Hyrox Coaching Podcast

Aaron

HYROX racing and no-nonsense coaching insights. Training breakdowns, race reviews and real talk from the sharp end with Chris Bayens and Aaron Woodman

  1. 7. Aug.

    How Long Does It Take to Get Fitter? HYROX Adaptations, Fatigue and Race Pacing

    In this episode of the HYROX Coaching Podcast, Aaron and Chris begin with a recap of the racing in Istanbul and Chengdu, including Ronc’s return, the first outing for Jake and Luke as a doubles partnership, the contrasting race conditions across the two venues and some unexpected performances. That leads into a wider discussion about HYROX course lengths and why comparing finishing times across different races rarely tells the full story. Aaron explains how courses are laid out around the dimensions of each venue, what is included within the total measured distance and why athletes should stop trying to race every run to an exact split. The fastest strategy is not to blindly chase a pace calculated before the race. Athletes need to understand how race effort should feel, respond to the conditions and recognise when the body has more or less available on the day. The main coaching discussion then looks at how quickly different training adaptations actually happen. Aaron and Chris cover aerobic development, threshold, strength and movement efficiency, explaining why some improvements appear quickly while the adaptations that matter most are normally built across months and years. They also discuss what should genuinely change as athletes get older, where productive hard training becomes excessive accumulated fatigue, the early signs that an athlete is no longer absorbing training and how HRV should be interpreted alongside sleep, mood, soreness, perceived effort and actual performance. Each week, Aaron expands on the main ideas from the podcast and turns them into practical coaching notes you can apply to your own training. Subscribe here:https://www.wdmcoaching.com/newsletter GET THE WDM HYROX COACHING NOTES

  2. 16. Juli

    What HYROX Athletes Can Learn From Movement Standards

    In this episode of the HYROX Coaching Podcast, Aaron and Chris are joined by HYROX coach Phil Mataj. Phil talks through his route into coaching, from bodybuilding and CrossFit through to HYROX, starting a run club in Bristol, and eventually building a coaching system around movement quality, athlete belief and proper training structure. The conversation covers what makes good HYROX coaching, why movement standards matter from the start, and how athletes can make big improvements simply by becoming more efficient at the basics. Aaron, Chris and Phil also discuss how to identify an athlete’s main limiter, why every training block needs one clear focus, and why trying to build everything at once usually just creates fatigue rather than progress. There is also a big section on doubles racing, including why doubles is still heavily aerobic, how much changeovers matter, and why the best pairs are not just fit but efficient, calm and well-drilled. The episode also touches on threshold work, heat, heart rate, pacing, adding volume for the sake of it, and why the first 15 minutes of a HYROX race often set up the rest of the day. Topics covered include: Phil’s background in CrossFit and HYROX coachingStarting a run club and building a coaching communityCoaching Charlie and LaurenWhy you do not need to be a great athlete to be a great coachMovement standards and efficiencyBurpees, wall balls and lungesTesting athletes and finding limitersAerobic base, threshold and VO2 maxWhy each block needs one clear signalRace-specific training and sharpening before HYROXWhy doubles is still an aerobic raceChangeovers, communication and partnership in doublesPacing the first 15 minutes of a raceUsing heart rate as feedbackTraining in the heatWhy more volume is not always the answerCoaching relationships, trust and environment

  3. 9. Juli

    Why HYROX Athletes Get Injured

    In this episode of the HYROX Coaching Podcast, Aaron and Chris start with a quick recap of the latest HYROX racing, including Sydney, the return to racing after World Championships, and why a short break from hard training does not mean your fitness disappears overnight. The main topic this week is injuries. More specifically, how to reduce the risk of picking up injuries, how to recognise the early warning signs, and what to do when something starts to feel off. Aaron and Chris discuss why there is no such thing as true injury prevention, why most soft tissue injuries are usually linked to poor load management, and how athletes often ignore the obvious signs until a small niggle becomes a bigger problem. They also cover the role of programming, intensity, easy days, strength training, running volume, and recovery in keeping athletes consistent across a full HYROX season. The episode finishes with practical advice on how to manage pain, when to modify training, when to stop, and how to build back properly after injury without rushing straight back into the same workload that caused the issue in the first place. Topics covered include: HYROX Sydney recapWhy fitness does not disappear after a short breakInjury prevention vs injury risk reductionWhy most injuries are not randomLoad management and tissue toleranceThe problem with too much intensityWhy easy days need to stay easyWarning signs athletes should not ignoreMorning stiffness, soreness, sleep and fatigueRunning volume and injury riskStrength training for durabilityHow to modify sessions when niggles appearGreen, amber and red flags for painReturning to training after injuryWhy you need to build durability before chasing fitness again

Info

HYROX racing and no-nonsense coaching insights. Training breakdowns, race reviews and real talk from the sharp end with Chris Bayens and Aaron Woodman