The Rox-Coach here. Axel Bertrel and Tom Prioux, you stepped onto the Toulouse floor as a French HYROX PRO DOUBLES duo and walked off with a solid 43rd overall—top 7% of 585 athletes. That’s a strong showing, especially in a field this deep. Let’s break down what you did well, where you can push harder, and exactly how to train for the next rounds. Time to translate potential into podium-ready consistency. 💪

Overall Performance

Pacing & profile: You demonstrated a clean running profile inside a hybrid race. Your total running time was 29:37, which is faster than average by 0:35, indicating you’re more runner than pure strength athlete. Your best running lap was 3:38, showing that you can push steady tempo when fresh and stay efficient through the mid-race. In short, you’re a strong runner who can lean into the strength obstacles without losing your running rhythm.
Strength segments vs. running segments: Several strength blocks came up a bit slower than the average for your finish time, notably Sled Pull (3:34), Sled Push (2:02), Farmers Carry (1:48), and Sandbag Lunges (3:01). Wall Balls and Ski Erg showed solid or better-than-average performance in context, with Wall Balls particularly impressive at 3:27 (4th percentile reference but relative to your field; fast transitions between workouts matter). Roxzone (the time spent between exercises) finished at 3:51, slightly better than average by about 28 seconds, which indicates efficient transitions overall but still room to tighten. Overall, you’re showing a strong runner-base with room to elevate the strength segments to match your running pace.
Consistency & endurance: The split pattern shows consistent running times across laps, which is a sign of good aerobic capacity and pacing control. The best running lap (03:38) plus several sub-4-minute running segments suggest you can sustain high-intensity running while staying economically efficient on transitions.
Team dynamics: In doubles, shared pacing and teamwork matter. Your aggregate consistency reflects disciplined communication and pacing between you two, but there’s clear room to optimize how you distribute effort across the tougher strength blocks so you don’t bleed time on the sleds and carries while you’re fatigued from burpees, row, or wall balls.
Motivation & mindset: You’re aligned with the grind—like the Goggins/Willink mindset: stay disciplined, stay hard, and push through the tough parts. You’ll need that mental edge in the next races, especially when fatigue compounds across the later stations. Stay lean, stay sharp, and don’t let a tough sled or a long carry derail your rhythm.

Segments & Race Analysis

Running performance: You’re clearly comfortable as a runner; your overall running time is ahead of the average, and the pace through Running 1–Running 4 shows a stable, methodical tempo. The early running lap was especially strong (3:04), indicating you can set a sharp pace from the start. However, as you progressed, some sections slowed slightly relative to the average (Running 5 and Running 8 show small upticks). Use that as a cue to preserve speed on the later runs and not let the fatigue from strength blocks erode your running form.
Sled segments (Push & Pull): The sled sections were among the slower portions, with Sled Push at 2:02 (+0:11 vs average) and Sled Pull at 3:34 (+0:15). This suggests a need to optimize posterior-chain engagement, hip extension, and transfer of power from legs to the sled. It’s common to see fatigue creep into indirect power moves here; you did not crash, but those times tell you where to sharpen technique and muscular endurance specifically.
Farmers Carry: 1:48 (+0:20) placed you in a slower tier for this station. Farmers Carry is a grip-core-breathing bottleneck. If your grip or core fatigues, you’ll lose torso stiffness and shoulder control, which slightly slows your carry and can ripple into subsequent movements.
Sandbag Lunges: 3:01 (+0:14) highlight a leg-dominant endurance demand and potential stability constraints in the lunge pattern when fatigued. It’s a station where you can really tune hip-knee alignment and core bracing to keep the torso square and the pelvis steady.
Burpees Broad Jump (BBJ) & Wall Balls: BBJ at 2:25 (+0:16) and Wall Balls at 3:27 (−0:14 relative to average) show you’re capable of explosive, dynamic movements and rapid transition; BBJ is an area where a more explosive hip drive and quicker rep transitions can shave seconds, while Wall Balls were a bright spot—keep this efficiency as a model for other power stations.
Roxzone: 3:51 (−00:28 vs average) shows you’re shaving time in transitions overall, which is a real strength in a doubles format. Small improvements here compound across the whole course, so continue to practice exact transition sequences and breathing patterns between stations.

Segments to Improve

Below are the focus areas with quantified improvement targets. For each, you’ll find the potential improvement, how to train it, and the rationale tied to your current performance. The percentages reflect where you should devote training emphasis to drive the biggest gains, taking into account your running strength and the relative impact of each station on your total time.

