I recently completed my first HYROX simulation, and walking away from that experience, I knew I had found my next big athletic challenge. As someone who has lived with asthma since childhood, every new sport I have pursued has forced me to learn more about my lungs, my body, and my mindset. HYROX felt like the perfect combination of everything I love about fitness. It blends endurance, strength, conditioning, grit, and pacing into one demanding race format.

Over the years, I have explored many different athletic paths. I played soccer as a kid, got into road biking, mountain biking, yoga sculpt classes, marathon running, climbing fourteen thousand foot mountains, and eventually ultramarathon racing. I have won 100 kilometer ultramarathons, but HYROX presents a completely different challenge. It requires explosive strength, faster pacing, and the ability to recover while still moving hard. That combination excited me immediately.

What motivates me most is helping athletes with asthma realize they are capable of more than they think. Too often, asthma becomes a mental barrier before it becomes a physical one. I understand that feeling because I lived it for years. Training for HYROX with asthma has become another opportunity for me to prove that our limitations are often more flexible than we believe.

The purpose of this article (and the Youtube video linked here and the podcast episode linked here), is not just to show you my weekly schedule. I want to help you understand how to build your lungs, improve your conditioning, and approach HYROX training in a sustainable way. Whether you are an experienced athlete or someone who has never considered doing a hybrid fitness race before, there is a place for you in this sport.

What HYROX actually is

HYROX stands for hybrid fitness racing. The format combines eight one kilometer runs with eight workout stations. You alternate between running and functional fitness exercises throughout the entire event. That means your ability to recover under fatigue becomes just as important as your raw fitness level.

The race starts with a one kilometer run, followed by the SkiErg for one thousand meters. Then you continue alternating between runs and workout stations that include sled pushes, sled pulls, burpee broad jumps, rowing, farmer carries, sandbag lunges, and wall balls. By the time you reach the final station, your body is already under significant fatigue, which makes pacing incredibly important.

As an ultrarunner, I originally thought the running portion would feel easy for me. After all, eight kilometers is far shorter than the races I usually compete in. What I quickly realized during my simulation is that HYROX running feels very different. You are constantly transitioning between strength work and running, which changes the way your legs and lungs respond.

For athletes with asthma, this matters even more. HYROX demands sustained effort while your breathing remains elevated. That is why I believe learning pacing and conditioning is one of the most important pieces of success in this sport.

The hardest HYROX stations for me

One of the most valuable lessons from my first HYROX simulation was identifying which stations challenged me the most. For me, the sled pull, sandbag lunges, and wall balls were by far the hardest parts of the race. Those stations forced me to manage fatigue, breathing, and muscle endurance all at once.

The sled pull hit my posterior chain harder than I expected. My quads, calves, and hamstrings were already carrying fatigue from the running, and the pulling motion demanded full body engagement. I quickly realized that if I pushed too hard there, I would pay for it later in the race.

Sandbag lunges were the most difficult station overall. By that point, I had already accumulated several kilometers of running and multiple workout stations. My legs were heavy, my breathing was elevated, and every lunge required mental focus. Then came wall balls, which can completely break your rhythm if you lose control of your breathing.

What HYROX taught me is that every athlete has different strengths and weaknesses. Some people struggle most with the SkiErg. Others struggle with burpees or running pace. The key is understanding where your weaknesses appear during the race and training specifically for them.

How asthma changes my HYROX training

Asthma absolutely changes how I train, but it does not stop me from training hard. In many ways, asthma has made me more intentional about building endurance progressively. I have learned that improving lung capacity is a process built on consistency, patience, and gradual overload.

When I was younger, I relied heavily on my inhaler before sports practices and games. I always felt temporary relief, but I was not actually improving my conditioning. Eventually, I worked with a doctor who encouraged me to focus on strengthening my lungs over time instead of immediately relying on medication before exercise. That shift changed my entire athletic journey.

I started delaying when I used my inhaler during soccer practice. First by five minutes, then ten minutes, then longer over time. Slowly, my lungs adapted. That same progressive overload principle eventually helped me go from barely running a few miles to winning a 100 kilometer ultramarathon.

