Soanes Ben Hyrox Result

Overall Performance:

Ben Soanes showcased a commendable performance in the 2024 Sports Direct HYROX London, finishing in the top 22% of all participants and top 27% within his age group. A notable highlight is his overall running time, which was 12 seconds faster than average, indicating a strong running profile. However, his performance in the early running segments suggests a pacing issue, starting slower than average, which may indicate a strategy to conserve energy for later stages or a need to warm up more effectively. The final running segment was exceptionally fast, showing his ability to finish strong, possibly due to reserved energy or an effective pacing strategy. His performance in strength-focused exercises like the Sled Push and Sandbag Lunges was impressive, but there was a noticeable struggle in the Burpees Broad Jump and Wall Balls, indicating a potential area for improvement in explosive strength and endurance. Ben appears to have a hybrid profile with a slight inclination towards running, evidenced by his overall faster running time compared to strength segments.

Segments to Improve:

• Burpees Broad Jump: This segment significantly impacted Ben's overall time. To improve, focus on plyometric training to enhance explosive power and endurance. Exercises like box jumps, squat jumps, and interval sprinting can help. Practicing the burpee broad jump with emphasis on form and efficiency, such as optimizing the jump distance and reducing ground time, will also be crucial.
• Wall Balls: The slower performance here suggests a need for better muscular endurance and strength in the lower body and shoulders. Incorporating exercises like thrusters, squat presses, and medicine ball squat throws could enhance the ability to sustain performance in this demanding exercise. Also, focusing on the technique, such as the depth of the squat and the efficiency of the ball catch-and-throw cycle, will be beneficial.
• Sled Pull: Despite being relatively stronger in this segment, there's room for improvement. Focusing on building leg and core strength through deadlifts, weighted sled drags, and farmer's walks will enhance pulling power. Technique adjustments, like maintaining a low, powerful stance and ensuring consistent, powerful strides, can also reduce time.
• Farmers Carry: To improve grip strength and endurance, which are critical for this segment, implement grip-specific exercises such as dead hangs, wrist curls, and farmer's walk with heavier weights. Also, conditioning the shoulders and traps with shrugs and overhead carries can contribute to better performance.

Race Strategies:

• Warm-Up Effectively: Given the slow start in the initial running segments, a more comprehensive warm-up focusing on dynamic stretches and light jogging may help in starting the race at a stronger pace.
• Pacing Strategy: Considering Ben's strong finish, adopting a slightly more aggressive pacing strategy in the earlier segments could yield a better overall time. This should be balanced to avoid early burnout, possibly by incrementally increasing the pace with each running segment.
• Transition Efficiency: With a faster roxzone time, it's clear Ben transitions well, but focusing on minimizing any rest and practicing swift equipment handling during transitions can shave off crucial seconds.
• Strength and Endurance Balance: Balancing training between running and strength work is key. Given Ben's running inclination, incorporating more strength-focused workouts, especially targeting weaknesses identified in burpees broad jumps and wall balls, will create a more balanced athlete profile.

By addressing these specific areas with targeted training and adjusting race-day strategies, Ben Soanes can significantly enhance his performance in future HYROX races, potentially achieving even higher rankings both overall and within his age group.