HYROX in Lisbon: Complete Guide to Training and Competing [2026]
Everything about HYROX in Lisbon: the 8 stations with official loads, affiliated gyms, registration prices and how to prepare for the next race in 2026.
In May 2026, more than 12,000 athletes crossed the HYROX starting line on Portuguese soil for the first time, at FIL Parque das Nações. The event sold out weeks before the date and marked the definitive arrival of the sport in the Lisbon fitness market. What was a niche of practitioners in 2021 became, in 2026, the most talked-about fitness race on social media, in boxes and in gym changing rooms across Greater Lisbon.
For anyone who has never heard of it, or only knows the name without quite getting what it is: this guide explains what HYROX is, the 8 stations with official loads per division, the entry prices and where to train in Lisbon in 2026. We cover the officially affiliated gyms, a 12-week preparation plan for beginners and, in the final section, the alternative for those who want to build a strength base without signing a fixed monthly contract at an affiliate.
The race is demanding but the format is simple and repetitive. You always know exactly what you are going to do. Maybe that is why the brand has grown so much and so fast in Portugal.
What HYROX Is: the Format That Is Winning Over Lisbon
HYROX was created in Germany in 2017 by Christian Toetzke and Moritz Fürste (an Olympic hockey medallist). The brand's positioning is clear: "world series of fitness racing", a fitness race held in indoor arenas, with an identical format anywhere in the world.
The fundamental difference compared to CrossFit, with which it is often confused, lies in accessibility. In HYROX there is no Olympic lifting (snatch, clean and jerk), no complex gymnastics (muscle-ups, handstand walks), and the exercises are repetitive and easy to learn. The loads are lower, the format is always the same, and the learning curve is much shorter. That is why many regular gym-goers who never did CrossFit out of fear of the technique find in HYROX the competitive challenge they were looking for.
The sport arrived in Portugal in 2021 and grew quietly until 2024, when it appeared in the first editorial articles. In May 2026, with the first official national event, it shifted from niche to mainstream: around 600 affiliated gyms nationwide and around 1,800 competitive practitioners according to NiT in July 2024. Those numbers are rising sharply after the Lisbon event.
Who is the typical HYROX practitioner in Lisbon? Generally, amateur athletes between 28 and 45, often former runners or gym regulars with 2 to 5 years of consistent training, looking for a concrete competitive goal. Unlike CrossFit, which mainly attracts those already living the box culture, HYROX also draws classic bodybuilding practitioners who just wanted the running and the challenge without committing to Olympic technique. Age inclusivity is real: the Open division accepts athletes up to 60 and beyond, and in Relay there is no effective age limit as long as the team can complete the course. In Lisbon, this profile overlaps directly with the user segment of premium chains and private studios.
The 8 HYROX Stations in Order (with Official Loads)
In HYROX the format is fixed. At any official race in the world, the sequence is the same: 8 km of running interspersed with 8 functional stations, in the same order, with the same loads for the same division. Before each station you run 1 km. Then you do the station. Then you run another 1 km. And so on, eight times.
The table below cross-references each station with the distance or repetitions and the official load in the two most popular divisions (Open Men, Open Women, Pro Men, Pro Women). Data from HYROX, valid for the 2025/26 season.
#
Station
Distance/Reps
Open M
Open F
Pro M
Pro F
1
SkiErg
1,000 m
1,000 m
1,000 m
1,000 m
1,000 m
2
Sled Push
50 m
152 kg
102 kg
202 kg
152 kg
3
Sled Pull
50 m
103 kg
78 kg
153 kg
103 kg
4
Burpee Broad Jumps
80 m
bodyweight
A quick read of what each station tests:
SkiErg. Pulling work across the whole posterior chain plus the core. It is the warm-up of the day, but it already tires you.
Sled Push. Legs, core and the arms pushing the handles. It is the most physical exercise in terms of raw muscular fatigue.
Sled Pull. Shoulders, back, arms. Often underestimated by those who only train legs on the sled push.
Burpee Broad Jumps. The cardio killer. It combines explosiveness (the jump) and a sky-high heart rate. This is where many people realise they have not trained enough.
Row Erg. The relative break for the legs. It is the station where you can catch your breath and manage the pace.
Farmers Carry. Core, grip, trunk stability. An advantage for strong runners who hold their posture.
Sandbag Lunges. Legs on fire. This is the point where most athletes start to stop and lose pace.
Wall Balls. The final station, at maximum fatigue. The 100 reps at 6 kg seem like nothing until you are on rep 60 with your heart at 180.
The 5 Divisions and Entry Prices in Lisbon 2026
HYROX has five official divisions, each with its own loads and format. Choosing the division is the athlete's first strategic decision.
Pro Individual. Same race, heavy loads. For advanced athletes with at least a year of consistent training. Average finish time: 1h or less. Entry price in Lisbon 2026: 130€ in the regular phase.
