Garmin Forerunner for HYROX: Which Model, Which Method

Short answer

No Garmin Forerunner has a HYROX mode as of October 2026. The Forerunner 970, 570, 170 and 70 list Obstacle Racing, and the 970 and 570 add Mixed Session. On the 965, 955, 265, 255 and 165, press LAP at every changeover in a run. Hybrid Smash, a Garmin Connect IQ watch app, names every split on all of them.

Key takeaways

• Of the 13 Forerunner owner's manuals we searched in full in October 2026, only the 970 and 570 list both Obstacle Racing and Mixed Session. The 170 and 70 list Obstacle Racing alone.
• Hybrid Smash's Race Day names every run, station and Roxzone with one LAP press per changeover: 32 presses for a full race with Rox Zones on.
• As of October 2026, Hybrid Smash runs on the Forerunner 70, 165, 170, 255, 265, 570, 955, 965 and 970.
• Some watch guides say the Forerunner 265 has a HYROX profile, but as of October 2026 no Garmin watch has one.
• Hybrid Smash isn't available for the Forerunner 245, 745, 945 or 55: record a run and press LAP at every changeover, or check another app's listing.

Which HYROX method does each Garmin Forerunner have?

As of October 2026, the best built-in method on the Forerunner 970, 570, 170 and 70 is Obstacle Racing. On every other Forerunner, it's a run with a LAP press at every changeover.

Built-in activities: full-text searches of 13 Forerunner owner's manuals, dated as shown, checked 7 Oct 2026, such as the Forerunner 970 and Forerunner 965 manuals. "Not in manual" means not in the manual checked; later firmware may add it. Hybrid Smash: its Connect IQ listing, checked 7 Oct 2026.

Hybrid Smash runs on every model in the table except the Forerunner 945, 745, 245 and 55. We make Hybrid Smash, so its column sticks to its Connect IQ listing, as the other columns stick to Garmin's manuals.

How to read it:

• Obstacle Racing is a running activity: you press LAP at the start and end of each obstacle, here each station.
• Mixed Session is a generic Garmin multisport activity on newer watches that saves several activities as one; each switch takes a stop, a Next Activity pick and a restart.
• Custom multisport is a multisport activity you build in advance from two or more activities, with optional transitions.
• Run + LAP means Garmin's Treadmill activity, or a run with GPS off, with a LAP press at every changeover.
• Hybrid Smash is a Connect IQ watch app. Connect IQ is Garmin's platform and store for third-party watch apps, data fields and watch faces.

None of these built-in activities names the eight HYROX stations. Hybrid Smash names each run, station and Roxzone, the transition area between the running course and the workout stations.

For fēnix, Venu and other Garmin families, see which Garmin watches can run a HYROX app.

What does Hybrid Smash add on a Garmin Forerunner?

For HYROX race day on a Garmin, Hybrid Smash's Race Day mode times every run, station and Roxzone with one LAP press per changeover, using the race format and the station targets for your weight class, and saves the race to Garmin Connect.

It doesn't use Obstacle Racing, Mixed Session or multisport, so it also works on Forerunners whose manuals list none of them, such as the 165.

Hybrid Smash doesn't detect stations automatically: you press LAP at every changeover. The app already knows what comes next, so each press closes one segment and names the next.

Where it does more than Garmin's own options:

• One press per changeover. A full Race Day takes 32 LAP presses, or 17 if you turn Rox Zones off and skip the Roxzone splits.
• No need to look. A short buzz confirms every LAP press, so you don't have to look at the watch.
• Instant undo. DOWN undoes a mistaken press at once, while the Forerunner 970 manual says Garmin's own lap undo isn't available in gym activities or workouts.
• Targets for your weight class. Station weights and distances match the weight class you choose, and Wall Balls are 100 reps in every class.

Race Day has two settings you can change, your target pace and your Run Type. Everything else follows the race format and your weight class.

Garmin has no HYROX activity type, so Hybrid Smash saves your session as Indoor Run, Outdoor Run or Cardio, depending on the Run Type you pick. Every segment is a lap, and the station name is stored with each lap.

When you finish, the watch shows COMPLETED and Remember to Save. Open the menu and choose Save & Exit.

Garmin's own options have real strengths: they cost nothing, need no install, and a run with LAP presses works on every Forerunner, the 55, 245, 745 and 945 included. If free matters more than named splits, start with Obstacle Racing on the 970, 570, 170 or 70.

Hybrid Smash is a one-time purchase: €9.99 / US$8.49 on the Connect IQ store as of October 2026; prices vary by region. Before race day, read Race Day in the user guide.

HYROX on a Garmin Forerunner, model by model

The Forerunner 970 and 570 have the most built-in options for HYROX: Obstacle Racing, Mixed Session and custom multisport.

