Leaking during wall balls? Pelvic floor health for HYROX athletes

If you've ever leaked during a set of wall balls, a burpee broad jump or a fast run, you're in very large company, and it's rarely talked about.

How common it is

Across studies, around 39% of women athletes report urinary incontinence, with higher rates in high-impact sports (Teixeira et al., 2018). In CrossFit, the closest relative to HYROX training, pooled data put it at about 45%, mostly stress incontinence: leaking under effort such as jumping, lifting or running. Jumping movements are the most common trigger.

Why HYROX provokes it

Wall balls, burpee broad jumps, heavy sleds and carries, and 8 km of running all spike pressure inside the abdomen, repeatedly and under fatigue. When the pelvic floor can't match that pressure, especially late in a race, leaks happen. It isn't only a postpartum issue: plenty of women who've never been pregnant experience it.

What actually works

Pelvic floor muscle training is the first-line treatment for stress urinary incontinence. A Cochrane review found women who did it were far more likely to report cure or improvement than those who didn't (Dumoulin et al., 2018). Results are best with a pelvic health physiotherapist, who can check you're contracting and relaxing correctly. A pelvic floor that's too tense can leak as well.

While you rebuild:

Exhale on effort. Breathe out as you drive the wall ball up or push the sled, rather than holding your breath and bearing down.

Break sets earlier. Leaks usually come with fatigue. Five sets of 15 often beats two sets of 40.

Use what makes you comfortable. Dark shorts, a liner, or a leak-proof period product on race day is practical, not a defeat.

Get assessed promptly if you have leaking plus heaviness, a bulge, pain, or if it's getting worse.

General education, not medical advice. If something hurts, leaks, or stops (like your period), see a qualified clinician.

Racing mixed doubles? Women are the scarce side of the mixed pool on Find HYROX Partner — men are already waiting at most races, so women usually match fastest. Find a mixed doubles partner (free) →

Frequently asked questions

References

1. Teixeira RV, Colla C, Sbruzzi G, Mallmann A, Paiva LL. Prevalence of urinary incontinence in female athletes: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Int Urogynecol J. 2018;29(12):1717–1725.
2. Prevalence of urinary incontinence in female CrossFit athletes: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Int Urogynecol J. 2022 (pooled prevalence ≈45%).
3. Dumoulin C, Cacciari LP, Hay-Smith EJC. Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;10:CD005654.

Keep reading

• Mixed doubles uses men's weights: a woman's race plan
• Should you train around your cycle? What the research says
• Strength training for women in HYROX
• Best HYROX gear for women: bras, shoes, grip
• All HYROX for Women guides