Search “HYROX competition in your gym,” and the results blur two very different things together. Official HYROX races are produced centrally by the HYROX organization itself, in arenas across dozens of cities, with their own ticketing, timing infrastructure, and staff. No individual gym applies to “host” one of those.
What gyms actually do, and what this guide is about, is running their own version of the race format inside their own four walls: a simulation event, sometimes called a “sim,” built on the real HYROX stations and standards but organized, staffed, and judged entirely by the gym.
That distinction matters because it changes almost every practical decision that follows: what equipment you actually need, whether you have to pay HYROX anything at all, and what “official” even means for the day. This guide walks through building that event from the actual race format outward, not a generic competition-day checklist with HYROX’s name attached.
The format you’re building around
A HYROX race consists of eight runs and eight workout stations, alternating in a fixed order. Per HYROX, the official sequence is a 1km run followed by one station, repeated eight times, with the stations always in this order:
| Station | Movement | Women’s Open | Men’s Open |
| 1 | SkiErg | 1,000m | 1,000m |
| 2 | Sled Push | 2×25m, 102kg incl. sled | 2×25m, 152kg incl. sled |
| 3 | Sled Pull | 2×25m, 78kg incl. sled | 2×25m, 103kg incl. sled |
| 4 | Burpee Broad Jump | 80m | 80m |
| 5 | Rowing | 1,000m | 1,000m |
| 6 | Farmers Carry | 200m, 2×16kg | 200m, 2×24kg |
| 7 | Sandbag Lunges | 100m, 10kg | 100m, 20kg |
| 8 | Wall Balls | 100 reps, 4kg | 100 reps, 6kg |
You don’t have to run this exact format for a first event. A “half sim” (four stations instead of eight) or a scaled-weight version is a completely normal starting point, and most gyms running their first one do exactly that. What matters is deciding upfront, in writing, which version you’re running and publishing the standards before anyone registers, not adjusting them on the day.
Deciding your divisions
Official HYROX races run several category types, and copying the structure (even at smaller scale) gives your members a format they may already recognize. Per the HYROX FAQ, the core categories are singles (one athlete, the full format solo), doubles (two athletes splitting the work and running together), and relay (four athletes, each covering two runs and two stations).
A Pro division exists for experienced athletes at the same format with heavier weights, and there’s an adaptive division for athletes with impairments. Age groups run from under 24 up through 85 to 89, and for doubles teams, age grouping uses the average age of both athletes.
For a first event, picking two or three of these (singles men, singles women, and doubles open, say) is enough. Adding a masters or beginner-scaled category is a good second-event addition once you know your numbers.
Equipment: what you actually need, and what to fake
Most functional-fitness gyms already own a meaningful chunk of this list: rowers, kettlebells, sandbags, and wall balls are common equipment already. The two purchases that catch gyms out are the SkiErg and a sled built for pushing and pulling (not every sled is built for both directions).
If you don’t have enough of either to run multiple athletes at once, the standard workaround is combining movements instead of buying more equipment: run sled push and sled pull back to back at one station instead of two separate ones, and pick a single consistent weight for both directions so nobody’s changing plates mid-heat. It changes the standard from the official race, so say so clearly on your scoring sheet and registration page rather than letting people assume they hit the real numbers.
Timing and scoring
You don’t need arena-grade chip timing for a first event. A workable, low-cost setup uses two volunteers: one stationed at the transition between the run course and the station zone to catch runners coming in, and one inside the station zone to watch completions.
Per RaceClocker, a browser-based timing tool built for exactly this kind of race, any device with an internet connection can serve as a timing station; timestamps save locally if the connection drops and sync once it’s back, and results can update live on a screen for spectators. Whatever system you use, test it a full week before the event, not the morning of.
Keep a manual backup regardless: a visible running clock and a volunteer with a stopwatch and a sheet of paper at each station, so a dead battery or a dropped connection doesn’t take down your only record of who finished what.
Judging: what a volunteer needs to actually enforce
Every station needs a judge who knows the standard, not just someone counting reps. A few of the specific calls worth training your judges on before the day, per HYROX Lab’s rules breakdown: on sandbag lunges, the back knee has to touch the floor on every rep or it’s a no-rep; on burpee broad jumps, athletes are allowed to use their knees to help stand back up, which surprises a lot of first-time judges who expect a strict burpee standard; and shoes have to stay on for the entire race except at the wall ball station, where they can come off but must be carried, not left, to the finish.
Write your standards down, walk every judge through them before the first heat starts, and give them the authority to call a no-rep without checking with someone else first. A judge who has to ask permission slows down every heat behind the one they’re judging.
Staffing your first event
A simulation event does not run itself, and understaffing is the most common reason a first attempt feels chaotic. Realistic minimum staffing for a small event includes: check-in and athlete flow, a timer or two per the setup above, one judge per active station, a floater who can step in anywhere something breaks down, someone handling medical basics and water, and an MC or starter keeping heats moving on schedule.
For most first events, that’s somewhere around eight to twelve people, most of whom don’t need to be paid staff. Members, alumni of a previous cycle, or a local training program are all reasonable places to ask.
