Your Guide to Developing Strength and Endurance as a Hybrid Athlete

• Primary goals: Strength and Endurance
• Secondary goal: Mobility

Looking for a performance goal to give your fitness program focus and structure? Fitness racing — competitions that encompass movements you often encounter in the gym — is an accessible, safe, and exciting option.

And these hybrid fitness races are having a moment in the spotlight. Events like LT Games, HYROX, and DEKA combine bouts of running with functional movements that require strength and technical skill.

“Hybrid racing is appealing because it covers all the bases when it comes to fitness,” says HYROX Elite 15 Athlete and coach Rich Ryan. “Plus, racing gives you a carrot. It keeps you focused on something besides just showing up in the gym.”

How to design a program that ticks so many boxes? The first step, says Ryan, is to build your endurance. He advises progressing to the point where you can comfortably do 90 minutes of cardio, like running (or biking or skiing or rowing — even fast walking), at a deliberate pace. Don’t rush this process.

After that, Ryan suggests, dedicate one or, ideally, two days a week to longer workouts (75 to 90 minutes each). “They can be running workouts or a mix of running, rowing, biking, or using the SkiErg.”

The point is to keep your heart rate up for a long duration and get used to working continuously for extended periods. Keep the effort low to moderate, and do these long workouts after a rest day so you can go into them fresh.

Additionally, complete two or three full-body strength sessions, including event-specific movements. Fit in 10 minutes of mobility work before or after each strength workout.