For HYROX training at home, buy a wall ball first, then a sandbag, then kettlebells. All three fit on the floor and are sold in race weights. The SkiErg stands 216 cm tall and the rower is 244 cm long, so measure your room before you buy.
The Shoe Nerd's top pick
Start with a wall ball. It's 35.5 cm across and needs about 35 cm square of floor. With it, you can rehearse the 100 reps that close out the eight stations any time. But the target is 3 m high, so in a low-ceilinged room you'll be looking for an outside wall.
Key points
- The official gear is made by CENTR. The wall ball is 35.5 cm across, with 4 kg, 6 kg and 9 kg as race weights
- The SkiErg is 216 cm tall and the rower 244 cm long. Measure your room first
- The sled alone weighs 50 kg. Finding a gym that has one is quicker than fitting it at home
The gear used in HYROX races
The wall balls, kettlebells, sandbags and sled are made by CENTR as 'official HYROX equipment.' The SkiErg and rowing machine are from Concept2, a partner since the very first race.
All of it is sold to the public, so you can train on the same gear you'll race on. First, check the weights each division needs.
| Equipment | Women (Open) | Men (Open) / Women Pro | Men Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wall ball | 4kg | 6kg | 9kg |
| Kettlebells (2) | 16kg × 2 | 24kg × 2 | 32kg × 2 |
| Sandbag | 10kg | 20kg | 30kg |
Will it fit at home? Official gear sizes and prices
| Equipment | Size / build | Official price (US) | Rakuten price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wall ball | 35.5 cm across. 4 kg, 6 kg and 9 kg are race weights | $99–$121 | JPY 12,100–23,320 |
| Kettlebell | 8–32 kg. 3.5 cm handle diameter | 16 kg $189 / 24 kg $250 / 32 kg $300 | JPY 19,800–49,830 |
| Sandbag | 10, 20, 30 kg. Filled with 5 kg inner bags. Sand not included | $132–$182 | JPY 18,700–28,820 |
| Sled (Power Sled) | 102 cm long × 60 cm wide × 99.7 cm high. 50 kg on its own | $435 for the sled only | JPY 82,500–90,200 |
Wall ball: small to store, but the target is high
It's 35.5 cm across, and the size is the same whatever the weight. Just to store it, a corner of the room is enough.
What to watch is the throwing height. The race target is 3.00 m for men and 2.70 m for women. In a room with a lower ceiling, you can't throw to target height. Using a tall outside wall gets you closer to race conditions than grinding out reps indoors.
Official prices are $109 for 6 kg and $121 for 9 kg. 3 kg heavier is only $12 more. If in doubt, just buy your division's weight. I explain how to set up a target in my wall ball article.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
CENTR HYROX wall ball
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 12,100 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 23,320 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanIf you want to spend less, there are non-official wall balls too. Choose one whose product page lists both weight and diameter.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Wall ball (4 kg, 6 kg, 9 kg)
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 6,708 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 11,440 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanKettlebells: you need a pair
The farmers carry is 200 m with one kettlebell in each hand, so you need two to train. For Men Open, that's two 24 kg bells, 48 kg total.
The official 24 kg kettlebell is $250 each, or $500 for a pair. A pair costs more than the sled itself ($435). The handle is 3.5 cm thick.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
CENTR HYROX kettlebell
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 19,800 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 49,830 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanIf the weight is the same, non-official kettlebells work for carry practice too. Rakuten Ichiba has plenty of 24 kg kettlebells.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Kettlebell 24 kg
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 5,184 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 29,040 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanSandbag: you add the sand yourself
The official sandbag arrives empty. It comes with 5 kg inner bags, two for the 10 kg, four for the 20 kg and six for the 30 kg, and you fill them with sand yourself. Work out where you'll get sand and where you'll fill it before you buy.
