Women's CrossFit & HYROX Training: How Curved Treadmills Entered the Game | 2025

Improving endurance and recovery in CrossFit is vital for female athletes looking to excel in high-intensity workouts. A versatile tool, the Aussie Pro Runner curved treadmill, offers unique benefits for athletes aiming to build strength, enhance endurance, and optimize active recovery. CrossFit athlete Ashelyn Linge provides invaluable insights into leveraging this innovative equipment.

Versatility and Performance Gains

The Aussie Pro Runner provides an extensive array of training options, enabling athletes to perform walking, running, sprinting, sled pushes, and resistance-based workouts, all on one machine. Its versatility makes it especially useful for replicating outdoor or gym-based movements indoors, maximizing convenience and consistency in training routines.

"The Aussie Pro Runner is versatile—perfect for walking, running, sprinting, pushing, and even walking backward with resistance," Ashelyn shares. "It's truly comprehensive for varied CrossFit demands, allowing you to simulate a broad range of functional movements that directly translate to improved performance."

An interesting fact: Research has shown that training on a curved, self-powered treadmill like the Aussie Pro Runner can increase energy expenditure by approximately 30% compared to traditional motorized treadmills. This significantly boosts workout efficiency, making it ideal for athletes aiming to enhance cardiovascular fitness and caloric burn in shorter training sessions."

Interval Training for CrossFit Endurance

Effective Protocols for Peak Performance

According to Ashelyn, structured interval training is essential for female athletes:

• Short sprints: 30 seconds max effort, 90 seconds recovery.
• Moderate intervals: 2 minutes threshold pace, 1-minute recovery.
• Long intervals: 4 minutes sustained effort, 2-minute recovery.

"All women should incorporate sprint activities for improved metabolic health and functional fitness," notes Ashelyn. This aligns with research emphasizing sprinting for female metabolic health and functionality.

Training for HYROX Success

Hip Flexor Strength and Posterior Chain Development

"The self-powered design of the Aussie Pro has helped me strengthen my hip flexors, a significant weakness previously," Ashelyn shares. "It allows me to maintain sustainable pacing during HYROX events, making running feel easier."

Ashelyn emphasizes posture improvement, saying, "When fatigue sets in, I tend to lean forward. The treadmill instantly alerts me, helping maintain better running form and efficiency."

The treadmill's resistance feature closely replicates sled pushes common in CrossFit, helping build posterior chain strength crucial for heavy lifts.

"Pairing resistance training on the Aussie Pro with exercises like deadlifts helps achieve intense training without spinal stress," Ashelyn says.

Active Recovery and Convenience

For recovery days, Ashelyn finds the Aussie Pro Runner ideal:

• Gentle walking or jogging increases circulation.
• Conveniently used at home for consistent recovery routines.

"I often watch movies while gently moving on my Aussie Pro during recovery days—it’s both mentally relaxing and beneficial for recovery," Ashelyn notes.

Recovery Solutions for Busy Women

Active Recovery Implementation

Between high-intensity training days, the Aussie Pro Runner facilitates effective recovery:

"For active recovery, the Aussie Pro is a great tool to get some light movement in and increase blood flow resulting in an improvement of recovery! I love spending time on my Aussie Pro and watching movies to pass the time on my off days!"

Built-In Accountability

The self-powered design ensures quality movement even during recovery sessions:

"Once again, the self-propelled aspect of the runner is a bonus here because you don't have the ability to get lazy with the movement."

Training Around Family Life

For mothers, the home-based solution eliminates a major training barrier:

"I also am really grateful to be able to get my running done from home while I have sleeping kids so that I can get my running done without the stress of working around their schedules!"

Incorporating the Aussie Pro Runner into CrossFit routines empowers female athletes to build endurance, improve strength, and optimize recovery. Ashelyn Linge's experiences underscore the treadmill's multifaceted benefits, enhancing overall CrossFit performance.

Special thanks to Ashelyn Linge for sharing her expertise.

https://www.instagram.com/ashelynlinge15/

Expert Q&A with Ashelyn Linge

How can female CrossFit athletes use the Aussie Pro Runner to improve their engine for high-intensity WODs?
"The Aussie Pro Runner is perfect because of its versatility—you can walk, run, sprint, push, and even walk backward with resistance."

What specific interval protocols on the Aussie Pro Runner best prepare women for CrossFit endurance events?
"Short high-intensity sprints, moderate threshold intervals, and longer sustained efforts optimize endurance for CrossFit."

How does the self-powered design of the Aussie Pro Runner specifically help with HYROX racing?
"It strengthened my hip flexors and posture, significantly improving my pace sustainability during HYROX events."

How does the resistance feature of the Aussie Pro Runner aid in posterior chain development?
"The resistance settings imitate sled pushes, boosting posterior chain strength without placing unnecessary stress on the spine."

How is the Aussie Pro Runner effective for active recovery days?
"The Aussie Pro is excellent for light movement and blood flow enhancement. It's perfect for gentle activity during off days."

References:

Sprint Interval Training and Metabolic Health:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/

Posterior Chain Training Research:
https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/fulltext/2016/08000/posterior_chain_training__improving_power,.7.aspx