Dan Plews joins The Next Move podcast for a new Hyrox Coaching Corner series. In this episode, we break down Dan’s endurance and Hyrox background, recap racing in hot conditions at Auckland Hyrox, and explain how pacing, heat management, and station intensity impact performance. We also discuss why many athletes struggle in singles compared to doubles and how building weekly training volume is the biggest lever for long-term improvement.

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Episode breakdown:

00:00 — Hyrox Coaching Corner begins: purpose and goals of the series

02:20 — Dan Plews’ athletic background: from youth triathlon to Kona

06:40 — Training volume & consistency: what actually built elite endurance

09:30 — John’s training journey: late start, rapid gains, current limitations

13:30 — Setting Hyrox goals: elite marginal gains vs beginner breakthroughs

17:30 — Auckland Hyrox recap: injuries, heat, course difficulty

21:00 — Racing in the heat: pacing, physiology, and avoiding blow-ups

26:00 — Why stations ruin your run: W′ balance and intensity control

30:50 — Singles vs doubles: recovery, thresholds, and performance gaps

35:00 — How Dan plans training: demand-driven, not traditional periodization

39:00 — John’s next steps: building from 6–8 to 12–15 hours per week

41:20 — ENDUROX Dynamic plan: how to train smarter and scale volume safely

43:00 — Wrap-up: goals for the series and where to follow along

Dena and Tom Hogan are two of the most experienced athletes and coaches in HYROX, with over 40 races and five World Championships between them. As founders of Team Hogan, they coach athletes across all levels while continuing to compete at the sharp end of the sport.

In this episode, Dena and Tom break down how HYROX training has evolved since 2020, why endurance and efficiency matter more than max strength, and how athletes should think about race weight, cross-training, and longevity.

We also explore individualized coaching, smarter ways to train sleds and wall balls, the role of community in long-term motivation, and why enjoyment—not constant PB chasing—is key to staying in the sport.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 — How has HYROX training changed from 2020 to 2026, and what were people getting wrong early on?

01:50 — Why did elite athletes start dialing in an “ideal race weight,” and how do you find the sweet spot between muscle and run pace?

03:44 — Should most athletes try to gain/maintain weight for HYROX, and how do you test where your tipping point is?

04:40 — Why might HYROX be more sustainable long-term than Ironman/ultras, and what does that change about training priorities?

05:39 — Is HYROX “mostly endurance,” and why do long hill efforts often beat gym max-strength for real station performance?

07:26 — Do newcomers need an aerobic “base sport” first, or is the right plan entirely dependent on their current background?

10:36 — What questions do you ask a new client to personalize training, and why do “circumstances” matter as much as fitness?

13:58 — What is a “test week,” and how do you use it to set paces, strength targets, and training intent?

15:57 — How do you keep performance high while running very little due to injuries, and where do you “get the stimulus” instead?

18:16 — Will elite training keep shifting toward high-volume, low-impact work (ergs/bikes), and why does it beat more running?

21:06 — How should strength training look for HYROX if max strength isn’t the main limiter?

22:42 — What’s a practical playbook to improve sleds, and why do hills + varied sled loading matter more than “race weight only”?

25:17 — Why do wall balls break people (mobility + technique), and how should you train them under fatigue instead of fresh?

28:15 — How do you define “efficiency” on stations, and why might being slightly slower but fresher be the winning tactic?

30:27 — What are the best ways to teach efficiency (video, timing, stroke rate, settings), and why is it all trial-and-error?

35:44 — What keeps you motivated to keep competing for years, and how does community (and family) shape that?

41:35 — How do you enjoy the sport more—especially if you’re always chasing PBs or comparing yourself to others?

48:34 — What advice would you give to someone who wants to build a coaching career in HYROX without becoming “generic”?

53:11 — What training trends are you watching in early 2026 (volume pullbacks, coach changes), and will more elite runners enter HYROX?

Dr. Richard MacKenzie is an associate professor specializing in human metabolism and a clinician working at the intersection of exercise physiology, metabolic health, and stress. He is the author of Stress Tested: How The New Science of Stress Hormones Can Transform Your Health.

In this episode, Richard unpacks what stress actually is from a physiological perspective, how acute and chronic stress differ, and why chronic stress can quietly undermine insulin sensitivity, recovery, sleep, and training adaptations.