Sled Pull — Potential Improvement: 00:33 (From 03:34 to 03:01), Focus during training: 18%
- Why it matters: A faster sled pull translates to a direct reduction in your Roxzone and overall time, particularly when fatigue is setting in. Pulls engage your posterior chain and mid-back endurance; a cleaner pull reduces inefficiencies when your legs are tired from the running and other stations.
- Training plan: 2x/week, 4–6 sets of 40–60 m sled pulls with moderate-to-heavy resistance (progress to ~60–80% bodyweight). Emphasize hip hinge, chest up, elbows tight, and full hip extension at finish. Include resisted sled pulls with a tempo pattern: 2 seconds push, 1 second hold, 2 seconds return. Add incline sled pulls on a treadmill or hill to simulate fatigue and maintain form. Accessory work: Romanian deadlifts (3–4x6), back extensions (3x12), and hip thrusts (4x8) to strengthen posterior chain; finish with grip variations (towel hangs, farmer carry hold) to ensure you don’t lose grip as you drag the sled.
- Technique cues: 1) Push the ground away with the hips, not just arms; 2) keep the torso rigid, avoid torso rotation; 3) look forward to maintain a neutral spine; 4) exhale on the drive to maintain intra-abdominal tension through the set.
- Post-exercise integration: Immediately after sled work, perform 3–5 minutes of light jogging or brisk walking to flush fatigue and rehearse transitions into the next station. This helps you preserve running rhythm even after a heavy sled session.
Burpees Broad Jump (BBJ) — Potential Improvement: 00:31 (From 02:25 to 01:54), Focus during training: 17%
- Why it matters: BBJ is a choke point for overall transition time between forced cardio and leg-power stations. Improving power and foot placement in the broad jump, plus reducing transition time from burpee to jump, will shave seconds on multiple workouts.
- Training plan: 2x/week BBJ power sets: 5–6 rounds of 6 burpees into maximal broad jump, with 20–30 seconds rest. Emphasize minimal wasted motion: jump height controlled by ankle/knee extension, quick reset between reps. Add depth-jump progressions (box jump variations) for reactive power. Supplement with plyometrics: small bounds, lateral hurdle hops to improve ground contact time and landing mechanics for stability.
- Technique cues: Keep hands down (to minimize movement lag pre-landing); maintain a tight core; land softly and re-accelerate immediately; aim for a consistent jump distance while maintaining pace through the burpees.
- Post-exercise integration: Practice 1-minute light jogs between rounds to keep the system oxygenating and to tighten the cadence into the next running segment.
Farmers Carry — Potential Improvement: 00:28 (From 01:48 to 01:20), Focus during training: 15%
- Why it matters: This is a grip and core stability bottleneck. Better carry mechanics and grip endurance can cut seconds and preserve running form after the carry.
- Training plan: 2x/week, 60–100 m carries with heavy handles (towards 70–90% of max). Use fat grips to promote forearm endurance, switch between heavy and moderate loads, maintain upright torso, and avoid abrupt shoulder fatigue. Implement timed carries where you accumulate distance under fatigue. Add isometric holds (static farmer carries) to build stiffness and scapula stabilization. Include forearm-strength work: wrist curls, reverse curls, and static hangs (progress to farmer carry grip holds).
- Technique cues: Brace core hard, keep pelvis square, elbows tucked, and maintain a neutral spine. Short, deliberate steps with controlled breathing help manage fatigue and keep your breathing under control while you hold weight.
- Post-exercise integration: 1–2 minutes of slow walking to recover, followed by a brief stride-run to re-establish running rhythm without abrupt cessation.
Sled Push — Potential Improvement: 00:27 (From 02:02 to 01:35), Focus during training: 14%
- Why it matters: A more efficient push translates to less time under load and less energy drain before the next station. It’s a bridge between strength and endurance, especially in doubles where pacing must be precise.
- Training plan: 3–4 sets of 60–80 m sled pushes with progressive resistance, focusing on fast starts and controlled finishes. Add tempo pushing with 2 seconds drive, 2 seconds hold, 2 seconds return to the start line. Include sprint-to-fatigue sets: 6–8 efforts with the sled at 60–70% max; rest 60 seconds between, to simulate racing fatigue. Include core bracing drills ( Pallof press, suitcase carries) to improve trunk stability during the push.
- Technique cues: Keep the chest up, hips low but not slouched, and drive through the heels. Maintain a strong brace and minimal upper-body sway; use the arms to guide but not pull the sled sideways.
Sandbag Lunges — Potential Improvement: 00:27 (From 03:01 to 02:34), Focus during training: 14%
- Why it matters: Lunge endurance and stability are critical as fatigue accumulates. Improving load distribution and knee alignment will reduce wasted energy and help you finish strong in the later running segments.
- Training plan: 2x/week, 4 sets of 8–12 lunges per leg with sandbag (or bag held at shoulder); alternate between stationary and walking lunges to build dynamic control. Add tempo work: 3 seconds down, 1 second up, with a pause at the bottom for 0.5 seconds. Increase load gradually as you become more comfortable. Integrate single-leg RDLs and glute-ham raises to reinforce knee health and hip stability.
- Technique cues: Keep the torso tall, knee tracking over the toes, front foot flat. Control the descent to avoid knee valgus; brace the core to maintain pelvis alignment.
Ski Erg — Potential Improvement: 00:16 (From 03:46 to 03:30), Focus during training: 8%
- Why it matters: The Ski Erg is a high-output station that benefits immensely from efficient technique and optimal breathing. A small time drop here compounds across the race and supports your running intensity later.
- Training plan: 2x/week, 4–6 blocks of 60–90 seconds at steady pace with controlled cadence (aim ~38–42 strokes per minute). Focus on a strong catch, double-pole technique, and minimal wasted movement. Include technique sessions with a coach or video feedback to refine posture, torso rotation, and stroke timing. Add longer endurance rows as a conditional adaptation to maintain energy systems across the day.
- Technique cues: Neutral spine, shoulders relaxed, core braced. Use a strong hip-rotation-driven stroke with consistent breathing; exhale during the drive phase to avoid chest tightness and to maintain cadence.

