Training For HYROX Barcelona: From Bodybuilding To Hybrid Athlete

I’ve never been a runner. I grew up chubby, spent five years obsessed with natural bodybuilding, and had zero endurance base. Now I’m nine weeks out from my first ever HYROX in Barcelona, and the first week of training left me barely able to sit down.

In this episode I walk through why I’m shifting from purely physique-based goals to hybrid training, how I’m structuring prep from a standing start, and what this race means after two years of rebuilding my health and chasing a goal I didn’t have. I’m racing Doubles with one of my oldest friends, Carty, and documenting the entire build in a YouTube series.

In this episode, I break down:
◼ Why I walked away from competing in natural bodybuilding
◼ Why I chose HYROX over a marathon as my first endurance event
◼ How I’m splitting training 70/30 between physique and endurance without sacrificing muscle
◼ What running on compromised legs demands that fresh running never will
◼ How fueling changes when you lift and run on the same day
◼ What my first week of training did to my recovery scores
◼ Why becoming a beginner again reignited my drive to train

The views expressed are my own, and this episode is intended for general informational purposes only. This podcast and its associated materials should not be used as a substitute for professional medical or health advice.

00:00:00 Intro
00:01:23 Chasing Natural Bodybuilding
00:02:27 Why My Goals Shifted After My Health Hit
00:03:28 The Hidden Cost of Stepping on Stage
00:05:05 Why HYROX? Becoming a Student Again
00:06:44 The Hybrid Aesthetic; Why Not a Marathon?
00:08:51 A New Domain to Nerd Out On, Health First
00:09:55 Doubles, Barcelona & The Documentary
00:12:08 Building the Engine: Zone 2 & The 70/30 Split
00:13:55 VO2 Max, Compromised Running & Fueling
00:15:22 Tool: My HYROX Prep Training Split
00:16:38 Week One Wrecked Me
00:17:41 What Changes as Race Day Approaches
00:18:54 Rebuilding My Identity as a Hybrid Athlete
00:20:47 Recap & What’s Next

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