Hyrox, a hybrid fitness race combining running and functional workouts, has surged in popularity among young Chinese this summer, boosting interest in a new form of competitive fitness akin to CrossFit.
Originating in Germany in 2017, Hyrox combines an eight-kilometer run with eight types of workouts, including sled pushes, sled pulls and medicine-ball work. It entered the Chinese market two years ago and has taken the country's fitness community by storm this year.
More than 10,000 people participated in a Hyrox race in Shanghai in May. According to Yuan Fang, head of Hyrox China, Hyrox has established long-term partnerships with more than 600 gyms across major Chinese cities. On Chinese lifestyle platform RedNote, the Hyrox hashtag has more than 130 million views.
Hyrox China participants are a clearly defined group, Yuan told the Chengdu Daily. Most are aged 25 to 40 and work in industries including finance and tech.
"Traditional fitness lacks a standardized competitive format. Hyrox fills that gap with a clear, universal set of rules, and that gives people a tangible way to track their progress and push their own limits," Yuan said.
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