We also explore how stress shows up in metrics like heart rate variability, glucose variability, and fuel metabolism, why mindset and perception dramatically alter stress responses, and how exercise, nutrition, caffeine, sleep, and even cold exposure can either buffer or amplify stress.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 – Who is Dr. Richard MacKenzie?

00:16 – Why write Stress Tested now?

02:23 – What is stress?

04:28 – When does stress turn from helpful to harmful?

04:52 – How does chronic stress show up day to day?

06:15 – Can stress actually be measured?

07:41 – What does a personal “stress dashboard” look like?

09:59 – How changeable is stress with mindset?

13:59 – Does exercise reduce stress—or add to it?

15:29 – Is stress one of our biggest health threats?

19:56 – What hidden stressors are we missing?

26:06 – Can diet increase—or reduce—stress?

36:04 – What has stress research changed for Richard?

41:05 – What’s next: protein, metabolism, and future research?

Gommaar D’Hulst is an exercise physiologist at ETH Zurich and the mind behind the WOD Science YouTube channel, with a background rooted in CrossFit and a growing focus on HYROX and hybrid endurance sports. Through his research and applied lab work, Gommaar bridges elite performance, physiology, and real-world training decisions for functional fitness athletes.

In this episode, Gommaar breaks down the key physiological differences between CrossFit and HYROX, why HYROX is best understood as an endurance-dominant sport, and how muscle fiber types, VO2 max, lactate threshold, and anaerobic power shape performance. He shares insights from lab testing with elite athletes—including novel functional ramp tests using burpees and thrusters—explains why fatigue dramatically alters running economy in HYROX, and explores how tools from endurance science (like threshold training, Zone 2 work, and power metrics) can be adapted to functional movements. We also dive into interference effects, fueling strategies, and where sports science is headed as HYROX continues to professionalize.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 — Intro: Gommaar (ETH Zurich) + WOD Science + CrossFit → HYROX

00:24 — CrossFit vs HYROX demands: longer duration, lower intensity, aerobic bias

01:40 — Can you excel at both? Specialization, rising level, and the Tia example

03:13 — Is HYROX endurance or strength? Why it’s primarily endurance (and sled/turf impact)

04:48 — Muscle fibers 101: slow vs fast twitch and what they’re built for

07:50 — Why strong powerlifters can struggle: strength vs strength-endurance

11:01 — HYROX strength training: when (and if) low-rep work fits in the season

12:17 — VO2 max + lactate threshold: what they are and why they matter

15:56 — Elite CrossFit VO2 findings: lower-than-expected on the bike + specificity issue

18:27 — Functional ramp test: burpees + thrusters protocol + what lactate curves show

21:55 — Run → lunges/deadlifts → run: fatigue increases VO2 cost (running economy drop)

26:02 — What predicts HYROX performance beyond VO2: fatigue-resistance across stations

28:22 — Heart rate: good for running, limited for stations + why VO2 can drop in strength work

34:15 — Interference effect: separating strength and endurance (same-day vs split) outcomes

46:53 — Nutrition rapid-fire: carbs (timing + high intakes) and bicarb/creatine practicality

George Hearn is a life coach who came into coaching through a high-achieving academic and corporate path—studying Geography at Cambridge, spending years in strategy consulting, and then moving into the startup world—before realizing he was more drawn to helping people design intentional, fulfilling lives

In this episode, George breaks down what coaching actually is (and why it’s often not about giving advice), how he structures sessions using tools like the Wheel of Life, Ikigai, and visualization, and how everyday practices like journaling, distraction-free walks, and even AI chatbots can support self-reflection. He also shares the behind-the-scenes of building his coaching business from scratch—finding clients, learning marketing and sales on the fly, navigating uncertainty, and building the support network needed to go all-in.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 — What a coach actually does

01:01 — Coaching vs therapy, consulting, and mentorship

03:04 — George’s life coaching origin story

10:34 — The Wheel of Life: mapping the key areas and finding gaps

13:27 — Prioritization + Pareto: focusing on what actually moves the needle

14:04 — Ikigai: purpose at the intersection of skills, love, value, and need

16:26 — Visualization: the “80-year-old you” exercise

18:59 — Self-coaching tools: journaling for clarity + momentum

21:34 — Thinking walks: default mode network and the “exam question”

