Mini-Series: This is Part 6 — Hybrid Training. Start with Part 1 — Rock Bottom Pattern, Part 2 — The Morning I Finally Listened to My Wife, Part 3 — First 30 Days, Part 4 — Nutrition Playbook, or Part 5 — Travel Without Rebound.

From Lifter to Hybrid: Enter HYROX

!Weekly template — hybrid v1
Caption: Two runs, three strength anchors, 2–3 station touches.

I loved the barbell. HYROX didn't care. It demanded engine + economy—run between stations, move load under fatigue, then run again. This is how I rebuilt my week from "lifter" to hybrid athlete without losing strength.

Quick scan (what's inside)

* Why hybrid: the constraints HYROX imposes
* Baseline → priorities: what my numbers said (pace, VO₂, VFA)
* Week template v1: runs, stations, strength anchors
* KPIs to track: simple targets that actually predict race day
* Progression rules + brick workouts that raised speed-endurance

Why hybrid wins (and pure lifting fails here)

HYROX is eight stations wrapped in 8× run laps. You need:

* Aerobic base (so the run isn't the limiter),
* Speed-endurance (so you can still produce force late), and
* Station economy (so technique—not adrenaline—pays the bills).

Strength alone stalls at Lap 3. Engine alone stalls at the sleds. Hybrid = both.

Baseline → Priorities (receipts that set the plan)

* Run pace (Mumbai build): ~7:11/km average → limiter.
* VO₂ Max: 36.8 (Aug 2025) → engine needs work.
* HYROX Mumbai recap (Sept 7): cramping at row, sled fatigue, carries/wall balls okay.
* Body comp: Early BCA (Mar) showed VFA ↓ 95→90; later DEXA VAT 92.2 cm² (Sept 18) → long-game goal <70 cm².

What this means:

1. Raise lactate threshold and build Z2 volume → unlock 6:xx/km.
2. Improve sled/lunge economy under fatigue → "free speed."
3. Keep strength anchors so power-to-weight climbs, not just weight loss.

Weekly Template v1 (the switch to hybrid)

(This is the skeleton I used; assistance rotated every 4–6 weeks.)

| Day | Focus | Key Work | Why it matters |
| ------- | ----------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| Mon | Push + Station Touch | Bench/OHP 4×6–8 → Wall Balls 5×20 | Upper strength + race patterning |
| Tue | Threshold Run | 5–6 × 1 km @ T-pace, 2:00 jog | Raises LT → 6:xx/km goal |
| Wed | Lower Strength + Thrusters | Back squat 4×6, RDL 3×8 → Thrusters 3×12 | Leg strength + systemic fatigue practice |
| Thu | Pull + Sled Skills | Row variants 4×8 → Sled Push/Pull 6×20 m | Technique under manageable fatigue |
| Fri | Z2 Long Run + Carries | 45–70 min easy + Farmer Carry ladder | Aerobic base + grip/posture under fatigue |
| Sat | Sport/Badminton | 60–120 min | Footwork, agility, fun volume |
| Sun | Optional mobility / easy play | 20–30 min | Recovery & durability |

Two guardrails:

* No heroics on Z2. Keep HR where you can nose-breathe.
* Sleds technique first: low-friction strides, rigid torso, short drive cycles.

Station Priorities (diamond moves & cues)

!Station KPIs — sled/lunge/wall ball
Caption: Distance × sets × rest — progression you can see.

Sled Push/Pull

Loads: progress by volume → distance → load* (not load first).
* Cues: hips under pad, "short pistons" steps, elbows stacked; for pull—sit into harness, don't shrug, long pulls with quick rebounds.
* KPI: 8×20 m push + 8×20 m pull at race load with ≤60 s rest, RPE ≤8.

Walking Lunges

* Cues: vertical shin at plant, knee track over 2nd toe, torso tall.
* KPI: 200 m unbroken at comp load (or 2–3 sets), HR stays sub-red.

