The Rox-Coach here, delivering a deep-dive race feedback for Frédéric Loste in HYROX Stockholm 2025. If you’re chasing podiums, you’re chasing consistency, efficiency, and the ability to push through walls—literally and figuratively. We’re going to break down the performance like a race plan: what you crushed, what needs sharpening, and how to weaponize your training blocks to own the next event. And yes, we’ll keep the swagger but stay factual—because discipline beats hype every time. Stay hard. 💪

Overall Performance:

Frédéric, you logged a solid 1:29:11 in the HYROX Men, Age Group 45-49, Stockholm 2025, finishing 1093rd overall (top ~60% of 1794). Your age-group rank was 117th (top ~59% of 196). The data paints a runner-hybrid profile with standout consistency in running segments and a few gut checks in the strength stations. The total running time of 42:10 was faster than average by 58 seconds, signaling a runner-due to your pacing and endurance base. Your best running lap clocked at 5:00 pace, which is a strong indicator of a well-developed aerobic engine and efficient turnover on the course.

What stands out:

Pacing: Your running paces across most legs hovered around 5:00–5:15 per segment, with a strong ability to hold steady when the fatigue hit the strength segments. In Running 1 you were 22 seconds slower than average (5:05 vs a faster average for your finish group), but you recovered nicely in Running 2 and kept a tight rhythm through Running 4 and beyond.
Strength Leg Strength vs Endurance: The split data show you’re capable in endurance running, but several strength stations (Wall Balls, Burpees Broad Jump, Sandbag Lunges, Farmers Carry) pulled you off the ideal time curve. Wall Balls in particular is a high-leverage area that can swing many minutes if improved under fatigue.
Transitions (Roxzone): Roxzone at 7:27 is close to average, but improvements here compound your overall time especially given the heavy work zones you faced. You already have room to shave more seconds from transitions with targeted practice; this is where “fatigue management” starts to pay real dividends.
Region & Race Context: This Stockholm result shows progression relative to your 2024 and 2025 doubles events ( Marseille, Bordeaux, Berlin, Rome, Paris, etc.). You’ve closed the gap on several strength stations compared with earlier races, but Wall Balls, BBJ, and Sandbag Lunges still require targeted progress to convert endurance into faster overall times on race day.

Overall, you’re a clean runner with a solid engine who can become an even more dangerous hybrid by tightening the strength stations and transitions. The path forward is clear: raise Wall Ball efficiency, sharpen BBJ workflow, optimize Sandbag Lunges and Farmers Carry, and compress the Roxzone with precise, fatigued-pace transitions.

Segments & Race Analysis:

General race flow analysis, compared against the average for your finish time and division:

Running: Strong baseline. Running 1 was 5:05 (+0:22 vs average), and Running 2–4 hovered around 5:00–5:26 with mostly favorable deviations. Your best lap (5:00) demonstrates you can hit a strong, controlled pace across the first two-thirds of the race; that pattern is a good foundation for maintaining pace on big endurance days.
Ski Erg: 4:21 (-0:12) in Ski Erg; solid, but not a standout. This is an area where you can gain more value with technique efficiency and controlled power output that preserves leg drive for the next run segments.
Sled Push: 2:39 (-0:25) is decent, but there’s a bit of room to improve drive with better bracing and leg engagement at the start and a more efficient transfer into the next running leg.
Sled Pull: 4:33 (-0:39) is sluggish compared to the group; this is often a hinge point for fatigue entering Running 4 and the burpees. Stronger core and lats engagement with improved breathing can help.
Burpees Broad Jump (BBJ): 6:20 (+0:32) is a sizable drag. Your efficiency here is a notable weak link; the transition from push-up to broad jump appears to be the bottleneck under fatigue.
Wall Balls: 8:39 (+1:26) is the single largest delta versus average. This is your high-leverage fix. Wall Balls are the station where you can swing minutes if you don’t optimize technique and fatigue strategy.
Roxzone: 7:27 (-0:05) is slightly faster than average, but the zone should be a place to save 15–30 seconds regularly with a more tactical approach to transitions and buffer pacing between stations.

Key insights by station:

Strength stations (Wall Balls, BBJ, Sandbag Lunges, Farmers Carry) are where you lose time relative to your potential. Running times show you’re capable of maintaining and even exploiting endurance; the bottlenecks are the multi-lift segments that require fast, repeatable technique under fatigue.
Roxzone improvements can yield 10–20 seconds per station when transitions are perfectly rehearsed. With your current zone times, the gains in Wall Balls and BBJ would propagate to the final running segments.

Segments to Improve:

Below are the four primary weak points identified, with a clear focus plan, drills, and a weighted emphasis on what to train first. Each improvement includes a focus percentage to guide your programming emphasis.