24:11 — Using chatbots for reflection: powerful, but don’t outsource decisions

28:20 — Building the coaching business: learn-by-doing + finding clients

32:28 — Living with uncertainty: risk, confidence, and growth mindset

35:23 — The solo founder problem: building a support network

38:22 — Developing coaching skills: listening, communication, self-work

41:01 — When self-improvement becomes obsessive: staying balanced

44:32 — What George is curious about: why people don’t aim for a 10/10 life

46:44 — Closing reflections

Gabrielle Nicora-Baker is an Elite 15 HYROX athlete who came into the sport from a pure strength and bodybuilding background, with almost no running experience before her first race in 2024. In less than a year, Gabrielle progressed from her first mixed doubles race to competing in elite fields. In this episode, Gabrielle breaks down how her strength base accelerated her rise in HYROX, how she trains and fuels for elite racing, and what she’s learned from racing frequently, hiring a coach, and chasing a Worlds-level performance.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 – Intro

01:48 – Strength background and rapid rise into elite competition

03:57 – Bodybuilding years: training splits, progressive overload, big lifts

06:09 – Early running volume (~20km/week)

08:11 – How strong do HYROX athletes really need to be?

11:11 – Current training structure: thresholds, speed, long runs (~15 hrs/week)

17:28 – Home gym setup: treadmill, ergs, bikes, and winter training

21:43 – Nutrition shift from bodybuilding to endurance fueling (carbs, prep)

26:39 – Race weaknesses: wall balls, burpees, fatigue management, mindset

32:42 – Learning the sport fast: podcasts, racing reps, hiring a coach

36:02 – Worlds relay experience + doubles vs solo racing

39:42 – 2026 goals, testing curiosity, Phoenix prep + where to find Gabrielle

Owen Silver is a software engineer and experienced triathlete who ran a 60-minute HYROX in his very first season of racing. Owen and I also teamed up for the HYROX Pro Doubles in Melbourne, where we finished in 58:52. In this episode, Owen breaks down the training principles that helped him cut five minutes off his HYROX time in just six months.

Episode breakdown:

00:57 – Why Owen switched from triathlon to HYROX

02:06 – “HYROX is a runner’s sport”: endurance base vs strength

05:11 – Owen’s triathlon benchmarks (5k / marathon / weekly training load)

08:20 – Melbourne Open result: ~1:00 (with extra lap) + what improved

10:08 – Wall balls: technique, volume, and going unbroken

15:43 – Sled push/pull: training heavy, technique, and fixing blow-ups

18:55 – Running build to ~60km/week + managing shin issues

24:05 – Doubles vs solo: pacing, station load-sharing, and why doubles is fun

29:23 – Training consistency with a full-time job (routine, fueling, sleep)

34:05 – Coaching: self-coached now, thoughts on hiring a coach

37:28 – What’s next: Olympic weightlifting + explosive goals

Pelayo Menendez-Fernandez holds the Hyrox doubles world record, having raced an incredible 48:31 alongside Rich Ryan in Miami.

In this episode, we break down the training principles that fuel his performances — from his signature “Hyrox endurance” sessions (long, controlled station work that builds pacing and efficiency), to the small technique tweaks that save huge amounts of energy on race day. Pelayo also shares how he structures a basic Hyrox training week, why he avoids race simulations, and the mindset shift he believes separates good athletes from truly great racers.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 – Pelayo’s Hyrox/triathlon backgrond

00:26 – Pelayo explains his “Hyrox endurance” (long Zone 2–style) station session concept

02:23 – How long is the endurance session, and what intensity (HR/RPE, zones)?

04:10 – Common beginner mistake: going 10/10 intensity on every station

05:40 – What “efficiency” means in Hyrox: minimum energy, maximum speed

06:50 – Lunge efficiency tip: hitting the back knee hard (and why knee pads help)

07:12 – Burpee efficiency tip: minimize time on the ground + use bounce/momentum into the jump

09:52 – Why doubles can make certain techniques even more effective (shorter sets + rest)

11:12 – Coaching efficiency: technique drills and experimenting with positions (sled push/pull, etc.)

15:15 – Wall balls: Pelayo’s toughest station + the mental/physical battle of going unbroken

19:37 – Race-day “extra gear” vs training: why wall balls feel different in competition

22:25 – Running intensity philosophy: key threshold/VO2 sessions + easy days truly easy

25:16 – The “accidental” block that transferred to the Miami pro doubles world record (speed into threshold)

27:10 – Building a basic Hyrox training week: long endurance session + compromised run/bodyweight session

30:59 – Strength approach: supersets + mixing strength with erg/station work (and managing recovery)

47:00 – Elite race mindset: why Pelayo avoids race sims and saves the “gift” for race day

52:21 – What Pelayo’s most focused on now

Dr. John Hellemans is a New Zealand-based sports medicine doctor, elite triathlon coach, and former champion triathlete. A six-time national titleholder and eight-time Masters World Champion, he also coached Olympians and founded the NZ Triathlon Academy. Known for blending medical insight with intuitive coaching, he completed the Kona Ironman at 60 and was awarded the MNZM in 2020 for services to triathlon.