Open Individual. The most popular division. Standard loads (the table above). Suitable for amateur athletes in shape. Average time: 1h15 to 1h45. Price: 99€ to 110€ depending on the phase.
Doubles. Same-gender pair, alternating stations. One runs, the other does the station. Average time: 1h to 1h30. Price: around 120€ per pair.
Mixed Doubles. Mixed pair (one man, one woman). Same alternation. Price similar to Doubles.
Relay. Team of 4 athletes (same gender or mixed). Each athlete does 2 km of running and 2 stations. The most accessible division in price (~55€/athlete) and physically. For groups of friends making their debut in the sport.
The entry includes a timing chip, race bib, official t-shirt, medal (if you finish), professional photo and video, and hydration on the course. Registrations open in phases: Super Early Bird (the cheapest), Early Bird, Regular, Last Minute. For the first national race in Lisbon 2026, the event sold out in the Regular phase weeks before the date.
Where to Train HYROX in Lisbon: the Affiliated Gyms
Choosing the gym is the most important practical decision. To train HYROX seriously you need specific equipment: sled, SkiErg, rower, dumbbells, sandbag, wall ball, space for indoor running or a treadmill. Only the official affiliates have the complete set-up. The official list varies by season, but as of May 2026 the following gyms in Greater Lisbon are confirmed.
My Workout Fitness Studio (Moscavide)
A pioneer in Portugal. It started offering HYROX classes in September 2023, before any other space in Lisbon. Membership between 45€ and 60€/month depending on the plan. HYROX classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 19h, and Saturdays at 11h30, lasting 45 minutes. Full equipment at the studio.
CAPLX (Alvalade)
Av. da Igreja, 15. Membership between 49€ and 59€/month. Highest density of HYROX classes in Lisbon: Mondays (13h and 19h30), Tuesdays and Thursdays (8h15 and 19h30), and Saturdays (11h15). For those who train five times a week, it is the most flexible gym.
Vinte Fitness Boutique (Alameda)
Rua José Acúrcio das Neves, 20. Membership between 30€ and 60€/month depending on the weekly frequency chosen. Boutique model with smaller classes. HYROX classes from Monday to Saturday, in a continuous format. Trial class available before signing up.
CrossFit AlphaDen
A CrossFit box that added a HYROX track. Packages: 6 classes/week 80€, 3 classes/week 65€, 2 classes/week 55€. Tiago Lousa, the founder, was the first HYROX master trainer in Portugal. It is one of the spaces with the most technical training for Pro athletes.
Open Box
CrossFit model with a HYROX track. Membership 65€ standard or 90€ unlimited. For athletes who train 4 or more times a week, the unlimited plan pays off.
Others: STRV (Alfragide, Carnaxide), Hybrid Lisboa, The Fitness Lab, Zone Box
A wider list with geographic coverage in Lisbon, Margem Sul and the Cascais line. For competitive athletes, the choice is less about price and more about the density of weekly classes and equipment availability (sled, SkiErg, sandbag, wall ball). The complete official list is kept up to date at portugal.hyrox.com.
How to Prepare: 12-Week Plan for Beginners
For a first HYROX race, 12 weeks is the reasonable minimum preparation. For athletes starting from scratch, 16 weeks is more realistic. The plan below is spread across 4 to 5 weekly sessions, balancing running, strength and specific stations. It is a generic structure for beginners in shape; athletes with previous injuries or competitive goals (Pro) should look for a certified HYROX coach.
Weeks 1 to 4: foundation. The goal is to build a base, not to test limits. Two running sessions (3 to 5 km at a comfortable, conversational pace), two compound strength sessions (squat, deadlift, lunges with dumbbells, row, SkiErg or rower if available). One optional session of mobility or yoga.
Weeks 5 to 8: specific. Introduce race exercises. One long run (8 to 10 km), one interval session (8 sets of 400 m at a high pace), two strength sessions with burpees, sandbag lunges and farmers carry, one partial simulation (3 km of running + 3 alternating stations).
Weeks 9 to 12: simulation. Approaching race day. One long run, one session at race pace (8 km of running in "just keep moving" mode without stopping), two strength sessions with loads close to race loads, one half-race full simulation (4 km of running + 4 alternating stations in sequence with no break).
Recovery and management. At least one fully off day per week. Mobility 10 min/day. Progression rhythm: increase volume or intensity, but never both at the same time in the same week. If you feel accumulated fatigue, take a deload week (50% of the volume) every 4 weeks.
