Singapore millennials are flocking to Hyrox. Can it keep up with its own explosive growth?
Hyrox is a timed race involving eight different exercises and 8km of running. You may have heard of it.
Competitors attempting to complete 100m of sandbag lunges during the Hyrox Singapore event on Jun 29, 2024. (Photo: CNA/Marcus Mark Ramos)
Hyrox is a timed race involving eight different exercises and 8km of running. You may have heard of it.
07 Jul 2024 06:00AM (Updated: 07 Jul 2024 10:47AM)
SINGAPORE: Over the past weekend, Singaporeans – and millennials in particular – may have noticed their social media feeds being flooded with posts on an event called Hyrox.
Many in their late twenties and thirties joined the fitness race last Saturday (Jun 29), and made sure to go online thereafter to document their experiences and celebrate achieving their personal goals.
What appears to be a daunting, gruelling physical contest has skyrocketed in popularity worldwide: From 650 people taking part in the first Hyrox in 2017 in Germany, to over 120,000 worldwide participants a year now.
Last week’s event in Singapore drew 6,500 participants, up from 3,500 at a previous outing in October.
Of the 6,500, 73 per cent were between the ages 25 and 39, compared to 4 per cent for those 24 and under.
“From what we've observed, the mid-30s age category has seen a surge in popularity for Hyrox races in Asia Pacific,” organisers said in response to queries from CNA.
EXPLAINING THE CRAZE
Millennials - those aged between 28 and 43 - CNA spoke to said Hyrox came up at a time when they were becoming more concerned for their health.Digital content creator Kenneth Lee, for instance, went for a checkup at 30 which uncovered markers that were “quite alarming”. He vowed to start working out but was stymied by the pandemic temporarily closing gyms.
It was only in 2022 that he got a gym membership and when he found out about Hyrox the next year, his interest was piqued.
“Hyrox in terms of technique was more accessible to the general community, regardless of age,” said the 34-year-old.
What is Hyrox?
It's essentially a timed race where participants run and complete functional exercises.The exercises are:
- 1,000m on a SkiErg, a full-body cardio machine
- 50m weighted sled push
- 50m sled pull
- 80m of burpee broad jumps
- 1,000m of rowing on a machine
- 200m farmer's carry using kettlebells
- 100m of sandbag lunges
- 100 wall ball throws
The race can be done individually, in a relay team of four or in a doubles format where two participants take turns to do the exercises.
Others like the high-intensity CrossFit programme, for instance, focus too much on form and have a high bar to entry, said Mr Lee, who has done two Hyrox races in Singapore.
For financial consultant Joycelyn Heng, 30, the catalyst was how “unfit” she was after giving birth to two boys.
“My friends would tease me about panting heavily just from running for a bus,” she said.
She learnt about Hyrox when she joined a gym in February, and promptly signed up to race with her friends.
“This shared goal got us to the gym every morning at 6.30am… even on days when we really wanted to sleep in,” she said. “The entire community motivated me to keep going… Their support pushed me mentally and helped me reach the start line.”
Compared with younger cohorts, those in their 30s are also more likely to have the disposable income and purchasing power for an event which can cost up to S$169 (US$124) for a solo sign-up. That’s on top of gym fees for months if not years of training.
Fitness brands ‘come and go’: Gym owners juggle stiff competition, rising rent and workout fads
Then there are the “converts” or athletes who participated in more traditional sports when younger.Civil servant Fadzly Samsuri, 42, used to be a long-distance runner before deciding to take a break and focus on strength training. That’s how he discovered Hyrox, which he described as letting him have the best of both worlds.
“It brought back the joy and some meaning into running,” said Mr Fadzly, who has completed his fourth Hyrox.
Mr Sean Tan, co-founder and president of the Singapore Fitness Alliance industry body, said Hyrox could be especially rewarding for those who’ve never specialised in any sport.
“All of a sudden, someone who is all-round fit, who may not even have been athletic in their youth or have participated in a sport, now has an opportunity to compete in front of a sea of spectators,” he said.
THE ROLE OF GYMS
Key to Hyrox’s popularity has been its ability to get gyms on board, said Mr Tan, pointing to how it “cleverly nurtured” communities such as those from CrossFit and boutique gyms, to come together and train for Hyrox.Agreeing, Mr Lee, the participant, said it would be unusual for someone to sign up to race on their own accord. “A lot of people who join Hyrox are mostly egged on by their gym.”
To that end, gyms in Singapore have adapted their training plans and brought in new equipment to jump on the bandwagon.
Metamorfitus, an outdoor gym at Henderson Road, focused on kettlebell training and the Spartan obstacle course race when it first opened seven years ago, said founder Jack Lian.
As Hyrox grew in popularity, some of his clients signed up to race. Mr Lian then decided to add a Hyrox training plan to his gym’s offerings, and purchased equipment such as a rowing machine and wall balls.
The event has been a boon for business, with five more clients joining his gym through word of mouth to train for Hyrox in the months leading up to the race.
Twelve Metamorfitus members, including Mr Lian and Mr Fadzly, participated in last week’s race.
CAN HYROX GO THE DISTANCE?
Yet the hype around Hyrox could feel all too familiar for those in the fitness industry, which can lay claim to a long list of fads coming and going.Gym owners had referenced such challenges in interviews with CNA, after multiple closures earlier this year.
The Hyrox Singapore organiser argued, however, that its standardised and accessible nature sets it apart.
“It’s not something that’s thrown out to you last minute, you know what you’re training for, you know where to find the equipment, and once you’ve done your first one, you know what to expect and how to improve,” country manager William Petty told CNA at the sidelines of last Saturday’s event.
Gym owner Mr Lian said inclusion at the Olympics or other major Games, and the funding and structural recognition that come with it, would validate Hyrox – and put it less at risk of being pushed out of the limelight by some other new race or fitness trend.
The Singapore Fitness Alliance’s Mr Tan noted the multiple factors – such as viewership numbers, entertainment value and continuous lobbying – involved in getting onto the programme at major Games.
“So is inclusion in the Olympics or major games the only criteria for Hyrox to be called a sport? Not in my humble opinion,” he said.
“But like other sports, people’s interest in that sport wanes after some time and they may pick up a new sport. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.”