Use fewer inner bags and you can start lighter. You could buy the 20 kg version and break in at 10 kg with two bags.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
CENTR HYROX sandbag
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 18,700 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 28,820 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanSled: 50 kg on its own
The official sled weighs 50 kg on its own. To reach the 152 kg for Men Open, you load 102 kg of plates (152 − 50). You need a floor to push on and a straight run, even if not a full 50 m.
The numbers say it's not something for home. Finding a gym that has a sled is the realistic option. You can search for official training facilities on the official finder page.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
CENTR HYROX Power Sled
Lowest price on Rakuten Ichiba: JPY 82,500 (as of 10/13). Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanSee it on Rakuten IchibaCan a SkiErg and rower fit at home?
| SkiErg | Rower (RowErg) | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 216 cm tall, about 52 cm wide, 40.6 cm deep (wall-mounted) | 244 cm long, 61 cm wide |
| With the floor stand | 60 × 127 × 216cm | — |
| Weight | 18.6 kg unit (stand 16 kg) | 26kg |
| Space needed in use | — | 274 × 122cm |
| Official price (US) | $850 (stand extra) | $990 |
| Price from the Japan distributor (incl. tax) | With stand JPY 231,000 | JPY 203,500 |
The SkiErg is 216 cm tall. You reach up and pull down, so you need more ceiling clearance than that. Measure the ceiling height where it will go before you buy.
The rower is 244 cm long and needs 274 × 122 cm of space in use. When not in use it can stand upright, taking up 63.5 × 83.8 × 137.2 cm.
Buying both comes to JPY 434,500 at Japan prices (231,000 + 203,500). They cover only two of the eight race stations. If you get just one, the numbers say start with the rower, which is easier to find space for.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Concept2 RowErg
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 211,200 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 247,500 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanSee it on Rakuten IchibaHow do they compare per kg?
I converted the official CENTR gear to price per kg.
| Equipment | Official price (US) | Per kg |
|---|---|---|
| Wall ball 6 kg | $109 | About $18.2 |
| Wall ball 9 kg | $121 | About $13.4 |
| Kettlebell 16 kg | $189 | About $11.8 |
| Kettlebell 24 kg | $250 | About $10.4 |
| Sled (50 kg unit) | $435 | $8.7 |
The heavier the gear, the cheaper per kg. The wall ball looks pricey, but one ball lets you train the 100 reps that end the eight stations. Factor in how little space it takes and it's the best first buy.
Who a home setup suits
- It suits you if: you want to count wall balls and lunges even on days you can't get to the gym; you have about 35 cm square of floor plus room for two kettlebells; you've picked your division and want to get used to race weights.
If your room can't fit the target height (3.00 m for men, 2.70 m for women), you can leave that, plus the sled and machines, to the gym. I cover the order of the eight stations in my race format article and what to bring on race day in my gear checklist article.
What to buy first
- 1. Wall ball (one, in your division's weight)
- 2. Sandbag (adjust weight with the inner bags)
- 3. Kettlebells (two of the same weight)
- 4. Rower (if you have 244 cm of floor)
- 5. SkiErg (if you have a high ceiling)
- Don't buy a sled; go to a gym that has one
Items 1 to 3 fit on the floor. Items 4 and 5 depend on your room size and ceiling height. Rather than kitting out everything at home, doing 1–3 at home and the machines and sled at the gym works out on both cost and space.
I've collected HYROX gear in my race day checklist article. For shoes see 6 HYROX shoes, for tracking see HYROX-compatible watches, and to test yourself see the fitness test (PFT).
FAQ
Do you need official gear to train for HYROX?
If the weight is the same, it works for carrying, throwing and lifting practice. The reason to choose official gear is to get used to the same size and grip thickness you'll get on race day.
Can you do the official fitness test at home?
Apart from rowing, all you need is one wall ball. The test has six parts: run, burpees, lunges, rowing, push-ups and wall balls (division guide).
How do you find a gym where you can train the sled?
Use the official Training Club finder. You can open it from 'Find a HYROX Training Club' on the official Japan site.
