I tried a Hyrox world champion's one-move workout to improve my time – and it's challenging but brilliant
Which Hyrox station strikes the most fear into athletes? Some lose sleep over the heavy sled push, while others are wary of the final 100 wall balls. But, from those I've spoken to, the burpee broad jumps are the most widely worried about.
In a recent chat with 2024 Hyrox world champion and ESN athlete Alexander Roncevic, I decided to do my fellow recreational competitors a favour by asking how to make this fourth station slightly less daunting.
His advice: 'I would recommend people work on each station separately, even if that means doing shorter sessions. Even if you do 30 minutes, just focus these 30 minutes on your weakness.'
At his elite level, Roncevic is unlikely to make up much time on the stations, so he focuses most of his training on improving his running. But when he first found the sport in 2018, he used these sorts of sessions to fine-tune his abilities on each of the eight stations.
Below, he shares a burpee workout which will soon have you floating through your burpee broad jumps in the easiest of breezes.
How to do Alexander Roncevic's Hyrox burpee workout
EMOM (every minute, on the minute) for 20 minutes perform:
Burpee x10
'In each minute, you're done after about 30 seconds, but continue for 20 minutes and you've done 200 burpees,' Roncevic says. 'That's a quality session, and means you have done your burpee work for the week, almost, in 20 minutes. This approach means you can work on specific Hyrox stations with less time but more quality.'
If you are unable to do this, you can adjust the number of minutes and the target number of repetitions in each minute to suit your fitness level. As you get fitter, you can increase the target number of burpees per minute to continually test yourself and progress.
And if you're struggling to find time to train for your next Hyrox race? Roncevic has a simple but brutal solution.
'If people are struggling on the burpees, do five minutes of burpees every day,' he says. 'You can't tell me you don't have five minutes.'
'The burpee broad jump is one of the only stations where it's you versus you – you don't have to overcome a resistance like on the sled or lunges – so it's very simple.'
What happened when I tried Alexander Roncevic's Hyrox burpee workout
This quick workout is equipment-free, so I took the opportunity to enjoy an al fresco session at the park while walking the dog. I ditched my shoes, set a running clock on my phone, then dropped to my chest to start the first repetition.
I set out fast and, as Roncevic predicted, worked through the first 10 burpees in just shy of 30 seconds. However, the resulting 30-second rest was more than enough to catch my breath.
Everything remained hunky dory until minute five, when I noticed myself beginning to breathe heavily. Over the next few rounds, my shoulders and quads grew heavy and by minute 10, sweat was falling from my forehead. It was only then that an awful realisation dawned on me: I'm only halfway there.
The second half was a slog, and my burpees started to slow. But this is where the value of the workout lies.
Not only can this challenge lead to physiological changes desired by Hyrox fans, but I also noticed I was tweaking my technique with each passing round to make my movements more efficient – something which could prove invaluable come race day.
By minute 16, I had picked up the pace again and knuckled down to finish strong, with the last couple of rounds proving to be my fastest. Then I dropped to my knees, enjoyed a congratulatory cuddle from my ever-patient pup, and headed home.
Benefits of Alexander Roncevic's Hyrox burpee workout
The human body adheres to the SAID principle, which stands for 'specific adaptations to imposed demands'. Simply put: it will adapt to get better at the things you consistently ask it to do.
That is why this workout works. To get better at burpees, you are doing burpees, and plenty of them. If you progress this over time by increasing the number of burpees or number of burpees per minute, your work capacity for this exercise will increase.
There are many other potential benefits to this workout. It can increase the muscular endurance of your shoulders and quadriceps, and it is guaranteed to raise your heart rate, leading to elevated calorie burn and possible cardio perks.
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