Wall Balls
- Potential Improvement: 01:53 (from 08:39 to 06:46)
- Focus during training: 51%
- Why it matters: Wall Balls are your highest-leverage station. Reducing the time here has a cascading effect on the final Roxzone and overall running tolerance later in the race.
- Drills & Techniques:
  - Technique: Hip hinge + full squat-to-throw, flick from hips, ensure ball trajectory is consistent to the target. Practice with a lighter ball first to perfect form, then progressively load.
  - Speed under fatigue: EMOM sets (every minute on the minute) with 8–12 Wall Balls, increasing ball height or reps as fatigue increases. Do 4–6 rounds with short rest.
  - Breathing & rhythm: Inhale on the descent, exhale on the throw; focus on a consistent tempo (3-count down, 2-count up).
  - Link with other stations: Do Wall Ball blocks directly after Ski Erg to replicate fatigue stacking; practice full 2–3 station blocks to mimic race conditions.
- Compromised running scenario: After Wall Balls, you’ll be fatigued; train Wall Balls with fatigue simulation (post-run or post-row) to build endurance under fatigue and avoid a drop in running pace.
- Examples of training blocks: 6-week block of 3 sessions/week focused on Wall Ball mechanics + 2–3 conditioned sets (e.g., 5 rounds of 25 wall balls at ~60–70% of max reps) with short 30–45 second rests; progress to 4–5 rounds at higher intensity and then 2 blocks of 3 rounds at near-competition reps in fatigue state.
Burpees Broad Jump (BBJ)
- Potential Improvement: 00:50 (from 06:20 to 05:30)
- Focus during training: 22%
- Why it matters: BBJ times drive transition efficiency and overall fatigue. The broader jump is a limiter when unlocked late in the race, especially when combined with the next running segment.
- Drills & Techniques:
  - Sequence optimization: Master a fast but controlled burpee with minimal wasted motion—avoid the extra pause between push-up and jump. Use a "snap-down, snap-up" cadence.
  - Broad jump mechanics: Practice a rhythm of a quick knee bend, explosive hip extension, and a compact landing. Add a small box or target for consistent depth on the jump.
  - Bike-to-burpee pacing: Do blocks where you perform 8–12 BBJs with 10–15 seconds of sprint jog as active recovery—simulate Hyrox fatigue while maintaining form.
  - Breath control: Inhale on lower phase, exhale through the jump; maintain a steady in-out breathing pattern to avoid DOMS-precursor breathing errors.
- Compromised running scenario: BBJ fatigue links directly to leg stiffness and stride length. Train BBJ blocks after a short run or after a skiing segment to mimic race fatigue, ensuring you don’t lose running cadence after the station.
- Examples of training blocks: 4–6 week cycle with 3 sessions/week: 4 rounds of 10 BBJ (60–70% effort) with 30 seconds rest; progress to 6–8 rounds with max-effort reps and shorter rest, ending with 1–2 rounds at race pace.
Sandbag Lunges
- Potential Improvement: 00:35 (from 05:49 to 05:14)
- Focus during training: 15%
- Why it matters: Lunges stress hip and knee stability; improved lunge efficiency translates into steadier running cadence with load transfer from upper body to legs.
- Drills & Techniques:
  - Unilateral strength: Bulgarian split squats, reverse lunges with dumbbells or a sandbag, focusing on controlled descent and explosive ascent.
  - Load distribution: Practice sandbag carries with incremental weight, then perform lunges to re-test form under fatigue.
  - Stability work: Single-leg Romanian deadlifts and lateral lunges to reinforce hip stability and reduce knee valgus under load.
- Compromised running scenario: You’ll benefit from slowing descent during lunges and accelerating in ascent to maintain cadence; ensure your knee alignment stays safe during fatigue, especially after BBJ and Wall Balls.
- Training blocks: 3–4 weeks focusing on unilateral leg strength with 2–3 sessions/week; include 3 lower-body strength days with 4–6 sets of 6–8 reps, then 1 cardio-weight combo day (e.g., sandbag lunge carries into a 1-km tempo run).
Farmers Carry
- Potential Improvement: 00:22 (from 02:31 to 02:09)
- Focus during training: 10%
- Why it matters: Grip strength and core bracing are critical for longer runs post-carry; better carry technique reduces fatigue transfer and keeps running speed higher later in the race.
- Drills & Techniques:
  - Grip endurance: farmer carries with progressively heavier implements (e.g., dumbbells, kettlebells, or actual DB handles) for 60–90 seconds per carry, resting 60 seconds, repeat 4–6 rounds.
  - Core bracing: A strong hollow-back posture with tight midline during carries; add carries on a treadmill or incline to burn the grip faster while maintaining posture.
  - Flow integration: Practice a mini-workout where you carry farmers for 40–60 meters, perform a quick 20–30 seconds of burpees or rowing, then resume carry to mimic race sequence and transitions.
- Compromised running scenario: Fatigue in the grip tends to blunt overall speed; emphasize grip endurance to avoid slow releases and long recovery after each station.
- Training blocks: 2–3 sessions/week focusing on grip endurance and loaded carries; 4–5 rounds of 40–60 meter carries with 60 seconds rest, gradually increasing load or distance.