In this episode, Dr. Hellemans recounts the evolution of triathlon training — from the pre-heart-rate-monitor era to today’s data-driven science. He shares how heart rate zones, training by feel, and the psychology of fatigue shape not just athletic performance but lifelong health.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 – Introduction

00:21 – Meeting Gordo Byrn

03:29 – Can Late Starters Reach Their Potential?

04:50 – Sports Science and Coaching Philosophy

06:06 – Early Days of Triathlon and Sports Science

08:50 – Finnish Influence and Heart Rate Zones

11:32 – Understanding Heart Rate Zones

13:43 – Training by Feel (RPE)

15:39 – Medicine and Coaching Crossover

17:48 – The Addictive Nature of Exercise

20:22 – Understanding Fatigue

24:16 – Heart Health and Arrhythmias in Endurance Athletes

26:06 – Discovering Atrial Fibrillation

28:58 – Training and Racing After Heart Procedures

31:51 – Exercise for Health, Not Performance

33:29 – What Medicine Can Learn from Coaching

36:35 – Preventative Medicine and Lifestyle

38:14 – Exercise as Preventative Medicine

40:33 – Testing and Measuring Endurance Fitness

42:45 – Running Assessments and Injury Prevention4

4:21 – Writing and Character – A New Project

46:36 – The Meaning of Character and Suffering

46:58 – Closing Remarks

Rob ter Horst is a postdoctoral researcher in bioinformatics and the creator behind The Quantified Scientist YouTube channel, where he rigorously tests and reviews health and fitness tracking devices.

Rob shares how his curiosity for data led him from wearing a simple Fitbit to conducting one of the most extensive self-tracking experiments ever — including over 250 weekly brain MRIs since 2018.

We explore his journey into quantifying nearly every aspect of his biology, his insights into the accuracy of popular wearables, the limits of health tracking, and his vision for the future of personalized data and AI-driven health.

Episode breakdown:

00:00 – Introduction to Rob ter Horst — postdoctoral researcher, bioinformatician, and creator of The Quantified Scientist YouTube channel.

01:00 – How Rob’s self-tracking journey began with a Fitbit and evolved into weekly brain MRIs.

03:00 – The world’s most comprehensive personal brain dataset: 250+ MRI scans since 2018.

05:30 – Tracking every aspect of daily life — from mood and microbiome to sleep and cognition.

07:20 – The dream of real-time, actionable feedback from health data (and why we’re not there yet).

08:50 – Rob’s fitness and nutrition goals — weight gain, strength, and balancing cardio with muscle mass.

10:30 – Testing VO₂ max at home and in the lab: insights from metabolic analysis.

12:00 – How hundreds of wearables compare: Apple, Garmin, Oura, Whoop, and 8 Sleep.

15:00 – Health-focused vs. sport-focused vs. smartwatch-first devices — what’s best for you.

17:20 – Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM): usefulness for non-diabetics and the limits of the data.

19:40 – What to measure when your goal is long-term healthspan.

21:00 – How tracking changed Rob’s behavior — especially his sleep.

24:00 – Data-driven fitness: how metrics like heart rate and wattage keep him accountable.

26:30 – Sleep tracking insights: the impact of late meals, workouts, and heart rate variability.

30:00 – Why actionable health algorithms are still far away — and the problem with incomplete data.

31:50 – Rob’s thoughts on AI and the future of health data analysis.

34:00 – Inside his data storage and analysis workflow — from wearables to MRIs.

39:30 – What metrics Rob wishes existed: non-invasive glucose and at-home molecular testing.

41:30 – Inspirations in quantified health — from Peter Attia to Dr. Mike.

43:40 – The fundamentals that matter most: sleep, exercise, and nutrition.

45:30 – Balancing research, YouTube, and the science of self-tracking.

47:00 – Future goals: building a data interpretation platform and expanding testing diversity.

48:30 – What Rob’s most curious about now — Apple’s rumored non-invasive glucose tracking.

49:30 – Closing thoughts and takeaways.