Insurance: the gap most first-timers miss
Standard gym liability coverage was written for your normal operating hours, not for a one-day event with outside spectators, possibly a vendor table, and people pushing themselves harder than a regular class. Per NEXO, special events insurance is typically split into liability coverage (injury or property damage during the event) and cancellation coverage (reimbursing costs if the event has to be called off).
It’s worth checking specifically whether your existing policy actually extends to a ticketed competition day before assuming it does. If alcohol will be served at any point, that’s a separate liability gap under most standard policies, worth a direct conversation with your carrier rather than an assumption either way.
In-house simulation or official affiliation: which one are you actually planning?
Running your own simulation and becoming a licensed HYROX partner gym are two different commitments, and it’s worth being clear on which one you’re doing before you build a landing page around it.
| Your own in-house simulation | Official HYROX Training Club | |
| What it is | A gym-organized event using the HYROX format, run and judged by your own staff | A paid affiliation with HYROX itself, with branding and programming access |
| Approval needed | None, it’s your event | Application and ongoing membership with HYROX |
| Typical cost | Equipment you may already own, plus event-day staffing | Roughly €90/month ($101/month) for a Training Club tier, more for a Performance Center tier, per OriGym |
| What you get | Full control over format, pricing, and branding | Official HYROX branding, structured programming content, listing as a partner gym |
| Best for | A first event, or an ongoing member-only tradition | Gyms building a long-term HYROX-training identity |
Nothing stops a gym from doing both eventually: running its own sim first to learn what an event day actually takes, then deciding whether the ongoing affiliation is worth it.
Self-audit: are you actually ready to set a date
- Have you picked and published the exact station list, weights, and divisions before opening registration, rather than leaving it to be decided closer to the day?
- Do you have enough of each piece of equipment to run at least two athletes through a station at once, or a clear plan for combining movements if not?
- Have you recruited and briefed your judges on the specific standards they’ll be enforcing, rather than just telling them to “watch the reps”?
- Does your timing setup have a manual backup that doesn’t depend on a single device or connection?
- Have you confirmed in writing with your insurance provider that your policy covers a ticketed one-day event with outside spectators?
- Is your registration form collecting waiver acceptance and emergency contact information before anyone is confirmed into a heat?
Where Wellyx fits
Once the format and staffing are settled, the operational work is mostly scheduling: getting the right number of people into the right heat, at the right time, without overbooking a station that can only handle four athletes at once. Wellyx’s scheduling system lets you set a custom capacity per time slot, the same way you’d cap a regular class. A heat fills and then automatically routes additional signups to a waitlist instead of double-booking a station, with members notified automatically if a spot opens due to a cancellation.
Registration itself runs through the same online booking flow used for workshops and one-off events elsewhere on the platform, so entry fees can be collected as a full payment or a deposit at signup, with the balance charged automatically closer to the date. Every registrant gets an instant confirmation by email or SMS, and if a heat time changes the week of the event, Wellyx sends that update automatically instead of relying on a group chat everyone half-reads.
Owner action checklist
- Publish your exact format, weights, and divisions at least three to four weeks before the event, not the week of.
- Confirm equipment availability and settle any combined-movement adaptations before registration opens.
- Recruit judges and volunteers by name, with roles assigned, at least two weeks out.
- Test your full timing setup, primary and manual backup, one week before the event.
- Get written confirmation from your insurer that your policy covers the event as planned.
- Require waiver acceptance and emergency contact info as part of registration, not a paper form signed at check-in.
Frequently asked questions
Can any gym host an official HYROX competition?
No. Official HYROX races are produced centrally by the HYROX organization in arenas across many cities, with their own staff and infrastructure. Instead, individual gyms run their own in-house simulation events using the same format and standards, which is what most gyms mean by “hosting a HYROX competition.”
Do I need to be a HYROX affiliate gym to run a simulation event?
No. Any gym can build its own simulation event using the published race format without any affiliation or approval from HYROX. Becoming an official Training Club is a separate, paid commitment that adds branding and access to programming, not a requirement to run your own event.
How many people do I need to staff a first HYROX simulation?
Plan for roughly eight to twelve people, covering check-in, timing, one judge per active station, a floater, basic medical and water support, and an MC to keep heats on schedule. Most of these roles can be filled by members or volunteers rather than paid staff.
Does my gym’s regular liability insurance cover a HYROX competition day?
Not automatically. Standard gym liability policies are written for normal operating hours, not a ticketed one-day event with outside spectators. Confirm coverage with your insurer in writing before the event, and ask specifically about alcohol if any will be served.
What equipment do I actually need to buy for a first HYROX simulation?
Most functional-fitness gyms already own rowers, kettlebells, sandbags, and wall balls. The SkiErg and a push-pull sled are the most commonly purchased new items. If you’re short on sled availability, combining push and pull at one station with a single consistent weight is a standard workaround.
The bottom line
A first HYROX simulation succeeds or fails on the parts that have nothing to do with fitness: a published format nobody changes at the last minute, judges who know the actual standards, a timing system with a real backup, and insurance that was confirmed rather than assumed. Get those right and the format itself, eight runs and eight stations, takes care of the rest.