Race Strategies

Pace planning for Toulouse doubles: Start controlled on Running 1 to avoid an early spike that could sap energy from strength blocks. Your early lap (3:04) shows you can set a strong start if you manage energy correctly; aim to keep Running 1–4 around 3:10–3:40 per segment, with a deliberate plan to ramp into Running 5–6–7 as fatigue accrues. Your final Running 8 at 4:01 suggests you have some reserve left; target finishing the last two runs with a strong tempo rather than a drop in pace.
Transitions (Roxzone) management: With Roxzone around 3:51, you’re already efficient here, but shaving even 10–15 seconds per transition compounds to significant time savings. Practice quick station-to-station choreography: station approach, equipment pickup, belt/strap setup, breath/brace, and a purposeful exit cadence. Consider a “two-breath cadence” at each transition: inhale on contact, exhale as you drive into the next exercise. In doubles, synchronize your partner’s pacing during transitions to minimize idle time on the floor.
Station-specific pacing: For sled segments, plan the push/pull to last roughly 45–60 seconds per 60–80 m block. If a station feels heavy in the moment, use a temporary tempo reduction in the early portion to preserve form and speed later in the set (avoid crashing into a wall of fatigue mid-way).
Breath control under fatigue: Implement nasal-breathing at easy intervals and switch to mouth-breathing during high-intensity blocks to maximize oxygen delivery. Use a quick diaphragmatic breath-through in the transitions to stabilize heart rate before the next station.
Nutrition and recovery rhythm on race day: Light, digestible fueling before the event, and a mimic of your race-day breakfast during training to ensure GI comfort. Emphasize sleep quality in the week prior to the next race and restructure training to avoid high-intensity load the night before a strength-heavy session.

Conclusion

Axel and Tom, you’re a sharp, durable runner duo who can match strong strength blocks with controlled transitions. You’ve shown the capacity to push pace on the run and hold form on many stations. The key next steps are to elevate your sled-pull, sled-push, farmer’s carry, sandbag lunges, and BBJ with targeted, disciplined strength endurance work while preserving your running speed. The plan is to attack these segments with a focused, progressive program that compounds gains across the race day.

Next races on the horizon (for planning and momentum):

Biotherm HYROX Barcelona – 2026-05-14 – L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
Creapure HYROX Lyon – 2026-05-20 – Chassieu, France
Maybelline HYROX Paris Grand Palais – 2026-04-23 – Paris, France

In terms of timeline, Barcelona and Lyon are ideal test-beds for the Sled, Carry, and Lunge improvements, while Paris provides a high-stakes, iconic stage to showcase your endurance and strength gains. Your path is clear: sharpen the sled segments, lock in the grip, maintain running efficiency, and treat transitions as a weapon rather than a neutral pause in the race. As we push forward, remember: “Stay hard. Stay smart. Keep grinding.” And if you feel the legs begging for mercy, tell them the truth: “The body follows the mind.”

To close with a little Hyrox humor—because if you can laugh at a wall ball drop, you’ve already won half the battle: the wall ball might be heavy, but your attitude is heavier. And in doubles, the other half is making sure your teammate doesn’t call you out for breaking rhythm. The rhythm is yours to own. Let’s bring this home, team. 💥

Coach note: This report uses the Toulouse data you provided. For future cycles, I’ll tailor even more precise numbers to your evolving splits once you have more races in your log. The goal is to push your Weakness-to-Strength conversion time down from weeks to days.

The Rox-Coach