SkiErg 1000m Pacing Guide

Place the station in the race

In HYROX^® Singles 26/27, 1,000 m SkiErg follows run 1. You then complete run 2 before the 50 m Sled Push, and run 3 before the 50 m Sled Pull. Seven more stations follow SkiErg; it is only one part of the race.

A pacing plan should account for that sequence. The rules do not establish that the first 200 m decides most races or quantify a universal cost in minutes for a fast start. The SkiErg guide explains the station.

HYROX^® Singles 26/27 · §1 / §8.1–8.3

Convert pace and total time

The PM5 can show current pace and average pace per 500 m. They are different from elapsed time. Convert minutes to seconds before doing arithmetic: 2:15 is 135 seconds, not 2.15 minutes.

1,000 m time = average 500 m pace × 2. Conversely, divide the total time by two. These are mathematical examples, not division benchmarks or recommendations:

Average pace / 500 m	Total / 1,000 m
1:45	3:30
2:00	4:00
2:15	4:30
2:30	5:00
2:45	5:30
3:00	6:00

At 2:05 per 500 m, Concept2’s formula gives 179.2 watts. At the same displayed power, that conversion does not become 4–6% faster merely because the planned distance is shorter.

Concept2 · PM5 · Concept2 · Pace-to-Watts Calculator

Choose a target from relevant practice

Record recent attempts with their conditions: distance, rest, settings and whether running preceded the SkiErg. Use these observations and your wider race plan to choose a provisional effort. A fresh best time alone does not establish the appropriate effort for the whole competition.

The sources cited here do not validate a mandatory 10–15% addition for Singles, 5–8% for Doubles, or an extra 3–5% whenever a venue exceeds 22°C. Do not present these percentages as measured individual corrections. For clarity, 3:30 multiplied by 1.15 equals 4:01.5; correct arithmetic would still not prove that the percentage is the right racing prescription.

Skiba et al. (2012) · abstract · Ribeiro et al. (2024) · abstract · Jamnick et al. (2020) · abstract

Use checkpoints as a coaching tool

You can use 0–200 m, 200–800 m and 800–1,000 m as three optional attention checkpoints: settle into the movement, review pace and assess the remaining work. These are coaching divisions, not three scientifically established physiological phases.

For example, 200 m at 2:20 per 500 m takes 56 seconds; 600 m at 2:15 takes 162 seconds; and 200 m at 2:10 takes 52 seconds. Together that is 270 seconds, or 4:30. This example illustrates distance-weighted arithmetic, not an optimal race strategy. It does not require 20–22 strokes per minute, three preparatory breaths or a fixed increase in cadence at the end. Practise any chosen strategy before using it in a race.

Concept2 · PM5 · Skiba et al. (2012) · abstract · Ribeiro et al. (2024) · abstract

Plan Doubles as a team

In Doubles 26/27, the team completes 1,000 m SkiErg. A 500/500 allocation is a possible choice, not a requirement for each athlete. Plan the work and changes together under the station rules. The resting teammate stays in the marked area; teammates may not pass the SkiErg handles to one another.

The rules allow the working teammate to adjust the preset damper setting of 6. At completion, follow the judge-confirmation procedure before leaving the machine. A shorter individual turn does not establish a fixed faster pace or the same percentage adjustment for every pair.

HYROX^® Doubles 26/27 · §7.2 / §8.1

Interpret effort without a diagnosis

A pace change, a high heart-rate reading or tired forearms does not by itself identify central versus peripheral fatigue, a particular fibre type or a guaranteed remedy. The cited sources do not establish a universal “wall” at 600 m that clears after four or five corrected strokes.

Use monitor output and how the movement feels together. Concept2 demonstrates a coordinated whole-body pull beginning with bent arms and trunk movement. Stroke rate is not interchangeable with power. Fixed percentages of maximum heart rate also do not reliably identify the same physiological intensity domain for everyone; the review by Jamnick explains limitations of such prescriptions.

Concept2 · SkiErg Technique · Concept2 · PM5 · Jamnick et al. (2020) · abstract

Understand what the cited studies tested

Skiba and colleagues’ 2012 paper modelled work capacity above critical power using cycle-ergometer tests in seven participants. It did not measure glycogen use during HYROX^® SkiErg or validate a five-percent opening-error rule.

Ribeiro and colleagues studied all-out versus controlled pacing in a CrossFit workout with 13 male competitors. That is not evidence for a universal SkiErg penalty of several minutes over the remainder of HYROX^®. Use the studies within their actual scope rather than treating their presence in a bibliography as proof of the formulas in this guide.

Skiba et al. (2012) · abstract · Ribeiro et al. (2024) · abstract

Make a practical race note

Choose a provisional pace based on relevant practice; write down its corresponding average split and total time. Decide what you will observe at your checkpoints, while remaining able to revise the effort. A checkpoint is a reminder, not the only information that matters.

Finish the required distance and obtain the judge’s confirmation. In Singles, remain with both feet on the platform and raise an arm to signal completion. Continue with run 2 as directed. The workout examples offer practice formats; they do not certify a race target or guarantee a time improvement.

HYROX^® Singles 26/27 · §1 / §8.1–8.3 · Concept2 · PM5

FAQ

Must I add 10–15% to my fresh 1,000 m best?

No universal adjustment is established by the cited sources. Use relevant recorded practice and the demands of your full race when choosing an effort.

Skiba et al. (2012) · abstract · Ribeiro et al. (2024) · abstract

How do I calculate average pace for 1,000 m?

Divide total time by two. A 4:30 total is an average of 2:15 per 500 m. Distinguish that average from the current-stroke pace shown on the monitor.

Concept2 · PM5

Does each Doubles athlete have to ski 500 m?

No. The team completes 1,000 m and can choose how to divide the work under the station rules. A 500/500 split is an option, not a mandatory allocation.

HYROX^® Doubles 26/27 · §7.2 / §8.1

Should I automatically accelerate over the final 200 m?

That is a coaching choice to practise, not a rule or a guaranteed way to avoid fatigue. Consider the remaining race as well as the machine distance.

HYROX^® Singles 26/27 · §1 / §8.1–8.3 · Skiba et al. (2012) · abstract · Ribeiro et al. (2024) · abstract

Does a warm venue justify a fixed extra percentage?

The sources here do not validate the proposed 22°C cutoff or a universal additional 3–5%. Do not treat that formula as a personalised heat adjustment.

Jamnick et al. (2020) · abstract · Skiba et al. (2012) · abstract · Ribeiro et al. (2024) · abstract