Improve your Hyrox Race time with Hills —Here’s Why It Works

Hills will improve your running speed and mechanics.

Quote I love.

Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect."

Dan Milman - The Inner Athlete.

Why Hills Will Improve Your Hyrox Performance

I love hills. As a sprinter, I did a weekly hill session for over 20 years. It wasn’t just about training—it was a social highlight. We met at a local hill, pushed each other through tough reps, then grabbed coffee afterward. It was the session I looked forward to the most.

Recently, I’ve brought hills back into my routine. Every Sunday morning, I team up with an old training partner to hit the hills again.

I treat this as a speed and strength session, running each rep at around 95% effort. But if you’re new to sprinting, don’t go straight to this level of effort. Build up gradually, increasing speed over time.

The best way to track progress? Time your reps and compare week to week.

Hill running is one of the best ways to:

✅ Increase leg speed

✅ Improve running mechanics

✅ Build leg strength

✅ Reduce injury risk

If you’re training for Hyrox, hills can make you stronger and faster without the pounding of flat sprints.

How to Get Started

Find a moderate hill—not too steep (around 3% incline). The goal is to improve speed and mechanics, not just endurance. (Though endurance will improve over time, too.)

My Current Hill Session

🔹 2 x 3 x 145m hills at 95% effort

🔹 Each rep takes ~24.5 seconds

🔹 Rest: 3 mins between reps, 10 mins between sets

If you're new to speed work, adjust the intensity and rest times accordingly. Less rest = lower effort.

More Hill Workouts to Try

📌 Speed-Focused:

🔹 2 x 4 x 100m at 80% (3 mins rest, 8 mins between sets)

🔹 2 x 5 x 100m at 70% (2 mins rest, 8 mins between sets)

🔹 2 x 50m at 90% (3 mins rest, 10 mins between sets)

📌 Endurance-Focused:

🔹 1 x 8 x 2-min hills (Run up, walk back, go again)

Track Your Progress

Use a stopwatch to time every rep and rest period. Stick to the same hill for at least four weeks. If your times drop, you're getting faster. Simple.

Want a structured 6-week hill training plan? Reply to this email, and I’ll send it over.

🏃‍♂️Grab a Sunday training buddy and get after it. ☕️

Cheers

Rod