Here’s why HYROX is one of the fastest-growing fitness trends in Manila.
You’ve probably heard of HYROX by now. Whether you heard about it from a friend, saw it on your social media feed, or have even tried it out yourself, one thing is certain: HYROX is one of the biggest fitness trends right now, and it’s taking the Philippines by storm.
Over the last couple of years, HYROX has steadily been making its mark on the country’s fitness scene. You may have even noticed that more fitness gyms around the Metro now cater to the training needs of those training for HYROX races, offering the unique facilities necessary to do so, and many Filipinos are even traveling abroad just to compete.
But let’s back up a bit. What exactly is HYROX, and why is it one of the biggest fitness trends right now?
The HYROX appeal
Gold’s Gym, one of the most popular fitness centers in Metro Manila, recently opened its doors to its Gold’s Gym x Metcon Premier HYROX Training Club, located at Venice Grand Canal Mall. This is yet another marker of how this fitness trend continues to grow across the country, as the owner of Gold’s Gym Powered by Metcon, Edmundo Luis R. Vega, was motivated to serve the many Filipino HYROXers eager to train.
“I did a lot functional training when I was growing up, so I’m very tight with the [CrossFit] community, and I saw while I was working out that a lot of the CrossFitters were pivoting to the new fitness race event, HYROX, and it caught my eye,” Vega shared with The GAME.
HYROX is a fitness race that combines running with functional workouts in a standardized format: participants must run one kilometer and then complete a functional workout (such as rowing, sled pushes and pulls, burpees, wall balls, and more), and repeat this eight times. Essentially, it’s an eight-kilometer run broken up into eight stations.
The first-ever HYROX event took place in Germany in 2017, and over the years, its popularity has risen dramatically, especially in Asia. Now, many of the major race events are held in Asian countries, such as Hong Kong and Singapore. The Singapore race in 2024 alone drew in over 4,000 participants.
But what makes it so appealing? According to Vega, it’s the accessibility aspect of it.
“What makes it great is that HYROX is very inclusive,” he explained. “Today, I can teach you all the movements involved, and tomorrow, assuming you can run eight kilometers, you’ll be able to do the event. It’s for everyone, including people as old as 84 years old. It’s the eldest I’ve seen a HYROXer.”
A challenge for everyone
What makes HYROX one of the biggest fitness trends that many are hopping on is the simple fact that, as challenging as it sounds, you can train for it, and the Philippines boasts many training facilities and proven trainers to help with the process.
One of Gold’s Gym x Metcon’s trainers is none other than Anton Sietereales. He is the founder of The GRIN Method, a proprietary training system that has produced significant results for several competitive athletes in the Philippines.
“The proper way for you to be able to join in any kind of sport, not only HYROX, is, of course, you have to prepare your body for any kind of movement,” Sietereales told The GAME, sharing insights into his training philosophy. “So, you also have to build strength, not only endurance. People think that if they want to be strong, they want to run first, but technically, you have to build muscle mass first.”
Training for a HYROX race is no easy feat, as it is meant to challenge participants physically, in both endurance and strength.
But according to Vega, the most challenging part is the mental aspect of it all.
“The most important part of HYROX is mindset. Normally, you wouldn’t even try to compete if you didn’t already have the endurance to accomplish it. So then, it becomes a battle. It becomes a mental battle,” he explained.
“How much can you mentally endure? Can you push through the pain? Because it’s going to be painful…If it’s a 100-kilogram sled push, it’s going to be painful. If it’s 100 wall vaults, it’s going to be painful. It’s a mental thing because competing there, you already know that you have the conditioning to do it.”
But it’s perhaps this reason that Filipinos have gotten hooked on HYROX. The ability to push past one’s limits, both physically and mentally, is a deeply rewarding feeling. And while there may be a few who feel intimidated to try it out, Vega assures everyone, “It is for everyone.”
He added, “We scale all our programming accordingly to a beginner, to an elderly person, to a youth athlete. And then, incrementally and progressively and systematically, bring you up to the proper endurance level in order to accomplish a HYROX event.
“I don’t think you should be intimidated. Because at the end of the day, we will get you ready to do it. And you can start at any fitness level.”
Banner image from HYROX on Instagram.