Jump to your model: 970 and 570 · 965 and 955 · 265 · 255 · 165, 170 and 70 · 55, 245, 745 and 945

HYROX on the Garmin Forerunner 970 and 570

On a Forerunner 970 or 570, the best built-in method for HYROX is Obstacle Racing. It takes a LAP press at the start and end of each station, against four steps per switch in Mixed Session. They are the only Forerunners we checked whose manuals list both. Both manuals date from September 2026, and neither mentions HYROX.

• Obstacle Racing (START → Activities → Running): "Press LAP to manually mark the beginning and end of each obstacle." It's built for loops of an obstacle course, not eight named stations.
• Mixed Session (START → Activities → Multisport): each switch means stopping the timer, choosing Next Activity, picking the activity and starting again. The manual warns: "Not all activities are available during a mixed session."

After a quick test, the5krunner found Mixed Session "way too clunky for a race, but just about OK for a slow-paced simulation session" (article of 23 December 2025, updated 3 October 2026).

Garmin staff pointed to Obstacle Racing before Mixed Session existed. In the Garmin Forums thread "Hyrox Mode on 970?", a staff reply of 22 May 2025 linked the Obstacle Racing manual page. It advised turning GPS off for HYROX workouts, "since it looks like most of them are indoors", and mentioned no HYROX mode.

As of October 2026, Hybrid Smash is on the Connect IQ listing for the 970 and both 570 sizes, 42 mm and 47 mm. Each changeover is one LAP press instead of Mixed Session's four steps, and the next segment is already on screen.

For setup and limits, see the guides to Obstacle Racing for HYROX and Mixed Session on race day.

HYROX on the Garmin Forerunner 965 and 955

On a Forerunner 965 or 955, the best built-in method for HYROX is a run with a LAP press at every changeover. Custom multisport, which both manuals document, chains whole sports and can't name eight stations.

Neither manual lists Obstacle Racing or Mixed Session, and neither mentions HYROX. The 965 manual dates from April 2026, the 955's from June 2025.

Both manuals give the same steps for custom multisport: press START, select Add → Multisport, name it, pick two or more activities and choose whether to include transitions. Two activity settings help with HYROX:

• Transitions times each changeover between legs separately.
• Repeat is for "activities that include multiple transitions, such as a swimrun", in the manual's words.

Each leg is a whole sport change, set up before the session. Garmin's manuals don't say which activities a custom multisport accepts as legs, so check on your watch. Multisport for HYROX covers the setup and its limits.

As of October 2026, Hybrid Smash is on the listing for the 965 and for the 955, which the store lists as Forerunner 955 Dual Power. It needs no multisport setup, because Race Day already follows the race order.

Does the Garmin Forerunner 265 have a HYROX mode?

No. As of October 2026, the Forerunner 265 has no HYROX mode, activity or profile. Its Garmin manual (June 2025) never mentions HYROX and lists neither Obstacle Racing nor Mixed Session.

Some watch guides say otherwise. Here are two of their claims and the facts:

What the Forerunner 265 manual does document:

• Custom multisport, with Transitions and Repeat settings.
• Indoor activities with GPS off, including Treadmill with distance calibration.
• Lap recording, so you can press LAP at every changeover.
• Custom activities: you can copy one and name it HYROX, but the copy adds no HYROX logic.

Of these, the best built-in method for HYROX is a run with a LAP press at every changeover.

As of October 2026, Hybrid Smash is on the listing for the 265 and 265S. It puts the race order on the watch and names each run, station and Roxzone as you press LAP.

HYROX on the Garmin Forerunner 255

As of October 2026, the Forerunner 255 has no HYROX mode; its best built-in method is a run with a LAP press at every changeover.

Its manual (June 2025) documents custom multisport, indoor runs with GPS off and lap recording, but not Obstacle Racing, Mixed Session or HYROX. Hybrid Smash's listing includes the 255, 255S and both Music editions.

HYROX on the Garmin Forerunner 165, 170 and 70

On the Forerunner 170 and 70, the best built-in method for HYROX is Obstacle Racing; on the 165, it's a run with a LAP press at every changeover.

The Forerunner 170 and 70 manuals (September 2026) list Obstacle Racing, but not Mixed Session. The Forerunner 165 manual (June 2025) lists neither, and none of the three documents custom multisport.

As of October 2026, all three are on Hybrid Smash's listing, including the 165 Music and 170 Music. HYROX on a Forerunner 165 covers what works on each.

Can you do HYROX on a Forerunner 55, 245, 745 or 945?

Yes, with a run: record Garmin's Treadmill activity, or a run with GPS off, and press LAP at every changeover. Hybrid Smash isn't available for these watches.

As of 7 October 2026, the Forerunner 245, 245 Music, 645 Music, 745, 945, 945 LTE and 55 aren't on Hybrid Smash's Connect IQ listing.

The 245, 745, 945 and 55 manuals document a Treadmill activity, lap recording and Auto Pause, but neither Obstacle Racing nor Mixed Session. The 645 Music and 945 LTE manuals weren't checked.

