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Hyrox has rapidly evolved from a niche concept in 2017 into a global fitness phenomenon, with events now held in more than 30 countries and over 85 cities. In 2025 alone, an estimated 650,000 participants will take on the Hyrox challenge – from New York and London to Dubai, Sydney, and beyond. This “World Series of Fitness Racing” unites everyday gym-goers and elite athletes in the same gruelling indoor race of eight one-kilometre runs mixed with eight functional workout stations. No matter where you compete, the Hyrox format is identical, making it easy to measure yourself against global standards.
The sport’s consistent, accessible design and electrifying atmosphere have fuelled its worldwide boom, drawing men and women of all ages into the hybrid athlete movement. Every race feels like a festival with music, cheering crowds, and a camaraderie that transcends language barriers. Unlike triathlons or marathons, where elites vanish up the road, in Hyrox you might find yourself doing burpees alongside a world champion.
For many, Hyrox is more accessible than triathlon and less technical than CrossFit, but still demanding enough to push personal limits. It is now recognised as the next evolution of mass-participation fitness, combining endurance and strength in a way that appeals to both serious athletes and everyday gym members.
Amid this global boom, competitors are searching for new ways to improve performance. One of the most effective yet overlooked tools is breathing training. Working with a breathing coach helps athletes upgrade VO₂ max, enhance recovery, raise CO₂ tolerance, prevent injuries, and even improve mobility through diaphragm activation and rib expansion.
Endurance underpins every Hyrox result. Breathing training improves endurance by making oxygen delivery more efficient and by teaching the body to tolerate higher levels of carbon dioxide. The outcome is delayed fatigue and faster paces without extra effort.
Zone 2 running with nasal breathing is one of the simplest methods. It strengthens the diaphragm, increases CO₂ tolerance, and helps athletes sustain faster speeds at the same heart rate. Over time, this builds a larger aerobic base without extending training hours.
Running accounts for half of the Hyrox race. The best breathing techniques for runners include:
Hyrox athletes often hit their limits not because their muscles fail, but because their breathing becomes uncontrolled. CO₂ tolerance training raises the threshold at which discomfort sets in.
Breath-hold drills during low-intensity running or walking create adaptations that allow the body to manage higher carbon dioxide levels calmly. For Hyrox competitors, this means maintaining rhythm during sled pushes or wall balls instead of succumbing to breathlessness.
Recovery is a limiting factor in high-volume training blocks. Breathwork accelerates recovery by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering heart rate, reducing stress hormones, and clearing waste products from muscles.
Simple slow nasal breathing with extended exhales after training can improve readiness for the next session. Over time, this raises heart rate variability and improves resilience across training cycles.
VO₂ max is one of the strongest predictors of Hyrox performance. Breathing drills strengthen the respiratory system and increase oxygen uptake per breath.
Resisted breathing exercises and hypoxic breath-holds challenge the diaphragm and lungs, producing measurable improvements in VO₂ max. Gains of 10 percent or more are common. For Hyrox, this means faster running, more efficient station performance, and a stronger aerobic engine overall.
Breathing muscles fatigue like any others. When they tire, performance falls quickly. Respiratory muscle training delays this fatigue, reduces the sensation of breathlessness, and keeps blood flow available for the working muscles.
Athletes with stronger respiratory muscles also maintain better posture and core stability. This improves performance in loaded Hyrox movements such as sled pushes, lunges, and carries.
Breathing mechanics and injury risk are closely linked. Many athletes default to shallow chest breathing, which weakens core stability and increases strain on joints.
Breathing training restores diaphragmatic control and rib mobility. This stabilises the spine, improves posture, and lowers injury risk. For Hyrox athletes, better mechanics mean smoother running and less breakdown during high-load movements under fatigue.
Breathing drills can also enhance mobility. The diaphragm attaches to the ribs and spine, and when trained correctly, it mobilises the rib cage and thoracic spine.
Specialised drills combine breath holds, rib expansion, and postural awareness to improve thoracic mobility. For Hyrox, this means smoother running mechanics, stronger overhead positions for wall balls, and less shoulder or neck tension. Athletes often notice they move more freely and with less restriction after targeted breathing mobility sessions.
Hyrox is intense. The noise, atmosphere, and competition can increase anxiety, leading to shallow, rapid breathing. Breathwork helps manage nerves by calming the nervous system.
Techniques such as box breathing or slow nasal breathing lower adrenaline, steady the heart rate, and create focus before the start. Athletes who control their breath on the start line perform more consistently across all eight runs and stations.
Hyrox sits between traditional endurance races and functional fitness competitions. Marathons and triathlons test endurance alone, while CrossFit often requires technical lifts and constantly varied challenges. Hyrox blends both but in a standardised format repeated worldwide.
For many, Hyrox is more accessible than a triathlon and less technical than CrossFit, yet still challenging enough to demand serious preparation. This consistency also makes it easier to track progress across multiple events and cities.
Breathing training is valuable across all these sports, but it is particularly effective in Hyrox because of the repeated transitions between running and strength stations. Here, control of the breath is often the difference between maintaining pace and hitting the wall.
Yes. Breathwork and breathing training improve VO₂ max, CO₂ tolerance, recovery, mobility, and mental focus. Many Hyrox athletes now work with a breathing coach to add this dimension to their preparation.
Nasal breathing, diaphragmatic control, and rhythmic breathing support endurance. Breath-hold drills raise CO₂ tolerance, while slow breathing with extended exhales accelerates recovery. Rib mobilisation drills improve movement and mobility.
By strengthening the diaphragm and intercostals, breathing training increases oxygen uptake and efficiency. This allows athletes to sustain higher intensities and build a bigger aerobic engine for competition.
Yes. Controlled breathing calms the nervous system, lowers adrenaline, and improves focus. This reduces anxiety and supports consistent performance in the competitive Hyrox environment.
All programs are delivered by Thomas Hague, The Breath Coach, an experienced breathing coach who has worked with athletes, professionals, and teams worldwide.
Yes. Online breathing coaching is available worldwide. Current clients train from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa, Singapore, and across Europe.
You can book consultations from anywhere, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Sydney, Melbourne, Dubai, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
Yes. Online breathing training with The Breath Coach is designed to help Hyrox athletes improve VO₂ max, recovery, CO₂ tolerance, mobility, and mental resilience.
Hyrox is growing globally as a test of fitness that blends strength and endurance in equal measure. Success requires more than physical conditioning. Breathing training provides measurable improvements in VO₂ max, recovery, CO₂ tolerance, mobility, and mental control.
Working with Thomas Hague, The Breath Coach, gives athletes access to science-backed breathing training designed to deliver results on the Hyrox floor. Whether you are preparing for your first event or chasing a podium, learning to breathe better may be your biggest upgrade.
Book a consultation today with The Breath Coach and discover how breathing training can transform your Hyrox performance wherever you are in the world.
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