique differs, since the AFT drag uses straps while walking backward, so practice the test version too.

Does HYROX help with British Army fitness tests?

It helps with the 2 km run, the jerry can carry, the casualty drag and lifting strength. It doesn't prepare you for loaded marching or pull-ups, so add rucking and pull-up practice. Standards vary by role, so check yours.

Will HYROX improve my push-ups and pull-ups?

Not much. Burpees and the SkiErg help a little, but you need to practice the test movements several times a week to improve them.

Next steps

Read the military section of switching to HYROX for the other direction, build your running with how to train for HYROX, and sharpen your drag technique with our sled push and pull guide. Our HYROX workouts have more compromised sessions to drop into the plan.