The Hybrid Games: A Hyrox Spin Off?

Yes and No... on paper the Hybrid Games appears to have taken the Hyrox race format, & aside from a couple of tweaks simply copy & pasted in an attempt to capture spill over demand that Hyrox have missed. The reality was slighlty different & the devil lies in the details - not just the devil bike!

What sets The Hybrid Games apart?

The Race Format

• Shortened the runs to 600m (albeit x 10 of them)

• A 200m sprint finish to the finish line - brutal but exciting!

• The devil / ASS / assault bike - 50 cals on this beast for the first exercise seemed daunting but it really wasn't as bad as anticipated

• Snatches a great addition in my opinion & nice to have something a teeny bit more technical but equally doable

• Ski and sled push as the last two stations is TOUGH!

  
  

I expected the runs to be short & fast but in reality due to the larger station portion I spent the first lap of the runs recovering my HR and the second lap at a normal run threshold pace. All in all my expectations looking at the Hybrid Games race format on paper was very different to my actual experience.

The Vibe

Does The Hybrid Games have a culture

Walking into the Olympia arena, where I've previously done two Hyrox races, it was hard not to be underwhelmed. As a smaller organisation there simply wasn't that wow presence walking in. However it's kind of obvious and to be expected. These guys have only organised 3 events to date... give them a break I told myself. Imagine Hyrox on their 3rd ever race. I started to pay attention to what they were doing differently in order to differentiate themselves from Hyrox and I started to soak up the Hybrid Games culture...

There were a few things that stood out:

• The judges seemed confident and friendly. There were many head judges in white T-shirt who have industry experience and this really showed. Also the judges were excited to be there. Quite far from the experience I've had at some Hyrox races.

• The DJ' was putting on a serious show. This wasn't just general background fitness festival vibes there was constant stream of bangers that kept the energy up throughout.

• The sled tracks were spaced out with deliberate gaps in between each piece of turf. This was a thoughtful action to prevent turf bubbling - an issue that many have experienced or witness online with regards to Hyrox races. Sure enough the sleds felt smooth - although the sled as the last station felt like a tank that wouldn't shift - I can only blame that on my lack of practicing sleds at the end of my workouts!

Takeaway

Should you do The Hybrid Games?

The Hybrid Games is certainly no match for Hyrox as it stands, although you should still consider doing one. It's similar enough in terms of endurance demands and length so you get a cross-training benefit. It also opens your eyes to the importance of station order on fatigue. It's cheaper, easier to get tickets to and the shorter runs & overall longer station time will appeal to the stronger & less run obsessed individual! They also give out free spectator tickets so you can bring your family and friends along to enjoy the ride without additional faff. Considering they've put on less than a handful of races, you've got to hand it to them. The Hybrid Games is certainly not one to judge by the cover! Go find out for yourselves!

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with The Hybrid Games UK, this is an impartial review and honest opinion based on my recent experience as a participant.

Ross, 28th Nov 2025.