Learning From The Best: HYROX World Champion Linda Meier

Meet Linda Meier- reigning 2025 HYROX World Champion. As a dominant competitor since 2019, she has scaled the world rankings with grit and an always present smile on her face. We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Linda to discuss her success in the sport, her training secrets, and how she utilizes the Concept2 RowErg, SkiErg, and BikeErg to stay at the top of the podium. Concept2 is always inspired by athletes who push the boundaries of what is possible with our Ergs, and Linda is certainly one of them.   

Growing up Linda was always athletic and active but never stuck with a single sport for very long. Linda would go to the gym at a young age with her Mother, Anette Meier-Ullmann, a now multiple HYROX age-group world podium finisher in her own right. These outings sparked Linda’s passion for fitness early on. When Linda started HYROX she very quickly realized, “It was more than a hobby, it was a passion.” 

Today, with a HYROX World title, multiple world podium finishes, and more white HYROX flags than she can count, Linda balances elite-level training with a full-time career as an IT Project Manager. Her preparation relies on structure, efficiency, and feedback—principles she applies both at work and in training, often using Concept2 equipment to build her aerobic engine, track progress, and stay race-ready year-round. On days when motivation is low, it’s the combination of purposeful training and the HYROX community that keeps her moving forward. “Thinking about upcoming World Championships, what I can achieve, and what I have achieved keeps me going,” Linda says. “What’s really special about HYROX is that everyone cheers for each other. It doesn’t matter if you’re an elite athlete or a newcomer.” 

With a full work schedule during the week and a lower running volume than most elites, this makes Linda very intentional with her training. Concept2 Ergs are a part of her daily workouts. Linda says, “Concept2 Ergs play a very big role in my training, especially the BikeErg. From warm ups, cool downs, zone two training, and threshold work, I use the RowErg, SkiErg, and BikeErg a lot.” With a lower running volume, using Ergs as an addition to athlete’s training allows HYROX athletes to reap the benefits of increasing cardiovascular fitness, have less impact on the body, and be more recovered when it matters most. Linda says, “Ergs are a great add-on. I use the RowErg a lot for this- not just zone two training but also for threshold sessions. I think this ultimately helps me a lot for running.” 

So how does World Champion Linda Meier use the Ergs in training? Try Linda’s favorite endurance session here: 

The Hybrid Base Builder 

• Warm-up: 10 minutes on the Concept2 BikeErg. 
• The Circuit (Repeat 6–8 times for a total time of 90 minutes): 
• 2km Run 
• 1200m RowErg 
• 1200m SkiErg 
• Why it works: It’s simple, it keeps you engaged, it gives the same benefits of a long run to help build endurance without the constant impact of running. 

If you are new to HYROX or interested in learning from the best, here are a few tips from the World Champion herself when it comes to the SkiErg and RowErg stations in HYROX. 

Pacing: Practice your 1000m pace, and stick to it come race day. In training, do intervals and sets greater than 1000m at race pace so you know exactly how the fatigue will feel during the race. 5k pace is usually a good go to for RowErg and SkiErg stations in HYROX. 

Damper Setting: Pick a damper that works best for you and your strengths and weaknesses. This takes practice and experimentation overtime with the Erg. "My drag factor is a little bit lower than the standard for women’s pro racers," Linda explains. "Because I’m a lighter athlete, it’s easier for me to maintain a higher stroke rate at a lower resistance." Remember, what works for one person might not be best for you as an athlete. 

Technique Work and Efficiency: Focus on being efficient and not wasting energy on the Ergs. Be mindful of breathing. 

SkiErg Station: Don’t go out too hard. Adrenaline is high, but pushing too hard too early can cost you later. Spike your heart rate now and every run and station that follows will feel heavier. Aim for controlled, sustainable effort. 

RowErg: The RowErg is the fifth station and is an opportunity for you to recover, settle in, or push. Linda views this station as a strength of hers and pushes harder here. Depending on your strengths, that might be a great move. Also keep in mind what stations are coming up next. In this case, it’s Farmer’s Carry. If this is a station you can coast or find manageable, it’s even more reason to lock into your goal pace on the RowErg. 

So what’s coming next? The future looks bright for both Linda and the sport of HYROX. Linda recently punched her solo Elite15 HYROX World Champs ticket at the 3rd Major of the 2025/2026 season in Phoenix, Arizona. In a race that saw a new World Record, Linda placed 4th in 59:16, her 2nd fastest time ever. 

Now, with her sights set on the EMEA Championships in London, and ultimately Worlds, her goals are clear: becoming the European Champion and defending the HYROX World Champion title. With these goals, Linda will need to tackle a new psychological hurdle, though. Despite being on too many HYROX podiums to count, being in front with a target on her back is still a new phenomenon for her that happened last year in Chicago at Worlds. "The most challenging moment was taking the lead," Linda shares. "It was a situation that was kind of new to me. I tried to stay very calm and focus on my own race. As we saw, it worked out very well." As for the sport itself? Linda sees no signs of it slowing down. "It’s crazy how fast it grows. In the next few years, maybe we see HYROX as an Olympic discipline. I’ve already flown to Australia and the US to compete—I think we will see many more countries joining soon."