Movement
•Centr Team
3 Centr athletes share their best HYROX hacks
When you’re deep in the sweat and noise of a HYROX race, you’re gonna need every advantage you can get to make it to the finish line, or slash serious seconds off your time.
We went straight to the leaderboard to bring you the best HYROX tips and tricks from Centr athletes and HYROX world record holders Lucy Davis, Jake Williamson and Meg Jacoby.
From strategy to smashing the functional stations, their HYROX training tips and race experience will give you the edge.
But remember, hacks won’t magically make you a fitness racing pro. You need a dedicated, targeted training plan to smash HYROX – and the only official HYROX-certified training plan can be found exclusively on Centr.
Pros, record holders and total HYROX goals: meet Centr athletes Meg Jacoby, Jake Williamson and Lucy Davis.
Who are our Centr athletes?
For HYROX training tips, we turned to the best of the best. Say hello to…
MEGAN “MEG” JACOBY
Training HQ: New York, USA
Credentials: Set a new women’s Pro world record of 1:01:56 at HYROX Chicago 2022. Won the 2024 HYROX World Championships.
Fun fact: The first woman to crush a HYROX Pro race in under an hour, completing HYROX Anaheim 2023 in 58:58.
LUCY DAVIS
Training HQ: Manchester, UK
Credentials: The fastest woman to complete a HYROX Open race, finishing in 59:03 in her hometown HYROX in late 2024.
Fun fact: As a former international swimmer and hybrid athlete, Lucy has completed 5 marathons and 2 ultramarathons. She has also competed in 4 HYROX doubles races with her sister.
JAKE WILLIAMSON
Training HQ: Birmingham, UK
Credentials: Won HYROX Barcelona 2023, set a world record for his age group (25–29) in HYROX London and holds the overall British record.
Fun fact: A former semi-pro soccer player and county-level middle-distance runner as a teen.
Want to train like a pro? Find out how the only official HYROX-certified training program can prepare you for race day and beyond.
HYROX hacks from the pros
We asked our world record holders the tough questions – from running to the different functional stations – to help you level up your HYROX performance. But first, we asked for one big tip on overall race strategy.
Lucy: “Don't get too over-stimulated by the crowd! In the past, I have gotten so excited at the start of the race that I pushed too fast, too soon. Stick to the plan and pace yourself.”
Jake: “The most obvious one is starting too hot. Yes, it’s a race, but pacing is key. Another big factor is fueling – what you eat before a race, but also before and after training sessions.”
Meg: “Most people go out too hot, like they’re racing a 5k. Think of the race as a 15k or half marathon! Being smart up front will lead to success in the back half of the race.
Centr trainer and HYROX regular Luke Zocchi never hits the start line without a solid running strategy – is your prep up to scratch?
Running: the big mistake athletes make
Lucy: “Not training compromised – running on heavy legs. It's a given that you have to run consistently, but it's the compromised training which will really make the difference on race day.”
Meg: “Not doing enough zone 2 or low-intensity running to build up endurance. Your running approach should be 80/20 – spending 80% of your time in low intensity and 20% in harder/faster running. The better your overall aerobic endurance, the better everything in the race will go, including the stations.”
Jake: “The most common mistake is upping your running volume too quickly and getting injured.”
SkiErg: how to avoid an early blow out
Meg: “Understanding stroke rate, pace, damper setting and your true threshold will make a big difference on the SkiErg station. Faster isn’t always smarter – this can lead to early blow up. Sometimes, sacrificing a few seconds on your overall ski time will yield a better run afterward – where there is more to gain. Risk to reward!”
Jake: “To really understand what your race pace can be, do a training session of 5 x 1km on the SkiErg and find a pace that you can hold consistently across the 5 sets.”
Jake Williamson driving forward on the HYROX sled push – note the elite forearms-on-the-bar technique.
Sled push: how to push efficiently
Jake: “Over 2 years doing HYROX I have seen and tried every technique. If you watch an Elite 15 race, you will see 90% of the athletes using their forearms on the bar. This allows you to best distribute your body weight to drive the sled.”
Meg: “Don’t forget to take breaks. The exertion of strength and lactate build up in the sled push station can have impacts later in the race.”
Lucy Davis putting true power – and smart technique – into the sled pull.
Sled pull: the ideal body position
Lucy: “I always drop pretty low and sit back into the pull so I am using my whole body weight to pull the sled, using both hands and pulling all the way to my stomach.”
Burpee broad jumps: conserving energy
Meg: “Use the step-up method (stepping up one leg at a time after performing the burpee) to conserve energy and keep your heart rate lower. Maintaining steady movement with less breaks will yield a better time overall on this station than going too fast and having to take lots of pauses.”
If you’re going to train and perform like an elite athlete, you need to eat like one too. Start with dietitian Angie Asche’s HYROX nutrition guide.
Rowing: the ideal stroke rate
Meg: “Women should keep it under 30 strokes per minute and men under 27. This will yield the best results. Most elite athletes use the rower as a recovery station – it’s the first time you get to sit down during the race, so enjoy it!”
“There's also a big risk-to-reward ratio as rowing is a big leg-driven movement, but if you push too hard with your legs the run afterward is not nice. So finding the balance of leg drive, pace and stroke rate will yield better results.”
Lucy: “Use your training to figure out a mid-race ‘recovery’ pace you can stick to. I aim for 500m in 1:58 as this is a pace I can use as recovery but still produce a high power output.”
Meg Jacoby in action with the official Centr x HYROX Competition Octo Kettlebell.
Farmer’s carry: how to sustain your grip
Meg: “Always use chalk! Holding the kettlebells in the curve of the handle can make it easier to hang on for longer, too.”
Sandbag lunges: form meets mindset
Jake: “By the time you get to the sandbags in a race, your body and mind are pretty fatigued. What you have to remember is that you’ve worked really hard to get to this point and there’s only one more run to go, so push hard! ”
Meg: “A slight lean forward in the lunge will place more emphasis on your glutes – which is, of course, your biggest muscle. Small adjustments like this can yield better results. When it comes to pacing, stepping through your lunges is the fastest way to go, but taking a small pause at the top of the lunge movement is the best way to conserve energy.”
Wall balls: finish strong
At this point in the race, the only tip we got from our athletes was a long exhale and some choice words we couldn't print. Safe to say, wall balls don't inspire small talk.
Our tip: break it down – 25, 15, 10, 5 – and stay sharp with your form, ensuring your thighs hit parallel on each squat. No one wants a 'no rep' call from the judges when you're this close to the finish line.
Ready to elevate your HYROX journey? Start training with Centr's HYROX-certified programs today .
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