Station 1 of 8 · 1000 m

HYROX SkiErg: technique, pacing & tips

The SkiErg is the first station, arriving straight after the opening kilometre. It is a full-body pull that taxes the lats, triceps, core and legs, and how you treat it sets the tone for the rest of the race.

Technique cues

• Hinge at the hips and drive the handles down with straight arms
• Finish with a tall chest and let the lats do the work
• Settle into a rhythm you can hold; do not sprint the first 200 m

What the standard looks like

• Complete 1,000 m
• Damper setting is free choice
• Stay in your own lane

Where athletes lose time

Almost everyone goes out too hard. Adrenaline and fresh legs make a punishing pace feel easy for the first 300 m, and the cost arrives on the sled push and the second run.

• Pulling only with the arms
• Starting too hard and fading
• Gripping the handles too tightly

How to pace it

Aim for a pace you could hold comfortably for 1,000 m plus a little. You should still feel in control at the halfway mark.

Three drills to improve it

1. 4 × 250 m at the pace you could hold for 1,000 m, 60 s rest
2. 10 minutes of continuous easy pulls, focusing only on hip hinge and a tall finish
3. Run 1 km, then SkiErg 500 m, to rehearse the first transition

Educational guidance, not medical advice. Rules can change; check the official HYROX rulebook for your event. Stop any exercise that causes pain.