Letter From Kuala Lumpur
Sweating in KL: Inside Malaysia’s growing Hyrox fixation
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Hyrox veteran Chan Kheng Fai pushing 152kg during a training session at MORPH KLGCC in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 14.
ST PHOTO: LU WEI HOONG
- Global fitness trend Hyrox has taken off in KL where its inaugural Hyrox race will be held in December this year.
- Over 100 Hyrox gyms have sprung up in KL since 2022.
- Hyrox has stimulated KL’s fitness economy, as Hyrox athletes spend on races and travel.
AI generated
KUALA LUMPUR – On a hazy Monday afternoon in September, I joined my first Hyrox class. Why would a 38-year-old, largely sedentary, slightly overweight journalist join an extreme fitness class that is the toast of the social media world featuring sweaty, super-fit people?
I was intrigued by an Instagram post about a Hyrox race in Shanghai. And more people in KL seemed to be doing the sport, which had arrived in Malaysia only in 2022. I was curious about the hype.