Notes on frequency and distribution:

Allocate approximately 5–6 hours weekly to the four focus stations, with two dedicated wall-ball blocks + BBJ timing blocks, one sandbag/Lunges session, and one farmers-carry focused day. The remaining sessions should emphasize running efficiency (short intervals, tempo work) to preserve your endurance base while building strength.
Integrate “fatigue-practice sets” on one day per week: perform 2–3 station blocks (e.g., Wall Balls + BBJ + Running) with minimal rest to simulate race fatigue and teach your body to switch gears quickly.

Race Strategies:

Pacing and energy management: Your total running time indicates a strong endurance base. Use a slightly conservative start during Running 1 (target 5:05–5:10) to prevent early fatigue, then hold 5:00–5:15 during Running 2–4. By maintaining a steady rhythm, you minimize the risk of a late fade caused by Wall Balls and BBJ.
Station sequencing: Aim to minimize residual fatigue before Wall Balls by planning a short "reset" run between Ski Erg/Rowing and Wall Balls. Use 15–20 seconds of light dynamic movement (arm swings, hip opens) to reset breathing and prepare for the high-repetition station.
Roxzone optimization: Rehearse transitions as a micro-workout. Practice a 5-second transition rehearsal between each station for two weeks prior to the race. This compounds across eight stations and can save 20–30 seconds in total when done consistently.
Wall Balls-first fatigue plan: Since Wall Balls show the largest delta, you should train a “wall-to-run” rhythm: after Wall Balls, plan a quick cry of a short, brisk jog to reset approach to Running 5 (the next leg). Your goal is to stay off the brakes and maintain cadence rather than lose ground in the run following the ball work.
Technique cues under fatigue:
- Breath control: Inhale down, exhale up; push through the hips, not just the arms during wall ball shots or the burpee pushups.
- Posture: Keep spine neutral, chest open, hips high, and eyes forward to avoid energy leakage.
- Grip and core: For carries and lunges, maintain a tight grip and braced core to transmission force efficiently into the next movement rather than straining the lower back.
Tactical splits: Use a split strategy of 2:3 (two short-run segments between heavier lift blocks) to preserve running speed while still hitting the strength segments with high intensity. This approach minimizes the cumulative fatigue that tends to accumulate in the mid-race.

Conclusion:

Frédéric, you’ve got a rock-solid running engine and a genuine capacity to hold your pace across the HYROX course. The clear growth area is the strength stations—especially Wall Balls and BBJ—where you can convert endurance into faster overall times by ruthlessly tightening technique and reducing transition losses. The four focus stations—Wall Balls, BBJ, Sandbag Lunges, and Farmers Carry—offer the highest leverage for shaving meaningful minutes from your total time. If you want to swing big, you must swing consistently—train the nitty-gritty, and your race day will feel more like a controlled sprint rather than a grind through fatigue.

Past results show a positive trajectory: you’ve become faster from Bordeaux/Berlin to Stockholm, and your running times improve relative to earlier races. The 2025 Rome 1:27:01 in a HYROX DOUBLES format with Estelle Eydant shows you’re capable of a sub-1:28 when the stars align and the stations click. The next steps are fix-the-weakness blocks with a strong transition focus and targeted strength work to carry into the final running legs with the same cadence you show on the early laps.

Recommended next races to keep momentum and build experience:

Race: PUMA HYROX World Championships Stockholm, Date: 2026-06-18, Sweden
Race: HYROX HELSINKI, Date: 2026-05-09, Finland
Race: LEMON GYM HYROX RIGA, Date: 2026-05-30, Latvia

Inspiration for the grind: “Be hard when it’s hard.” David Goggins would nod to your resilience; Jocko Willink would say, “Discipline equals freedom.” You don’t get better by wishing for perfect conditions—you get better by showing up and pushing through imperfect ones. The clock isn’t lying; your form will, your training will. Keep turning the screws and you’ll see sub-1:25 become your new baseline.

Final note: Your next target should emphasize a dedicated 12–16 week block focused on Wall Balls and BBJ, with a concurrent build in Sandbag Lunges and Farmers Carry. Build a rhythm that translates to the Roxzone and your final running segments. The next few races (Stockholm 2026 Worlds, Helsinki, Riga) are perfect testing grounds to validate the plan and keep the momentum going. And remember: “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” Stay hungry, stay disciplined, and as always—keep pushing the pace.

— The Rox-Coach