Now I apply that same philosophy to HYROX training. I focus heavily on controlled progression. I do not try to force adaptation overnight. Instead, I gradually build my running volume, improve my conditioning, and expose my body to harder efforts over time. That patient approach has been one of the biggest keys to my success as an Athlete with Asthma.

My complete weekly HYROX training schedule

Right now, my weekly HYROX training plan revolves around three major components. Running, group fitness training, and gym specific workouts. Together, these create a balanced structure that supports endurance, strength, recovery, and lung development.

Running is the foundation of my program. I currently run between twenty five and thirty miles per week. For experienced runners, that may sound moderate. For beginners, it may sound intimidating. The important thing is understanding that your starting point does not matter nearly as much as your consistency.

If you are completely new to running, even five to ten miles per week can dramatically improve your HYROX performance. Since the race itself includes nearly five miles of running plus transitions between stations, developing your cardiovascular system is essential. Walking and running combinations can be extremely effective here.

The second pillar of my schedule is group fitness training. I attend one to two high intensity interval training classes each week at Endorphin in Colorado. These classes simulate the energy, pacing, and community feel of HYROX competition. They also expose me to sled work, conditioning intervals, and movement combinations that mirror race day fatigue.

The third component is dedicated gym work. I go to the gym two to three times per week specifically to target the movements I need most for HYROX improvement. These sessions allow me to focus deeply on rowing, grip strength, wall balls, lunges, and burpees.

Why rowing is one of the best HYROX tools

If there is one piece of equipment I believe every HYROX athlete should spend more time on, it is the rower. Rowing trains the entire body while simultaneously challenging cardiovascular endurance. It teaches you how to stay powerful while fatigued.

I have been experimenting with different rowing distances in training. Sometimes I row one thousand meters at race pace. Other times I extend the workout to three thousand or even five thousand meters. Longer rowing sessions help me build mental toughness while teaching my body to maintain power output under fatigue.

Rowing also strengthens grip, which is incredibly important in HYROX. Farmer carries, sled pulls, SkiErg work, and many other stations require strong hands and forearms. Improving grip endurance creates benefits across the entire race.

Another advantage of rowing is how asthma friendly it can be when approached progressively. Because the movement is rhythmic and controlled, it allows me to challenge my lungs without the impact stress of constant running. That balance has made rowing one of the most valuable tools in my conditioning program.

How I train wall balls, lunges, and burpees

Wall balls became one of my biggest training priorities after the simulation. Performing one hundred wall balls at the end of a race is physically and mentally exhausting. To prepare for that fatigue, I intentionally train with heavier loads and higher repetitions than required during competition.

Currently, I perform sets with twenty pound wall balls before dropping down in weight and continuing for additional repetitions. My goal is to make race day feel easier by over preparing during training. The same philosophy applies to weighted lunges.

Lunges demand balance, stability, leg endurance, and mental resilience. I am still refining my exact lunge programming, but I know they need consistent attention every week. I want my legs to feel capable under fatigue rather than shocked by the workload.

Burpees are another movement I sprinkle into many workouts. I do not necessarily perform massive burpee sessions every day, but I regularly include smaller sets while my heart rate is already elevated. That teaches my body to stay calm and efficient during transitions.

Why HYROX can empower athletes with asthma

One of the reasons I love HYROX is because it rewards adaptation. You do not need to be perfect to participate. You simply need the willingness to show up, train consistently, and improve gradually over time.

If you have asthma, I want you to know that your journey may look different, but different does not mean worse. Your conditioning can improve. Your lungs can become stronger. Your confidence can grow through consistent effort.

I strongly recommend starting with a partner or relay format if you are new to HYROX. That approach reduces the overall workload while helping you learn race flow and pacing. My first HYROX simulation was with a partner, and having that support made a huge difference.

Most importantly, always listen to your body. Carry your inhaler. Respect recovery. Build progressively. There is no shortcut to long term fitness, but there is tremendous power in consistent effort over time.

HYROX has already taught me so much about resilience, pacing, and adaptation. I truly believe it can do the same for you.

DISCLAIMER: THIS INFORMATION IS MY OPINION AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER. PLEASE CONSULT A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER FOR GUIDANCE SPECIFIC TO YOUR CASE.