Another app may list your watch. On 7 October 2026, the Connect IQ listings of two free apps, HYROX Tracker: RoxTrack and RunLabs' Hyrox Tracker, included the Forerunner 245, 245 Music, 745, 945 and 945 LTE. Neither listed the Forerunner 55. RoxTrack's listing also included the Forerunner 645 Music.

Hybrid SmashGarmin Connect IQ app

What is Hybrid Smash?

Hybrid Smash is a Garmin Connect IQ watch app that tracks and paces HYROX races, simulations and workouts while you do them. One press of the LAP button per changeover, and every run, station and Roxzone is timed, labelled and saved to Garmin Connect.

It is a one-time purchase on the Connect IQ store with no account, no subscription and no phone needed while you train. It offers Race Day (the official sequence of 8 × 1 km runs and 8 stations, with station targets for your weight class), Hyrox Sim, Free Training (pick the next station on the watch as you go), 8 ready-made HYROX workouts and 3 custom workouts.

It is built for the balance between simplicity and the right features: a clean screen, few options and a design nobody needs a tutorial for.

• Three controls run the session: LAP for the next segment, DOWN to undo a mistaken press, SELECT for the menu.
• Saved to Garmin Connect as Indoor Run, Outdoor Run or Cardio, depending on the Run Type you pick, with every segment as a lap.
• Works on most current Garmin watches, including Forerunner, fēnix, epix, Venu and vívoactive models. Check your model on the Connect IQ store.
• On screen: Hybrid Smash keeps the watch screen to what you need right now: what you're on, how long you've been on it, and what comes next.

Get Hybrid Smash on the Connect IQ storeRead the user guide

FAQ

Is there a Garmin Forerunner HYROX mode?

No. As of October 2026, no Garmin Forerunner has a HYROX mode, activity or profile, and none of the 13 Forerunner manuals we searched mentions HYROX.

The closest built-in options are Obstacle Racing, on the Forerunner 970, 570, 170 and 70, and Mixed Session, on the 970 and 570.

Is a Garmin Forerunner good for HYROX?

Yes, for timing. Every Forerunner manual we checked documents lap recording, and most current Forerunners can run Connect IQ HYROX apps such as Hybrid Smash.

No built-in activity names the eight stations, and indoor run distance is an estimate from the wrist sensor or a paired footpod. The Forerunner 970 manual also says Garmin's lap undo isn't available in gym activities or workouts.

Which Garmin Forerunner is best for HYROX?

Any Forerunner that runs a Connect IQ HYROX app. As of October 2026, no Garmin has a HYROX mode, so a pricier model doesn't track the race better on its own. If you also want Garmin's built-in options, only the Forerunner 970 and 570 list both Obstacle Racing and Mixed Session. Garmin watches for HYROX, compared covers buttons, battery and price.

How do I track HYROX on a Garmin Forerunner?

Three ways, each built on a LAP press at every changeover. On any Forerunner, record Garmin's Treadmill activity or a run with GPS off. On the Forerunner 970, 570, 170 and 70, Obstacle Racing does the same inside one running activity. Or install a Connect IQ app such as Hybrid Smash, which names each run, station and Roxzone as you press. Turn Auto Pause off first.

What Garmin Forerunner settings should I use for HYROX?

Four: Auto Pause off, Lap Key on, Auto Lap off and GPS off indoors. Auto Pause can cut slow stations such as the Sled Push from your times.

In the September 2026 Forerunner 970 and 570 manuals, activity settings sit under START → Activities → the activity → DOWN. On the 965 (April 2026 manual), hold UP, then select Activities & Apps. Hybrid Smash can't override Auto Pause, so turn it off for running and for the Cardio activity type.

Can I see my run pace during HYROX on a Forerunner?

Yes, if each run is recorded as a run. Hybrid Smash's Race Day starts on Run Type Indoor, with live pace from the wrist sensor or a paired footpod. Pace reads --:-- until you move.

Free Training (a free-form mode: you choose each next station as you go) starts on Cardio, with no live pace. Set Training → Free Training → Run Type to Indoor or Outdoor before you start. The session then saves as a run.

Sources

1. Forerunner 970 Owner's Manual (PDF), Garmin, v6, September 2026. Accessed 6 October 2026.
2. Forerunner 965 Owner's Manual (PDF), Garmin, v11, April 2026. Accessed 6 October 2026.
3. Garmin's New Features for 2026 – Every Q1 Feature Detailed, the5krunner, 23 December 2025, updated 3 October 2026. Accessed 6 October 2026.
4. Hyrox Mode on 970?, Garmin Forums, Forerunner 970 board, staff reply of 22 May 2025. Accessed 6 October 2026.
5. Forerunner 265 Series Owner's Manual (PDF), Garmin, v9, June 2025. Accessed 6 October 2026.