HYROX 是怎么变成全世界最火的健身比赛的

Today we're talking about a sport the whole world has been discussing lately, called HYROX.

H-Y-R-O-X.

It's an English name.

The name comes from Germany.

This race was also invented in Germany.

It started in 2017, so it's been about ten years.

But in those ten years, it has grown extremely fast.

Now, many big cities around the world have HYROX races.

Today we'll talk about

what HYROX is,

why it's so popular,

and especially in Asia, why young people are all doing it.

First, the rules.

The rules of HYROX are actually very simple.

You run eight times, one kilometer each time.

In between you do eight movements.

That is: run one kilometer, do one movement.

Run another kilometer, do another movement.

Eight sets in total.

So what are these eight movements?

All common things you find in a gym.

For example: pushing a very heavy "sled," called sled push.

For example: pulling that sled back, called sled pull.

For example: walking while carrying two very heavy things, like two big buckets.

For example: throwing a big ball at a high wall.

There's also rowing, lunging, jumping, and so on.

All movements ordinary people can do.

Unlike some fitness competitions

that require you to do handstands or lift a barbell over your head.

HYROX doesn't have movements that hard.

So, ordinary office workers can also do it.

This is the first reason HYROX took off — low barrier to entry.

"Low barrier" means you don't need to train for long, don't need to learn lots of complicated stuff, you just need to be able to run and move.

The second reason is that every race is the same.

Whether you race in Germany, or in Singapore, Thailand, or Japan, the rules are the same.

How far you run, what you do — all fixed.

So you can prepare consistently, practice slowly, and see if you've improved.

This year ten minutes faster than last time? You know: you're stronger now.

That feeling is something many people love.

The third reason, possibly the most important, is socializing.

HYROX isn't you practicing alone in a gym; it's a race with many people.

You can ask friends to do it together, run side by side, cheer each other on.

After running, you stand at the finish line, and a photographer takes your picture.

You raise your hands, with that exhausted-but-happy look on your face.

You'll post that photo to your friend feeds, and send it to your parents.

For many people, that "I just did a big thing" feeling is more interesting than going to the gym alone.

So HYROX took off all at once.

How big has it gotten?

Let me share a few numbers.

HYROX now hosts about a hundred races a year.

In over thirty countries,

and over eighty cities.

Over a million people race every year.

And seventy percent of them are first-timers.

Seventy percent.

That is to say, in every race,

most people are newcomers.

That number is very rare.

It tells us HYROX isn't just for professional athletes.

Mostly, it's ordinary people.

Asia's growth has been particularly fast.

In the past year, Asia's headcount has more than doubled compared to before.

The first HYROX in Bangkok, Thailand,

four thousand five hundred tickets,

once they went on sale,

took only eighteen hours

to sell out.

Singapore's first race

had three thousand five hundred people.

The US is even more dramatic.

The US headcount last year

was three times the year before.

Why is Asia growing so fast?

I think there are a few reasons.

Asia's big cities,

like Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok,

all have many young office workers.

They have money, they have time, but their work pressure is enormous.

They want to find an interesting sport.

Not just fitness.

They also want a challenge, friends, and the chance to take photos.

HYROX has all of that.

There's another reason —

in Asia, many people now feel that

"health" is no longer just a personal thing.

It's also a lifestyle.

What you eat,

how you train,

what you do on weekends,

have all become your "labels."

HYROX happens to be a new label.

"I do HYROX."

Sounds cooler than "I go to the gym."

There's also one more important point.

HYROX now partners with many gyms.

Around five thousand gyms worldwide

are HYROX partners.

When you go to a gym near your home,

you can probably train HYROX moves.

There are dedicated sleds,

dedicated wall balls,

dedicated practice programs.

So you don't have to travel far to train.

It's right next to your home.

This "infrastructure" is very important.

It's like ordering takeout.

Why is takeout so convenient?

Because there are delivery people, and there are restaurants.

HYROX's gyms are like those restaurants.

Once they exist,

ordinary people can easily practice and join.

This is also one reason why CrossFit and those older fitness sports

are now actually growing slower than HYROX.

HYROX's system is very well designed.

Finally, let's think about it:

what does HYROX's popularity tell us?

I think it tells us one thing:

people today, when looking for a sport,

don't just want to sweat.

They want: simple rules,

goals to chase,

photos to take,

friends to train with.

HYROX puts all those things together.

So it became loved by many people all at once.

Maybe next year,

your social feed will also feature this photo:

someone standing at the finish line,

arms raised,

exhausted and happy.

The caption underneath says:

I finished HYROX.