Gut Checked at Hyrox Fitness Test Event

There is something inside us that sleeps if we never get outside our comfort zone. 

We used to call really tough military training that pushed you to your limit, and often beyond, a “gut check.” Indicating the primal nature of seeing if you would endure or just collapse like a stack of cards. It takes “guts” or “grit” or “courage” or maybe even a bit “crazy” to endure training designed in every way to put maximum stress on the trainee. I haven’t thought about all this until last weekend. My niece invited me to participate in the Hyrox Fitness Test and I’m so glad she did.

I knew it really would be a good test of my current fitness routine as there was little I could do to get ready for it seeing I had less than a weeks notice of the event. I already knew the run would be my weakest event. I haven’t run 1000 meters in who knows how long. My only goal for the 1000 meters was not to walk. I didn’t walk, but I was dead last and got lapped by just about everyone in my wave (about 9 others that started at the same time with me).

The next task was a broad jump burpee. Yeah, it is just like its name. You do a broad jump immediately followed by a burpee for one rep. Not as tough as the run for me, even though this was the first time I’ve done broad jump burpees. I did 10, paused to rest, did another 10, and repeated until I hit the total number of 50 required.

Next up was 100 walking lunges. Needless to say, I haven’t done more than a couple of lunges for anything other than a warmup in like, forever. This may have been the easiest part of the event for me.

After the lunges, it was a 1000 meter on the rowing machine. This was the most familiar part of the test for me. Back in my gym going days (about 10 years ago) I used the rower as my finisher for most of my workouts. It felt good to get on it and I actually felt stronger after completing it.

The hand release push-ups were next. I was confident that I could do the required 30 easily. Especially since I had decided beforehand that I would take it easy and break them into 10s just like I did with the broad jump burpees and the lunges. I was surprised how tough that second set of 10 felt, so I decided to break up the last set 5 by 5.

I was really over confident going into the next and last part of the event, the wall balls. I’ve done some of these back in my gym going days as well. I was confident that I could make up some time even though I’ve never done anywhere close to the required number of 100 reps. I scrolled up to a 16 pound ball trying to get a few extra breaths before starting with the first set of 10. By the time I was 40 reps in, I starting re-thinking things. After 50 reps, I had decided that I was going to finish the remaining 50 with a lighter ball. That’s when this guy comes by and asked me if I’m done. “I’m only halfway,” I said. “But I will be finishing with a lighter ball.” That’s when he gave me a verbal kick in the pants by saying “What did you expect this to be easy.” I said, “well, yes, I did think it was going to be easy.” I don’t remember what he said as he walked away, but I stayed with the 16 pounder, reached deep, and finished the remaining 50 reps.

It has been a long time since I’ve had to push my limits like that. A very long time. This event was just the what I needed to wake me out of all my comfortable workouts. I am unbelievably sore all over right now, but I loved every minute of it. I may be far from my best physical condition in my younger years, but the mental toughness it took to get it back then is still in me. Time to work harder.

Lot’s of room for improvement, and I’m more than okay with working hard to get better at it.