Station 1 of 81,000 m

HYROX SkiErg

The SkiErg is the first station: 1,000 m on a Concept2 ski machine straight after your first 1 km run. Good skiers drive each pull with a hip hinge and their body weight, let the arms finish the stroke, and hold an even pace that leaves their legs fresh for the sled push that comes next.

Lats, triceps and shoulders
Core flexion and trunk stability
Hip hinge and posterior chain
Aerobic power and pacing discipline early in the race

All divisions: no load; damper preset to 6, athlete may adjust

The perfect rep, in three positions

Side view. The darker arm and leg are nearest you; dashed lines show the alignment to hold.

Step 1
Tall and long at the top
Stand tall with your arms reaching up and the handles around head height, elbows slightly bent. Your weight is over the middle of your feet and your core is braced, ready to fall into the pull.
- Reach tall, elbows soft
- Handles about head height
- Brace before you pull
- Weight over mid-foot
Step 2
Hinge and crunch
Start the pull by pushing your hips back and crunching your chest towards your thighs, so your body weight drives the handles down. Your knees bend a little, but this is a hinge, not a deep squat.
- Hips back, chest down
- Body weight moves the handles
- Arms stay long early
- Soft knees, no deep squat
Step 3
Arms finish past the hips
Once your torso has done its work, the arms follow through so your hands finish past your hips. Then stand back up smoothly, arms rising, and let the flywheel spin before the next pull.
- Hands finish past the hips
- Exhale on the pull
- Stand up smoothly
- Recover, then pull again

Common faults and how to fix them

The fault

The fix: hinge and crunch

What it looks like: You stay upright and pull the handles down with just your arms and shoulders, with little or no hip hinge.
Why it costs you: Your arms and shoulders are small muscles compared with your hips and trunk, so they tire fast and each stroke makes less power. Your arm fatigue then shows up at the sled push and later the sled pull.
The fix: Start every pull by pushing your hips back and crunching down, and keep your arms long until your torso has moved. Think of your arms as hooks that finish the stroke.

The fault

The fix: arms finish past the hips

What it looks like: Your upper back curls forward and your head drops as you pull, so you fold over a rounded spine instead of hinging from the hips.
Why it costs you: A rounded spine leaks force before it reaches the handles and loads the lower back, which you need again for the sled push, sled pull and lunges.
The fix: Brace your core and keep your chest proud as your hips go back. Crunch through your abs, not by collapsing your upper back, and keep your eyes roughly on the monitor.

Pacing targets

Rough ranges to plan around, not official cut-offs. Your division, the floor and the run before it all move the number.

First race
about 4:45–6:00
Start controlled, because adrenaline after run 1 makes it easy to go out too fast. Hold an even pace you could keep for twice as long and finish with your breathing under control.
Intermediate
about 4:00–4:45
Aim for even 500 m splits at roughly your 5,000 m pace. Ease off slightly in the last 100 m to settle your breathing before run 2.
Advanced
about 3:30–4:00
Hold a strong, steady split from the first stroke with a consistent stroke rate. Don't sprint the opening 200 m, since the sled push comes next.

Breathing

Exhale hard as you crunch down and drive the handles, and breathe in as you stand back up to the top. Settle into one breath per stroke early, before the effort climbs.

Kit

Gloves are on the permitted list, but most racers ski bare-handed, so test gloves on the handles first. The damper starts at 6 and you can set it to the number you trained on before your first pull. Chalk is not allowed at this station.

Standards

From the 26/27 HYROX rulebook, in plain English.

✓A judge resets the monitor before you start.
✓Both feet must stay on the SkiErg platform for the whole 1,000 m. Your heels may hang over the edge of the base but must not touch the floor.
✓Lifting your feet or skiing with a dynamic, jumping motion is allowed, as long as both feet land back on the base plate.
✓The damper is preset to 6 for every division, and you may change it as often as you like.
✓When the 1,000 m is done, stay with both feet on the platform and raise an arm to signal the judge.
✓You may only leave the SkiErg once the judge has confirmed you have completed the distance.

Penalties

What a judge can give you at this station.

!Foot touching the floor (first infringement): formal warning
!Foot touching the floor (second infringement): 15-second penalty
!Each further infringement: another 15 seconds, with no more warnings
!Leaving the SkiErg before 1,000 m: disqualification (incomplete station)
!Using chalk at the SkiErg: 2-minute penalty (chalk is only allowed at the sled pull and farmers carry)

Drills to get better

1
Hinge-only pulls
3 x 1 minute easy with arms kept almost straight, driving each stroke with the hip hinge and crunch only. This teaches your body to lead the pull before your arms take over.
2
500 m pace intervals
4–6 x 500 m at your target race split with 1 to 2 minutes rest. Practise holding the same split and stroke rate on every rep.
3
Run-to-ski brick
1 km run straight into 1,000 m SkiErg, then 1 km run, 2 to 3 rounds. It rehearses the race start and shows you what ski pace you can hold and still run well afterwards.
4
Damper test
Ski 3 x 250 m at the same effort on three different damper settings, for example 4, 5 and 6, and note the split and drag factor. Pick the setting that gives the best split for the least effort.
5
Straight-arm pulldowns
3 x 12–15 on a cable or band, keeping your arms long and your core braced. This builds the lat strength that the pull depends on without tiring your legs.

SkiErg FAQ

What damper setting should I use on the HYROX SkiErg?+

The SkiErg is preset to damper 6, and you can change it as often as you like. Use the setting you trained on; Concept2 suggests roughly 3 to 5 for most athletes. Higher feels heavier but isn't automatically faster.

What is a good HYROX SkiErg time?+

HYROX Data Lab's average across all solo divisions is about 4:46 and the median about 4:42. Under about 4:00 is strong for most Open racers. Treat these as rough benchmarks, since they mix divisions and abilities.

Can my feet leave the SkiErg base?+

Yes. You can lift your feet or ski with a jumping motion, and your heels can hang off the edge. But your feet must land back on the base plate. If either foot touches the floor, that's an infringement: a warning first, then 15 seconds each time.

How do I use the SkiErg without burning out my arms?+

Drive each pull with a hip hinge and an ab crunch so your body weight moves the handles, and let your arms finish the stroke. If your arms are burning early, you're pulling too much with them.

What stroke rate should I use on the SkiErg?+

Concept2 suggests roughly 40 to 60 strokes per minute, and other coaches suggest a little lower. Find the rate that gives you your target split for the least effort, and keep it steady.

What happens if I step off the SkiErg early?+

Leaving the SkiErg before the 1,000 m is complete is a disqualification. When you finish, keep both feet on the platform, raise an arm, and wait for the judge to confirm before you leave.

The perfect rep, in three positions

Tall and long at the top

Hinge and crunch

Arms finish past the hips