HYROX Pro vs Open: Weights, Differences, and Which to Race

If you have done one HYROX race in Open and are wondering whether you are ready to step up to Pro — or if you are signing up for your first race and trying to pick a division — this guide breaks down exactly what changes, exactly how much harder it is, and how to know when to make the jump.

The Two Divisions, Side by Side

Both Open and Pro cover the same distance and the same eight stations in the same order. What changes is the weight on four of the eight stations.

Station	Open (M / W)	Pro (M / W)	Increase
SkiErg (1,000 m)	Same	Same	—
Sled Push (50 m)	152 kg / 102 kg	202 kg / 152 kg	+50 kg
Sled Pull (50 m)	103 kg / 78 kg	153 kg / 103 kg	+50 kg / +25 kg
Burpee Broad Jump (80 m)	Same	Same	—
Rowing (1,000 m)	Same	Same	—
Farmers Carry (200 m)	2 × 24 kg / 2 × 16 kg	2 × 32 kg / 2 × 24 kg	+8 kg per hand
Sandbag Lunges (100 m)	20 kg / 10 kg	30 kg / 20 kg	+10 kg
Wall Balls (100 reps)	6 kg / 4 kg, 3 m / 2.7 m target	9 kg / 6 kg, 3 m / 2.7 m target	+3 kg / +2 kg

Source: HYROX official rulebook, BOXROX, Red Bull HYROX coverage. Weights and rep counts can change between seasons — always verify on the official HYROX site before your race.

What That Actually Feels Like

The numbers above understate what changes during the race. Three stations in particular feel disproportionately harder in Pro:

Sled Push (the biggest gap)

A 50 kg heavier sled is not 33% harder — it is closer to 60–80% harder, especially after running 3 km on already-fatigued legs. (Source: BOXROX.) Many athletes who easily finish Open in 80 minutes find themselves still working on the Pro sled at minute 90. If you cannot push the Pro sled cleanly in training, you cannot push it in a race.

Sled Pull

The Pro rope pulls heavier loads over the same distance, so each hand-over-hand cycle takes more force and slips more if your grip is fatigued. Pro athletes often add forearm and grip-specific work weeks before the race.

Sandbag Lunges

A 30 kg sandbag rides higher on your shoulders than a 20 kg one, and the hand position has to be tighter. Combined with quad fatigue from heavy sleds, Pro Sandbag Lunges are where many Pro debutants suddenly slow down to a walk.

The remaining stations (SkiErg, Burpee Broad Jump, Rowing) are identical, but you arrive at them more depleted because of the harder stations before them.

How Much Slower is Pro?

Across published athlete data and coaching content, the consensus is 15–20% slower than your Open time. (Source: RMR Training, BOXROX, HYROX athlete forums.) If you ran Open in 80 minutes, expect 92–96 minutes in Pro on similar fitness. Highly fit athletes may compress that gap; debutants often see a larger gap.

Should You Race Open or Pro?

Use this practical checklist. You should consider Pro if you can answer “yes” to all five:

1. You have completed at least one HYROX Open — ideally under 75 minutes for men or under 90 minutes for women.
2. You can repeat the Pro sled push 3 times in training with 2–3 minutes rest, the third time after some running fatigue.
3. You have a strength base. A 1.5x bodyweight back squat and a 100 kg+ deadlift (men, scaled appropriately for women) is a reasonable floor.
4. You can do 100 unbroken Wall Balls at the Pro weight. This is harder than it sounds — most athletes break the set into 3–4 chunks during a race.
5. You actively want to chase a HYROX World Championship qualification. Pro is the only division that qualifies. If that goal does not motivate you, Open is genuinely fine.

If any of those are “no,” race Open. Posting a strong Open time and then upgrading to Pro is a much better experience than DNF’ing a Pro race with a stuck sled.

What About Doubles?

HYROX Doubles has three flavors:

• Open Doubles — same Open weights, work split between two athletes
• Pro Doubles — same Pro weights, work split between two athletes
• Mixed Doubles — one man + one woman, weights match Pro Women’s standards

Mixed Doubles is the entry point most often recommended for couples or strong-but-different-fitness pairs because the weights are intermediate.

Pro Pacing Strategy

If you commit to Pro, the pacing math changes:

• Open out smoother on the runs. A 4:30/km opening run that felt fine in Open will leave nothing in the tank for Pro Sled Push. Add 10–15 seconds per kilometer.
• Plan your sled stops in advance. The Pro Sled Push usually requires 1–2 short rest stops even for fast athletes. Decide where ahead of time.
• Break the Wall Balls into 25/25/25/25 sets. Going for 100 unbroken at 9 kg costs more time in failure than the rest costs.
• Conserve grip for Sled Pull and Farmers Carry. Many Pro athletes use chalk and skip wearing gloves to maximize rope friction.

Bottom Line

Open and Pro are not “harder vs easier” — they are different races. Open rewards endurance and pacing; Pro rewards strength and grit on top of endurance and pacing. You don’t need to race Pro to enjoy HYROX. But if you have an Open finish under your belt, the strength to push the Pro sled cleanly, and the desire to chase Worlds, the jump is one of the most satisfying progressions in fitness sport.

Related Articles

• What is HYROX? The Complete Guide
• The 8 HYROX Stations Explained
• HYROX Training Plan (8-week)
• Best HYROX Shoes 2026
• HYROX for Beginners
• HYROX Results & Rankings

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Weights cited are based on the HYROX official rulebook as of 2026 and reporting from BOXROX, RMR Training, and Red Bull. HYROX may update standards between seasons — verify on the official HYROX site before your race. This site is not affiliated with HYROX or Upsolut Sports GmbH.