Alex Viada is one of the original thinkers behind hybrid training and the person who coined the term. In a chat on the Rox Lyfe podcast, we went deep on what hybrid training actually means, how it applies to HYROX, and how athletes should think about strength, endurance, and fatigue if they want to perform better on race day.
Rather than chasing extremes, Alex makes a strong case for intent, structure, and understanding what each training session is actually meant to achieve.
What Hybrid Training Means
Hybrid training, as Alex defines it, is training for two or more athletic qualities at the same time that do not naturally support each other. Strength and endurance are the classic example.
The key point is compromise. You cannot simply stack a marathon plan on top of a powerlifting plan and expect both to improve. Hybrid training works when sessions are planned with purpose, junk volume is removed, and each session has a clear goal.
Alex also explains why HYROX itself is no longer truly “hybrid” training. It has evolved into a single, well-defined sport with known demands, performance benchmarks, and best practices. You can use hybrid training in the off-season, but once you train for HYROX specifically, you are training for one outcome – a faster race time.
The Interference Effect
The interference effect refers to how endurance and strength training can blunt each other if poorly managed.
There are two main types:
- Physical interference – muscle-level adaptations for endurance and strength can conflict
- Training interference – fatigue from one session reduces the quality of the next
Alex stresses that the physical side matters less than most people think unless you are at the absolute elite level. Athletes with very different body types can perform at similar levels in HYROX.
What matters more is training interference. If fatigue stops you hitting the target stimulus of a session, that session loses value. Smart planning, recovery, and intent solve most of the problem.
Session Ordering and Fatigue Management
A simple rule Alex uses for sessions on the same day:
- Highest skill first
- Most explosive next
- Lowest power, highest energy cost last
For example, plyometrics or Olympic lifts first, heavy lifting next, and easy aerobic work last.
When sessions are reversed, Alex recommends separating them by at least 6–8 hours so you can still hit quality outputs.
He also highlights the difference between peripheral fatigue and central fatigue. Muscle soreness is easier to manage. Central fatigue is harder to detect and can suppress power output for 24–48 hours after very long or very hard sessions.
A simple field test Alex uses is tracking broad jumps. A noticeable drop in distance often signals lingering central fatigue.
Strength in HYROX Is Movement-Specific
Being “strong” in general does not guarantee you are strong for HYROX.
Alex points out that strength is always expressed through a movement. A big deadlift does not automatically mean efficient lunges, sled pushes, or sandbag cleans.
For most athletes, the solution is not abandoning strength work, but shifting it toward:
- Movements that show up in races
- Building strength above race demands to improve efficiency
- Improving coordination and force production, not just load
Very few athletes are ever too strong at walking lunges or sled pushes.
Plyometrics and Running Economy
Plyometrics play a major role in HYROX preparation.
Alex explains that combining running, strength training, and plyometrics leads to better running economy than any single method alone. This means lower oxygen cost at a given pace and less fatigue late in races.
Plyometrics also improve:
- Foot and calf strength
- Balance and proprioception
- Energy return during lunges, burpees, and running
Alex prefers small doses of plyometrics before harder runs or speed sessions, where they improve movement quality and force production.
Zone 2 Training
Zone 2 training has become popular again, but Alex warns against overusing it if training time is limited.
Elite endurance athletes spend most of their time in Zone 2 because they train 12–20 hours per week. Athletes training 3–5 hours per week often benefit more from higher-intensity work.
Zone 2 becomes more valuable when:
- You reach your limit for high-intensity volume
- Recovery starts to suffer
- You need more total volume without added stress
Alex suggests that zone 2 sessions shorter than about 10 minutes provide minimal benefit and that longer continuous efforts are more effective than many very short bouts.
HYROX as a Threshold Sport
Alex describes HYROX as a roughly one-hour threshold event (atleast at the top end of the sport).
Success comes from dancing just below your limit, briefly crossing it, then recovering without falling apart. This demands:
- A large aerobic engine
- Efficient movement under fatigue
- Strong pacing awareness
- Comfort with sustained discomfort
Late-race performance is less about raw strength and more about controlling output when everything hurts.
To check out the full interview, watch below or listen on the Rox Lyfe podcast.
