SkiErg
/ ˈskiːɜːɡ / · proper noun
Also: ski ergometer, Concept2 SkiErg
A vertical ergometer manufactured by Concept2 that simulates the double-poling motion of cross-country skiing. The athlete pulls two cords downward in unison from an elevated handle position, against air resistance generated by a flywheel. Distance and pace display in meters and watts on the PM5 monitor.
HYROX standards
The SkiErg is the first station of every HYROX race: preceded only by the opening 1km run.
- All divisions: 1,000 meters · damper setting 1-10 athlete's choice
- Damper 4-6 is the most common race setting; higher settings increase load per stroke but slow recovery
Why it's station 1
The SkiErg recruits primarily lats, triceps, core, and hip flexors: preserving the legs for the seven stations to come. Athletes who attack station 1 too aggressively pay a heavy price by station 5 (RowErg) when shoulder fatigue compounds.
Pacing
Elite Pro Men complete 1,000m in 3:10-3:25 (split ~1:35-1:42 / 500m). Open athletes typically finish in 4:00-5:30. Pacing rule of thumb: hold a split that you could maintain for 2,000m, not 1,000m: running fatigue compresses your effective ceiling.
Technique
- Setup: stand 30-50cm back from the unit, feet hip-width, arms extended overhead.
- Catch: drive hips back slightly, pull the handles down past the chest while crunching the abs.
- Finish: handles end at hip height, hips hinge into a slight squat.
- Recovery: rise back up smoothly, arms extending overhead, ready for the next stroke.
Common mistakes
- Arm-only pulling: athletes new to the SkiErg use only their arms and triceps, gassing the upper body within 200m. Drive with the abs and hip hinge.
- Bouncing too high: exaggerated up-and-down motion wastes energy. Stay compact.
- Wrong damper: damper 10 feels heavy and tempts a slow grind; damper 1 spins fast but feels weightless. Most race SkiErgs settle at 5-6.
Training the SkiErg
Two staples build SkiErg fitness for HYROX:
- Steady-state: 3-5km at conversational pace, 2× per week, builds aerobic ceiling.
- Race-pace intervals: 4-6 × 500m at goal race split with 1:1 rest, 1× per week in the final 6 weeks.
Equipment notes
HYROX uses Concept2 SkiErgs exclusively. Home or gym SkiErgs from other manufacturers (Rogue Echo, Air Bike-style ski trainers) feel different: invest training time on a Concept2 if your gym has one.