HYROX Vs Deadly Dozen (Track Race)- Which is harder? Which race should you choose?
I raced at ‘Deadly Dozen’ (DD) last Saturday in Leicester. I loved the race and since doing it I have had a lot of people show an interest in what it is and whether they should enter it. As such, I have decided to write a blog post outlining the similarities and differences with HYROX and Deadly Dozen.
Please note this blog is based off the ‘Deadly Dozen’ track race. ‘Deadly Dozen’ also do a gym based races which doesn’t include running at all and is stations only, but for the sake of this blog I am only focussing on the track races as this is what I have experience with.
HYROX (photo source- hyrox.com)
Both races require athletes to do both running and strength exercises. HYROX is an accumulation of 8km and 8 different workout stations (see left). You can see the full breakdown here .
Deadly Dozen (photo source- deadlydozen.com)
DD is an accumulation of 4.8km and 12 different workout stations (known as ‘labours’). See left an example of the exercises (male weights shown). You can see the full breakdown here.
HYROX is most often done indoors (bar a handful of exceptions). DD track race is done outdoors.
Deadly Dozen is less running volume
DD is less running volume (4.8km), compared to HYROX (8km).
Both HYROX and Deadly Dozen are ‘beginner-friendly’ in that the exercises required to do have a relatively low skill level
Don’t mistaken ‘low skill level’ for ‘easy’. What I mean by low skill level is that with training, they are movements that most people are able to do. Both races are accessible to most.
Both HYROX and DD can be done solo/pairs/mixed
With HYROX, the ‘male open’ category lift heavier weights than the ‘female open’ category, but the same weights as the ‘female pro’ category. The male pro category lift even heavier.
With DD, there is no ‘open’ or ‘pro’ category. There is a ‘female’ and ‘male’ category. Mixed category lift the ‘male’ category weights.
HYROX Stations Vs Deadly Dozen Stations
From a personal point of view, I find ‘Deadly Dozen’ weights on the stations easier. However, I do come at it from an angle of someone who has trained HYROX Women Pro weights for the last 3 years and those weights are grim.
Comparable to the ‘open’ category of HYROX, the difficulty is more similar.
‘Deadly Dozen’ felt more taxing on my upper body than HYROX.
I can’t comment on the male weights for Deadly Dozen, but some of them weights look savage!
Which is the tougher race?
This largely depends on how you race it and also what category you compete in.
You might look at ‘Deadly Dozen’ on paper and think it is more of a doddle as it is 400m at a time and not 1km. However, if you are going to really push that 400m run then it wont be long until you are on your next station again…your heart rate will be suffering and it’ll feel tough.
As with anything though, the more you train the exercises, the more efficient you will become and the better you can execute them during the race. As a coach, I am constantly reminding clients of small adjustments that make a huge difference in both ‘HYROX’ and ‘Deadly Dozen’.
My personal opinion is that ‘HYROX’ feels harder than ‘Deadly Dozen’, but again I compete in the HYROX pro category and so of course the weights are going to feel more taxing.
Having said that, bear crawl is a tough station in DD and I was in a good position for DD in that I was familiar with the majority of the ‘labours’/stations due to having done them before in training. I imagine for individuals who have never done these exercises before and who’s body isn’t used to them, then it’ll be tougher. However, it goes back to what I was saying…if you train it then you’ll adapt and it’ll start to feel easier.
From a time standpoint, I would expect the average DD time to be faster than the HYROX time. Some people online compare DD to more like a 10km race and HYROX more like a ‘half marathon’.
I am a beginner, which should I race?
To answer this question we’d need to discuss timeframes and where your current fitness is at. However, with a bit of training behind you I am sure you can do either!
If you are someone who has to be cautious with running volume, then go for ‘Deadly Dozen’.
If you are someone who is sensitive to noise and being overstimulated then go for ‘Deadly Dozen’.
If you are someone who likes the HYROX stations more than DD then go for HYROX.
If you are someone who likes the look of the DD stations more than HYROX, then go for DD.
Ultimately, you need to enjoy the process of training, so may as well select the race you think you’d enjoy more.
If you want to try HYROX and see if you are capable, but a full HYROX feels too much right now then set your sights on a ‘half hyrox’. I host monthly ‘Half HYROX’ simulations at ‘Pyramid Performance’, Stockport SK3 0AB. This is half the HYROX distance (4km) and half the stations distances. You can view more information here.
Perhaps Deadly Dozen is the race for you to do during the summer
With the UK HYROX season generally ending between X and Oct, Deadly Dozen provides a race to focus your training on throughout summer. With it being outside, the main drawback is if it rains the exercises are on grass and it can become slippery. I wore Adidas evo sl trainers in my race and it had rained the night before and it was slippery. I would recommend a more trail based shoe or at least a shoe with grip for if the grass is wet.
All in all, I hope you found this blog a useful read. If you would like any help with coaching towards one of these races then don’t hesitate to reach out. You can message me here or via my instagram.
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