Guide
How do you get through the wall balls without stopping?
You get through the 100 wall balls by choosing fixed sets and holding them from the first set, with short, planned breaks. Do not start with one big set. The wall balls come last, and in research heart rate, lactate and perceived effort were highest there of the whole race. In an analysis of over 14,000 results, no station varied as much between athletes: a standard deviation of 2.02 minutes. So train them fatigued, after running.
In short
- 100 reps, full squat, ball against the target at 2.70 or 3.00 m.
- The hardest moment of the race, with the biggest spread in time.
- Pick fixed sets and short, planned breaks.
- Train wall balls after running, not only fresh.
- Chalk is not allowed here.
What are the rules of the wall balls?
You do 100 valid reps. According to the season 26/27 rulebook, every rep starts standing, with the ball in both hands. You squat until your hip is lower than your knee and throw the ball at the target with both hands.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Depth | Hip below the knee |
| Target | Women 2.70 m, men 3.00 m |
| After the throw | Catch and carry on, or let the ball drop and start again standing |
| After a bounce | Do not catch it and carry straight on |
| Chalk | Not allowed; 2-minute penalty |
| Shoes | You may take them off at your target |
| Division | Weight of the ball |
|---|---|
| Women Open | 4 kg |
| Men Open and Women Pro | 6 kg |
| Men Pro | 9 kg |
All weights per division are in Open or Pro. A rep that does not meet the rules is a no-rep. It does not count, so it costs you time.
Why are the wall balls so hard?
Because they are the last station, and you start them with a high heart rate. In the study by Brandt and colleagues (2025), heart rate, lactate and perceived effort were highest at the wall balls of the whole race. Maximum heart rate there was a median of 183 beats per minute, lactate 8.5 mmol/l and perceived effort 18 on the Borg scale of 6 to 20.
It is also the station where the differences are biggest. In a data analysis of over 14,000 results in Open men, from 15 races in 2024 and 2025, the wall balls had the biggest spread: a standard deviation of 2.02 minutes. Wall balls were also strongly linked to finish time. Rappelt and colleagues (2026) saw in seven seasons of Pro results that the wall balls were among the stations where placing shifted most relative to the final ranking.
How do you divide the 100 reps?
In fixed sets with short breaks. No study has tested the best set size for HYROX. Pick a set size you can repeat when fatigued and hold it until the end.
| Approach | How |
|---|---|
| Fixed sets | For example 10 × 10, with a short, planned break |
| Break | Hold the ball or let it drop, a few breaths, go |
| Counting | Count your sets, not your reps |
| Avoid no-reps | Better a bit slower with full depth than redoing a rep |
In Doubles, Benchmrk splits the wall balls into sets of 10, taking turns. More on tactics in Doubles at training for HYROX Doubles.
How do you train the wall balls?
Mostly fatigued. Throwing 100 wall balls fresh says little about how it goes after 7 kilometres and 7 stations. In the Benchmrk strength plan, this station has an EMOM: every minute 12 to 15 wall balls at race weight, for 10 minutes, plus 3 × 5 front squats.
| Training | Content |
|---|---|
| Strength | EMOM 10 min: 12–15 wall balls at race weight + 3 × 5 front squats |
| Sim, compromised phase | 750 m at race pace, straight followed by 75 wall balls |
| Compromised finisher | 3 × (2 min wall balls, straight into 1 km at race pace) |
| Dress rehearsal | 100 wall balls as the last station, at race weight |
How to build the sim is in building a HYROX simulation. The running before it is run 8, see run pacing.
What if you do not have a wall ball and target?
Use thrusters with a dumbbell or kettlebell, or squat-to-press with a backpack or sandbag. You miss the throwing and catching, but the movement and the fatigue are similar. More substitutes on training for HYROX without a HYROX gym.
How Benchmrk does it
If you say in the intake that wall balls are a weak station, you get a weekly EMOM at race weight with front squats. In the compromised phase, wall balls are in your sim or in the finisher after your threshold run. Your prediction shows how much time you lose at this station.
Frequently asked questions
How heavy is the wall ball in HYROX?
According to the rulebook, 4 kg for Women Open, 6 kg for Men Open and Women Pro, and 9 kg for Men Pro. Women throw at a target at 2.70 m, men at 3.00 m.
When does a wall ball not count?
If your hip does not go below your knee, if the ball does not hit the target, or if you catch the ball after a bounce and carry straight on. That is a no-rep.
In which sets do you do 100 wall balls?
Pick a set size you can hold when fatigued and stick to it. In Doubles Benchmrk swaps in sets of 10; solo, you train in the app with 12 to 15 reps per minute.
Can you use chalk on the wall balls?
No. Chalk is only allowed at the sled pull and the farmers carry. Chalk at the wall balls costs a 2-minute penalty.
Why are the wall balls so hard?
They come after 7 kilometres and 7 stations. In the first HYROX study, heart rate, lactate and perceived effort were highest there of the whole race.
Sources
- HYROX Singles Rulebook, season 26/27 (accessed on 22 October 2026)
- Brandt et al. (2025), Frontiers in Physiology (accessed on 22 October 2026)
- HYROX Sports Science Report 2025 (data analysis by Duffuler) (accessed on 22 October 2026)
- Rappelt et al. (2026), Longitudinal performance development in PRO and ELITE HYROX competitions, Frontiers in Physiology (accessed on 22 October 2026)