Mastering the ERGs for HYROX: The SkiErg & RowErg Guide Every Athlete Needs (ft. James Hall)

If you’ve ever stepped into a HYROX race and thought, “Why does the SkiErg feel so easy in training but so evil on race day?” — you’re not alone.

The ERGs are small pieces of the overall time, but they have an outsized impact on your heart rate, fatigue, and ability to actually run well between stations. And if your damper settings or stroke rates are even a little off? Yeah… they’ll let you know.

In our latest episode of the RMR Training Podcast, we sat down with world-record erg machine James Hall to break down everything HYROX athletes get wrong about the SkiErg and RowErg — and how to finally fix it.

This is your full guide. Save it, share it with your training partner, and let’s get you more efficient, faster, and calmer on race day.

Why ERG Strategy Matters More Than You Think

Most HYROX athletes fall into one of two camps:

1️⃣ Try to smash the ERGs like they're sprint tests
2️⃣ Go so easy they lose free time out of fear of blowing up

James offers a better path:
Use the ERGs as controlled, efficient engines — not hero moments, not rest breaks.

When you get them right, you:

• Keep your heart rate under control
• Save your legs for the sleds and runs
• Stay mentally composed in the chaos
• Pick up free time without burning matches

ERG discipline isn’t sexy, but it wins races.

The SkiErg: Stroke Rate, Damper, and the “Green Zone” You Keep Missing

Let’s start with the big one: slow, heavy, powerful strokes do NOT automatically mean “more efficient.”

You've seen the videos:
30 strokes per minute vs 60 strokes per minute — same pace.
The internet loves to say low SPM is better.

James says… not really.

The Truth About Stroke Rate

• 30 SPM → too heavy, too long, too much muscular fatigue
• 60 SPM → too frantic, too cardiovascularly expensive
• 40–48 SPM → the sweet spot for most HYROX athletes

Enough speed to keep the flywheel moving.
Enough control to stay relaxed.

What About Damper Setting?

Most people are way too high.

James recommends:

• Men: Start around 5–6, some even lower
• Women: Many should be 1–2, especially lighter athletes

HYROX isn’t a max-power ski test. You don’t need to bully the machine.
You need to get through the resistance quickly and rhythmically.

Fix Your Technique in 10 Seconds

Stop squatting. Start hinging.

That’s it.

The moment you turn the SkiErg into a squat workout, you’re donating your running legs to the pain gods. The SkiErg should feel like a controlled, athletic hinge — load, hit, release. No grinding. No dragging the handles into your ankles.

Find your green zone and stay there.

RowErg: The Station Everyone Gets Wrong in HYROX

Here’s a spicy take: The rower is not where you should be suffering.

It’s the midpoint of the race. Your legs are cooked. The sleds are still waiting.
You need to move fast without giving away precious energy.

Stroke Rate Reality Check

Most HYROX athletes row too low.

• 26–30 SPM is the money range for most people
• Lower stroke rates = heavier pulls = more leg fatigue
• A slightly higher rate = lighter strokes = easier to sustain

Meg even rows ~31 SPM when she’s in rhythm — and she’s one of the best in the world.

Damper / Drag Factor

Standard elite rowing drag factor sits around:

• Men: ~130
• Women: ~120

For HYROX? You probably don’t need to go any higher.
Even James — with multiple world records — only goes slightly up for max-power tests.

In a race environment, lighter drag keeps your strokes snappy and repeatable.

Pacing the ERGs: The Science is Simple

James breaks it down beautifully:

• HYROX SkiErg pace should land around your 5K run effort, not a death sprint
• RowErg pace should typically be 2K pace + 10 seconds per 500m
• Both machines should feel strong but controlled — not like you're hunting PRs

If your HR spikes early, you're cooked for the next mile.
Dial it down. Stay in control. You're racing 8K, not 800m.

Should You Train ERGs or Just Do Sims?

This part might save your whole season:

Single-modality ERG training builds your engine way better than random HYROX sims.

Sims have a purpose — especially early on to understand transitions — but they shouldn’t be the backbone of your program.

Instead:

• SkiErg intervals
• RowErg aerobic blocks
• Threshold work
• Long steady efforts

These build aerobic power without beating up your joints.

Sims = sharpening
ERGs = evolving your fitness

The Conversation HYROX Needed — Judging, Doping, and Fairness

Meg shares openly that she’s had:

• A head judge assigned to her every race
• Out-of-race doping tests
• Protocol changes through the elite license program

HYROX is tightening the screws — in a good way.
Cleaner sport. More consistent standards. Better integrity at the top.

As the sport grows, this stuff matters.

Efficiency Wins Races

If you want to stop blowing up in HYROX, start here:

• Ski lighter and smoother
• Row faster and easier
• Keep your HR under control
• Build your engine with deliberate ERG training
• Stop guessing your damper and stroke rate
• Treat the machines as rhythm stations, not hero attempts

Do this consistently and your whole race changes.

Ready to Go Deeper? Listen to the Full Episode

🎧 Listen to the full RMR Training Podcast episode here

If this helped, share it with a training partner who’s still skiing at damper 9. They need it.

If you want structured HYROX training that takes all the guesswork out of pacing, ERGs, strength work, and race strategy… we’ve got you.

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