HYROX training program is coming to the new LEMON GYM AKROPOLIS club!

🍋 Very soon, on October 28, a new “Lemon Gym” fitness club and a dedicated HYROX training zone will open their doors at Vilnius Akropolis. Currently, the popularity of the HYROX training format is growing worldwide, along with a highly active fitness community. Tomas Kizelis, a certified HYROX coach, hopes that these workouts will gain the same popularity in the new “Lemon Gym” club.

According to the coach, HYROX can be compared to one of the most popular functional training programs, “CrossFit,” but it stands out due to its very clear and standardized format: “It consists of eight 1-kilometer runs, each followed by functional exercises. The result is your time, which makes it easy to track progress and compare results with other participants. The HYROX competition format was first introduced in 2017 in Hamburg, Germany. Its creators two Germans are Christian Toetzke, an endurance sports event organizer (Ironman), and Moritz Fürste, a two-time Olympic field hockey champion. Their vision was to create a ‘marathon for fitness’ a competition where not only elite athletes but also everyday fitness enthusiasts can compete”.

Now, HYROX can already be described as a true international movement, bringing together tens of thousands of amateur and professional athletes. What has driven the rapid rise in popularity of HYROX training and competitions? According to T. Kizelis, beyond its clear training and competition format, there are several other key advantages:

“It is a very safe training format. The exercises are functional, but technically not overly complex. There are no Olympic weightlifting or advanced gymnastics movements (such as the barbell snatch or muscle-up) like in the CrossFit system. Both training sessions and competitions are accessible to athletes of all fitness levels professionals and amateurs alike since participants compete in different categories: Open, Pro, Doubles, and Relay. HYROX has successfully combined two highly relevant fitness trends today running and functional training. It’s essentially a kind of ‘fitness marathon’ that attracts runners looking to build strength, as well as strength athletes aiming to improve endurance. For a long time, it seemed that maximal strength disciplines (such as weightlifting or powerlifting) and endurance sports (like running, skiing, or cycling) were completely separate and incompatible. However, in recent years, the concept of the hybrid athlete has been gaining popularity, and HYROX has perfectly integrated strength and endurance development into one system”.

Versatility, a clear structure, and adaptability to athletes of different levels are important, of course, but the main appeal of HYROX lies in its strong, motivating community. According to coach T. Kizelis, HYROX has very quickly built a strong international community. Anyone who starts attending training sessions can not only share their achievements (i.e., the time it takes to complete the course), but also track other athletes’ results and compete with them in a way.

Although, as T. Kizelis mentioned, the exercises are not technically complicated, the workout will definitely not be easy. The entire course requires strength endurance, meaning the muscles’ ability to perform strength-based actions for a long time while resisting fatigue.

The HYROX system is always the same – before each functional exercise, there is a 1 km run. In the full HYROX format, there are as many as 8 such runs. After each run, different exercises follow:

🍋 SkiErg (1 km) – a machine that simulates cross-country skiing. The handles are pulled downward using the strength of the arms, shoulders, and back, while the legs are also engaged, and the cardiovascular system is heavily taxed.

🍋 Sled Push (50 m) – pushing a sled on a carpeted surface. The whole body is engaged during the push, but the legs do most of the work.

🍋 Sled Pull (50 m) – pulling a sled backwards using a rope. The greatest load is on the upper body, especially the arms and grip strength.

🍋 Burpee Broad Jumps (80 m) – a burpee with a drop to the floor followed by a forward jump. One of the most challenging exercises, requiring exceptional endurance.

🍋 Rowing (1 km) – rowing machine. Another endurance-focused exercise that heavily engages the back and leg muscles.

🍋 Farmers Carry (200 m) – carrying weights. Two weights (kettlebells or dumbbells) are carried, one in each hand. This exercise develops grip strength, strengthens the core, and promotes proper posture.

🍋 Sandbag Lunges (100 m) – walking forward while performing lunges with a sandbag on the shoulders. Lunges with added weight heavily load the legs and develop respiratory endurance.

🍋 Wall Balls (75–100 reps) – a squat combined with throwing a ball against a wall (high overhead). This is the final exercise, engaging the legs and glutes.

The exercises are not easy, and the full set requires a very high level of endurance. Is everyone’s cardiovascular system ready to withstand the HYROX challenge? T. Kizelis reassures:

“This is indeed a relevant and important question. However, in my view, HYROX looks ‘dangerous’ only from the outside. In Lemon Gym HYROX training sessions, we always adjust intensity and workload individually. Of course, there are always risk factors, such as undiagnosed heart conditions or excessive enthusiasm, when someone who has not exercised at all suddenly dives headfirst into high-intensity training. I always recommend starting more calmly and beginning with HYROX group training sessions. If a person starts with basic physical activity and gradually builds endurance and strength, HYROX can become a very motivating goal without significant risk”.

Tomas Kizelis emphasizes that the group HYROX training sessions held at LEMON GYM are not competitions. The main goal of these sessions is to help anyone who wants to strengthen their muscles, and develop strength and endurance. Therefore, at the beginning, the coach recommends attending introductory sessions, where participants get familiar with the HYROX format and prepare for more intense workouts.

Each training session is a step toward a better running time, stronger muscles, and greater endurance. For some, this will be the main goal, while those whose hearts are set on competition are always welcome at HYROX events.

HYROX is waiting for you in Vilnius at LEMON GYM Akropolis and in Kaunas at LEMON GYM Urmas!