HYROX SkiErg Test: How to Calculate VO₂max Power and Training Zones

The SkiErg is one of the most decisive HYROX stations. Whether you’re an endurance athlete or coming from a strength background, your ability to maintain a strong, efficient HYROX SkiErg pace has a big impact on overall race time. Understanding your VO₂max power and threshold zones is essential if you want to pace the SkiErg correctly and avoid blowing up before the run.

That’s where the ENDUROX SkiErg Zones Calculator comes in. With a simple 5-minute SkiErg time trial, you can accurately estimate your VO₂max output, establish your threshold power, and set SkiErg-specific training zones to guide your HYROX prep.

Why the 5-Minute SkiErg Test?

The SkiErg demands both upper-body power and aerobic efficiency — a different challenge compared to the rower. A 5-minute SkiErg test is long enough to reflect your aerobic capacity while short enough to capture maximal sustainable output. The result helps define pacing strategies not only for the SkiErg itself but also for compromised SkiErg sessions paired with running or sled work.

Protocol: How to Complete the HYROX SkiErg Test

1. Warm-up (10–15 minutes)
   • Begin with easy SkiErg strokes, gradually building intensity.
   • Include 4–6 × 20 sec higher-rate efforts with 40–50 sec easy skiing between, to prepare the upper body.
2. 5-Minute Time Trial
   • Ski as hard as you can sustain for the entire 5 minutes.
   • Focus on rhythm and efficiency — don’t over-sprint in the opening minute.
   • Record your average pace per 500 m (the SkiErg will display this).
3. Cool-down (5–10 minutes)
   • Easy SkiErg strokes or light aerobic movement to bring the body back down.

Your key performance measure is the average 500 m split from the 5-minute SkiErg test. We recommend hat you set up the test as a 5 min time trial in the Erg PM5 monitor.

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Using the ENDUROX SkiErg Calculator

Enter your 5-minute test result into the ENDUROX SkiErg Zones Calculator. The tool will generate training zones that map directly onto HYROX demands:

• Recovery (L1)
• Endurance (L2)
• Tempo (L3)
• Threshold (L4)
• VO₂max (L5)
• Speed/Anaerobic Capacity (L6)

These SkiErg-specific zones let you program sessions that range from long aerobic SkiErg work to threshold intervals, or high-power compromised sets combined with burpees, carries, or wall balls.

Why VO₂max and Threshold Power Matter for the SkiErg in HYROX

The SkiErg can make or break your race. Your VO₂max SkiErg power shows your aerobic ceiling, while your threshold power defines the effort you can sustain without blowing up. Together, these markers allow you to lock in the optimal HYROX SkiErg pace, conserve energy for the run, and still deliver maximum efficiency on the station.

With the ENDUROX SkiErg Calculator, you’ll take the guesswork out of SkiErg pacing and build the power and endurance needed to dominate this crucial HYROX station.

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