Row/Ski (500 m bites)

* Cues: legs → hips → arms; return in twice the drive speed; keep rate 24–28.
* KPI: 4×500 m @ race pace with ≤60 s rest, split stable (±2 s).

Wall Balls

* Cues: heels down, eyes up, exhale at toss; use a set-break pattern (e.g., 20-20-15-15-10-10-10).
* KPI: 100 reps at race weight in ≤6 sets, HR drift ≤5 bpm.

Carries (Farmer/Sandbag)

* Cues: ribs down, "zipper" line compact, quick small steps.
* KPI: Farmer 200 m total at 32 kg bells, pace steady.

Running: what changed to 6:xx/km

!Threshold vs Z2 — simple plan
Caption: One quality day + one easy volume day. That's it.

Two levers only:

1. Threshold intervals (T-pace 1 km reps) → nudge pace/HR boundary.
2. Z2 long run (45–70 min) → build economy and recovery.

8-week progression sample (Tuesdays)

* Wk1–2: 5×1 km @ T, 2:00 jog
* Wk3–4: 6×1 km @ T, 2:00 jog
* Wk5–6: 4×1 km @ T, 1:30 jog + 4×200 m relaxed fast
* Wk7–8: 3×1.5 km @ T, 2:00 jog

Fridays (Z2)

* Start 45–50 min → add 5–10 min every other week → cap ~75 min.
* Add 6–8×20 s strides (full walkback) after easy runs for mechanics.

Brick Workouts (race specificity without frying you)

!Brick workout flow
Caption: Run → Station → Run. Form under breathing, not PR chasing.

Run → Station → Run, moderate RPE, clean technique.

Brick A (once/fortnight)

* 1 km @ T → Sled Push 3×20 m → 1 km @ T → Sled Pull 3×20 m → 1 km @ T

Brick B (once/fortnight)

* 800 m steady → 200 m lunges (broken) → 800 m steady → 30 wall balls × 3 sets

Rules: Keep bricks sub-max, focus on form under breathing, not PRs.

Monitoring & progression (don't wing it)

* Pace table: log every interval split; aim for ±3 s consistency.
* Station log: distance × sets × rest; reduce rest first, then add distance, then load.
* HR notes: Z2 sessions should trend lower HR at same pace across weeks.
* Race rehearsal: 1 simulation every 2–3 weeks in build; never weekly.

If / Then (training safeguards)

* If knee pain ≥3/10 on lunges, then switch to reverse lunges or split squats and keep volume.
* If HR drifts >10 bpm in Z2 after 20 min, then slow pace or shorten by 10–15 min this week.
* If sled feels like glue, then drop 10–15% load and tighten form; rebuild distance before re-loading.
* If sleep <6 h, then swap threshold for easy 30–40 min + mobility.

Data Card — Hybrid Build (paste into post)

* Limiter → Plan: Run pace ~7:11/km → 1× threshold + 1× Z2 weekly
* Strength anchors: Push / Lower / Pull (4×6–8 core lifts)
* Stations (priority): Sleds → Lunges → Wall Balls → Carries
* Bricks: A/B alternating, sub-max, technique-led
* Targets: VO₂ ↑ from 36.8; VAT toward <70 cm²; 6:xx/km steady

Why this works

* Threshold + Z2 moves your whole curve right—better pace at lower HR.
* Station economy converts strength into repeatable work.
Bricks teach your body to run after* stations—the real HYROX skill.
* Guardrails keep you training instead of rehabbing.

CTA

If you're a lifter stepping into HYROX, copy this hybrid template for 6–8 weeks. Track interval splits, station rest, and Z2 HR drift. Post your Week-1 KPIs—I'll help set Week-2 targets.

Next 1–3 actions (today)

1. Build your week: put Tue threshold and Fri Z2 in the calendar first, then place strength/stations around them.
2. Choose 2 station KPIs (e.g., sled 8×20 m with ≤60 s rest; wall balls 100 reps ≤6 sets) and log them.
3. Schedule one Brick A in the next 10 days—sub-max, perfect form.