The balance between running and stations is where most people get it wrong. Athletes who come from running do too much kilometre volume and arrive at the race with fresh legs but no specific strength for the sled push and sandbag lunges. Athletes who come from bodybuilding do the opposite: correct loads but insufficient cardio, and lose more than 10 minutes just on the sum of the runs. The rule of thumb is 60% of training time on running and cardio (SkiErg, rower, intervals), 40% on functional strength. Adjust according to your starting point: if you come from running, push the 40% up to 50%; if you come from pure bodybuilding, keep the 60% on cardio.
Race-day nutrition.Solid meal 2.5 to 3 hours before your run time, with complex carbohydrates (pasta, rice, bread) and lean protein. Hydrate well in the 24 hours before, not just at the moment. During the race, the hydration on the course is enough for most Open athletes; Pros tend to use a gel or sports drink between stations 4 and 6.
Alternative: Building a Strength Base at a Private Studio
For those who have not yet decided to do HYROX but want a strength and cardio base that serves as a foundation, or for those already training HYROX at an affiliate who want to add individual bodybuilding sessions, there is a model outside the group-class circuit: private pay-per-session.
To be clear: the private model in Lisbon is not a HYROX affiliate and does not have a sled, SkiErg, sandbag or wall ball. It does not replace race-specific training. What it offers is a solid base: compound strength with an Olympic barbell and dumbbells, treadmill cardio, mobility and core, in a fully private environment for the duration of the session.
At MySelf Studio, in Areeiro, the 60 minutes of the session are fully yours. Complete bodybuilding equipment, a treadmill, no monthly fee or lock-in, and no sharing the studio with anyone else. The typical profiles where it makes sense are three:
Pre-HYROX. Build a strength and cardio base for 6 to 8 weeks before signing a package at an affiliate. Affiliates accept beginners, but the learning curve is smoother with a prior foundation.
During HYROX. As extra strength sessions (1 to 2 times a week) without a second monthly fee, complementing the group classes focused on the stations.
Post-HYROX. Maintenance outside the competitive phase, without having to keep an affiliate membership running for months with no race booked.
The full comparison of private gyms in Lisbon covers the four options in this category, and the comparison of the main chains in Lisbon shows that some premium chains have HYROX-style classes (without official affiliation). For those who do not yet have a minimum strength base, it is worth reading the beginner workout plan before any commitment.
Frequently Asked Questions
HYROX is a fitness race made up of 8 km of running interspersed with 8 functional stations (SkiErg, Sled Push, Sled Pull, Burpee Broad Jumps, Row Erg, Farmers Carry, Sandbag Lunges and Wall Balls). The format is fixed across every event worldwide, and the next official race in Lisbon has its date confirmed for 2026/27.
The first official HYROX race in Portugal took place on 1, 2 and 3 May 2026 at FIL Parque das Nações, in Lisbon. More than 12,000 registered athletes sold out the event weeks before the date.
In the official order they are (1) 1,000 m SkiErg, (2) 50 m Sled Push, (3) 50 m Sled Pull, (4) 80 m Burpee Broad Jumps, (5) 1,000 m Row Erg, (6) 200 m Farmers Carry, (7) 100 m Sandbag Lunges and (8) 75 or 100 Wall Balls. Before each station, you run 1 km.
In Lisbon 2026, entry prices ranged from 55€ (Relay) to 130€ (Pro Individual), depending on the sale phase and the division chosen. For Open Individual, the typical price is around 99€ to 110€.
In Greater Lisbon there are more than eight officially affiliated gyms offering HYROX classes, including My Workout (Moscavide), CAPLX (Alvalade), Vinte Fitness (Alameda), CrossFit AlphaDen, STRV, Hybrid Lisboa, The Fitness Lab and Open Box. Memberships range from 30€/month to 90€/month depending on weekly frequency and the gym.
HYROX is generally more beginner-friendly than CrossFit. The loads are lower, there is no Olympic lifting or complex gymnastics, and the format is fixed (you always know exactly what you will do). It is cardiovascularly demanding, but technically simpler.
You can enter the race without being a member, but preparation is much harder without access to the specific equipment (sled, SkiErg, sandbag, wall ball). Most athletes train at least 8 to 12 weeks at an affiliate before the race.
The average time for Open Individual sits between 1h15 and 1h45. Pro athletes finish in 1h or less, and beginners in 1h45 to 2h. There is no overall time limit to finish, but there are intermediate cut-offs at some stations.
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TLDR: Key Points
HYROX is 8 km of running interspersed with 8 functional stations. It debuted in Portugal in May 2026 with more than 12,000 entrants.
The 8 stations are fixed across every race, from the SkiErg to Wall Balls. Open loads differ between men and women.
Five entry divisions (Pro, Open, Doubles, Mixed Doubles, Relay), with prices between 55€ and 130€.
In Greater Lisbon there are more than eight affiliated gyms running HYROX classes, with memberships between 30€ and 90€.
To build a strength base before joining, pay-per-session is a flexible alternative with no lock-in.
Tomás Jorge
