How New York-Area Fitness Brands Are Capitalizing on the Hyrox Boom 

Local enthusiasm for Hyrox’s upcoming two-weekend event in New York City is strong, with fitness operators big and small seeing a boost from simulated events, official partnerships and group training programs

Global fitness-racing phenomenon Hyrox is coming to the United States’ biggest city for a massive two-weekend, eight-day event starting at the end of May, marking Hyrox’s third annual race in New York City.

In the Big Apple, local boutique studios and large fitness franchises alike are gearing up to prepare members and stoke enthusiasm in anticipation of the competition.

Athletech News spoke with fitness operators big and small to understand the scope of Hyrox’s takeover of the NYC area, with race-day enthusiasm inspiring simulated events, official partnerships and hybrid training programs to get members and participants ready for race day.

Local Studios See Attendance Boosts From Hyrox Programs 

Manhattan-based strength and conditioning studio Tone House saw the potential of Hyrox from the moment the competition entered the Big Apple’s market, its president James McMillan told ATN

“Once we saw the energy around Hyrox in NYC, we knew there was an opportunity to help athletes prepare at a higher level through structured conditioning and performance training,” he said.

McMillan said the brand’s race-specific program, which features a Hyrox strength class and a Hyrox conditioning class, has been popular among members, who enjoy the dual strength and endurance challenge and a goal to work towards — on top of that, the programming drew in “a new audience of athletes looking for performance-based training instead of traditional fitness classes.”

Leading into the race itself, Tone House is planning a community social event in partnership with Impact Kitchen, a fast-growing chain of nutrition-focused restaurants, to bring athletes together beforehand.

“A lot of people come into Hyrox carrying nerves and pressure, especially first timers, so we wanted to create an environment where seasoned competitors can share tips, experiences and motivation with newer athletes,” McMillan said. “It’s less about intensity and more about community, recovery, education and helping people feel prepared both physically and mentally before stepping onto the race floor.”

Across the river in New Jersey, Signature Fitness hosted a Hyrox race simulation at its gym on May 2 to really give members a taste of what the competition will feel like when it arrives in just a matter of days.

The club already had CrossFit integrated into its programming, making it easy to fold in Hyrox and launch its first race simulation last year. Since incorporating Hyrox-specific classes, the brand has seen a jump in membership and engagement, according to its director of Hyrox training Pablo Aymar.

“It’s actually our fastest-growing department,” Aymar told ATN, noting that Hyrox classes consistently fill up quickly. 

“We get a lot more drop-ins,” he added. “Let’s say somebody’s training for New York City, and they’re in the area for a week. They notice that we’re an affiliate, they drop in, or you have people moving into the area and they’re interested in that training, and our memberships have significantly jumped because of Hyrox.”

Signature’s simulation features all official Hyrox equipment with 7 of the 8 race-day stations and 500-meter instead of 1000-meter runs. Aymar said signups maxed out at 130 this year, nearly triple last year’s 50.

Aymar noted that Signature’s programming is set up in training blocks that help athletes prepare and progress for specific Hyrox events, including a cycle this year that helped athletes get ready for the NYC race. Moving forward, he anticipates expanding the program further and extending class times to make members feel all the more ready to compete.

Back in Manhattan, Chelsea Piers Fitness — an official Hyrox affiliate and one of the Northeast’s fastest-growing luxury gym operators — is offering its own training ecosystem to support all aspects of Hyrox prep, from strength and conditioning to mobility and recovery amenities to keep athletes fresh. 

National Brands Create Hyrox-Themed Classes & Content  

Major operators and nationally known fitness brands are also tapping into the NYC community ahead of Hyrox, including Orangetheory, which has been growing its Hyrox affiliation steadily across locations..

“We have seen increased engagement since introducing Hyrox-style training,” Orangetheory Farmingdale head coach Melissa Neglia told ATN. “There is also growing buy-in at the studio level, with more locations becoming Hyrox affiliates, which reflects strong member interest in this type of programming.”

The brand has increasingly incorporated Hyrox-style training into its existing classes, catering to specific events like Hyrox NYC by building training cycle structures that help members progress toward their goal.

“The combination of strength and endurance in one program resonates, and we are seeing that translate into more frequent visits and overall participation,” Neglia explained. “It is less about completely changing the model and more about refining how we incorporate strength and endurance in a way that prepares members for real-world performance.”

Neglia noted that when people have that specific Hyrox race in mind, they’re more intentional and consistent with their training — leading to greater member retention and a boost in club visits.

“The goal is to give members the confidence that they can train for something like Hyrox within the Orangetheory framework,” she continued. “At the same time, we see this as part of a bigger opportunity to connect members to events and experiences that keep them motivated and engaged over the long term.”

F45 Training also maintains a robust NYC community as an official Hyrox partner, two years ago inking a deal that offered members worldwide Hyrox workouts, preferential access to races and exclusive ‘Hyrox x F45 Training Run Clubs.’ This year, though, the brand unveiled its own hybrid competition in partnership with Red Bull.

Peloton also has a strong presence around race day in NYC. The connected fitness giant partnered with Hyrox to become its official digital training partner earlier this year, following up with a 12-week training plan in February to help members prepare for the May event.

The 12-week program mirrors Hyrox’s race format, which combines repeated 1K runs with functional strength stations including sled pushes, sled pulls and wall balls. The program features top instructors Robin Arzón and Andy Speer — both certified Hyrox performance coaches — alongside Adrian Williams, Alex Karwoski, Ash Pryor, Chelsea Jackson Roberts, Joslyn Thompson Rule and Logan Aldridge.

“It’s exciting to see a practical application in a race environment of what our members have been doing for years,” Arzón told ATN earlier this year. “For the hybrid athlete who loves to run, lift, and push limits: this is the future.”