HYROX continues to grow as a global sport and, with that growth, the company appreciates their responsibility to understand performance, participation, and athlete health through real science.
That is the role of the HYROX Sports Science Advisory Council (SSAC). The council brings together researchers, applied experts, and HYROX leadership to study the demands of the sport, support coaches and athletes, and guide the evolution of HYROX. The work feeds directly into the HYROX 365 Academy and into the wider HYROX coaching community.
The council is chaired by Ralf Iwan, Global Head of the HYROX 365 Academy. Speaking on the Rox Lyfe Podcast, Ralf explained that HYROX wanted the development of the sport to sit on a scientific foundation, rather than guesswork or trends. The aim is simple: keep HYROX accessible and exciting, while helping athletes train smarter and stay healthy.
How the HYROX Sports Science Council works
HYROX uses the SSAC to identify the most important questions around training load, athlete development, health, pacing, recovery, and performance. The council then supports research projects and publishes findings that coaches and athletes can apply in real life.
The process includes:
- Supporting up to five HYROX-relevant research projects per season
- Collecting and reviewing peer-reviewed work
- Publishing the HYROX Sports Science Report annually
- Presenting findings at the HYROX Coaches Summit
This gives HYROX a growing body of data across physiology, biomechanics, psychology, nutrition, and applied performance.
Who sits on the HYROX Sports Science Council?
Council Chair
- Ralf Iwan
Global Head of HYROX 365 Academy
Active Council (rotating 12-month academic seats)
These members must be actively engaged in research relevant to HYROX performance and participation:
- Dr Phil Graham-Smith
Manchester Metropolitan University, UK - Dr Samantha Rowland
Loughborough University, UK - Dr Adam Storey
Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand - Dr Gommaar D’Hulst (listen here for a Rox Lyfe podcast episode with Gommaar)
ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Their work spans biomechanics, physiology, neuromuscular science, and applied coaching research.
Expert Council
Leaders who connect science to HYROX racing and athlete development:
- Mintra Tilly (podcast episode here)
HYROX Director of Sport - Anthony Peressini (podcast episode here)
Elite 15 Coach
These voices ensure the council stays grounded in real athlete experience, not just theory.
Why HYROX created the Sports Science Council
HYROX is unique: a standardised fitness race format delivered globally. That standardisation means HYROX can study performance at scale, comparing athletes across countries, divisions, and years.
The council exists to:
- Support athlete health and longevity
- Help coaches programme effectively
- Build an evidence base around HYROX performance
- Understand how different populations respond to HYROX training
- Provide structure as the sport matures
As the inaugural annual report explains, HYROX is seeing exponential participation growth. Science is catching up.
Key insights from the HYROX Sports Science Report
The HYROX Sports Science Report 2025 is the first formal publication from the council. It brings together published research, data analysis, and physiological studies related to HYROX.
Here are the findings that matter most for you as an athlete or coach…
Running is the biggest performance driver
In a simulated HYROX race using Open standards:
- Mean finish time: 86.2 minutes
- Running time: 51.2 minutes
- Workout time: 32.8 minutes
So, running accounts for much of your race. Faster athletes typically present:
- higher VO2 max
- lower body fat percentage
Endurance capacity strongly predicts outcome.
HYROX races are performed at high intensity
Across the simulation:
- 70.5% of the event took place at 70–100% max heart rate
Blood lactate and perceived effort remained high, especially during wall balls, which triggered the sharpest fatigue response.
You need to be comfortable operating at high effort for long periods.
Neuromuscular adaptation happens fast
Studies highlighted measurable improvements in:
- reaction time
- motor control
- neuromuscular efficiency
This supports what many coaches see in HYROX athletes: the sport trains both the body and the nervous system.
HYROX improves strength and endurance together
Research reviewed in the report showed concurrent training in HYROX leads to:
- increased aerobic fitness
- improved strength output
- functional resilience
This was consistent across age groups, with middle-aged and older athletes showing particularly strong cardiovascular benefits.
Female athlete research is a major priority
Women make up roughly half of HYROX participants worldwide.
This creates a rare opportunity to build high-quality female-specific sport science, addressing historic research gaps around:
- hormonal influences
- adaptation differences
- thermoregulation
- life-stage training
The council plans to grow this area significantly and say it is a major focus area for HYROX research going forward.
Standardisation makes HYROX scientifically powerful
Because the race format is globally fixed, HYROX can build one of the largest performance data sets in modern sport. This allows researchers to:
- compare courses
- study execution patterns
- analyse pacing
- predict outcomes
You do the same race. Everywhere. That consistency produces meaningful insight.
What this means for HYROX athletes and coaches
The HYROX Sports Science Council confirms what many inside the sport already suspected:
- You should build your aerobic base
- You need to tolerate high-intensity work
- Running matters more than anything else
- Technical fatigue plays a role late in races
- Consistency compounds
- Strength supports performance rather than dominating it
And as more research arrives, programming models and coaching frameworks will mature with it.
Where HYROX science goes next
Future research priorities include:
- pacing models
- female physiology
- heat stress
- strength-to-endurance ratios
- masters performance
- youth development standards
- injury risk and load management
- energy system profiling
Expect this work to filter directly into HYROX 365 Academy education and the annual HYROX Sports Science Report.
Final Word
The creation of the HYROX Sports Science Council marks a key stage in the evolution of the sport. Participation continues to grow. Performance continues to rise. And now, the science that supports HYROX is growing with it.
For athletes, this means clearer guidance.
For coaches, it means better frameworks.
For the sport, it means long-term credibility.
For the rest of us, it means HYROX continues to move from fitness race to fully recognised global sport.Â
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