To keep your kit out of the way during HYROX burpee broad jumps, wear a top that stays put on the chest-to-floor movement and a short with a stable waistband and no bouncing pockets. The burpee broad jump repeatedly takes you flat to the floor and back up, so loose fabric, rising hems and loaded pockets are what trip you up.
- The HYROX burpee broad jump covers 80m and comes fourth, after the sleds, when you are already fatigued as of 2026.
- Each rep drops your chest to the floor and drives an explosive jump, cycling your kit through its full range dozens of times.
- THETA race kit uses a fitted-chest, relaxed-stomach cut and stable waistbands so tops and shorts do not shift on the movement.
Why do burpee broad jumps expose kit problems?
Here is the thing about this station: it is the most vertically dynamic movement in the whole race. You go from standing to chest-on-floor to an explosive forward jump, then repeat it for 80m. So your top slides up and down your torso, your shorts shift at the waist, and anything in a pocket gets flung around on the jump. Do that dozens of times while you are already cooked from the sleds, and a small kit annoyance turns into a genuine disruption to your rhythm.
A top that is too loose on the stomach bunches when your chest hits the floor and rides up when you stand, exposing skin to the mat and forcing you to tug it back down. Shorts with a weak waistband slip on the jump, and any phone or gel in a bouncing pocket throws off your landing. In short, the station rewards kit that holds its position through the whole cycle, and punishes everything that does not.
What top keeps still through the movement?
You want a fitted-chest, relaxed-stomach cut in a light fabric, and that is not marketing, it is just what physically stays put. THETA's race tops are cut fitted across the chest so they do not slide when you drop to the floor, while staying relaxed enough over the stomach for full breathing and no restriction. That combination stops the ride-up that has you resettling the hem every few reps.
A singlet or tank can help here too, since there is simply less fabric to bunch, and the open ventilation construction means it does not cling when soaked, which is exactly when a top starts gripping your skin and dragging. A tucked-in or well-fitted hem stays clear of your hands and the mat, so nothing catches as you push back up.
How do you stop shorts and pockets getting in the way?
Shorts need a stable waistband and a race-specific fit that holds its silhouette under intensity, so they do not slip when you land the broad jump. THETA's Race Short and Tech Short v2 are built to disappear under fatigue with flat, secure pockets rather than deep cargo pockets that swing around. The rule for the burpee broad jump is dead simple: carry as little on your body as you can.
If you must take a gel, use a flat heat-sealed zip pocket that sits close and does not bounce, and empty any pocket you do not need before the station. A loaded, swinging pocket changes your balance on the jump and lands awkwardly under your hip when your chest hits the floor, and neither of those does your rhythm any favours.
Which kit choices help most at this station?
The table below maps the burpee broad jump's demands to the kit features that solve them.
| Problem | Cause | Kit fix |
|---|---|---|
| Top rides up | Loose stomach, cling when wet | Fitted chest, light non-cling fabric |
| Hem catches on hands | Long or loose hem | Reinforced, well-fitted hem |
| Shorts slip on jump | Weak waistband | Stable race waistband |
| Pocket bounces | Deep or loaded pocket | Flat heat-sealed pocket, or empty |
| Skin catches mat | Bunched fabric | Minimal, close-fitting kit |
"The burpee broad jump is where a badly chosen shirt announces itself. If you are yanking your top down every five reps you have lost your rhythm and a few seconds each time. Kit should hold its place so you can just move," says the THETA coaching team.
How should you set up your kit before the station?
Because the burpee broad jump comes fourth, you get to sort your kit in the Roxzone before you start, rather than fighting it mid-station. A few seconds of setup saves you repeated resets across 80m, which is a trade worth making. Use the steps below.
- Settle your top so the hem sits where it will not ride up, or tuck it if you prefer.
- Empty or secure any pocket so nothing bounces on the jump.
- Check your waistband is set and will not slip.
- Break the 80m into manageable sets to keep form and rhythm.
- Land each jump with soft knees so your kit and body move together.
What should you avoid wearing for this station?
Avoid anything loose on the stomach, long or floppy at the hem, or absorbent enough to cling when soaked, because all three bunch and ride up the moment you drop to the floor. Skip deep or loaded pockets that swing, and steer clear of any kit you have not tested through burpees in training, since this is one of the stations where the problems only turn up under fatigue, never on the hanger.
As of 2026 the reliable approach is the same as for every station: race in kit you have already proven. Do a set of burpee broad jumps in your race kit after a hard effort, and only trust what stayed put and never needed adjusting.
Common questions
Why does my shirt ride up during burpees?
Because the chest-to-floor movement slides the fabric and a loose stomach or clingy wet material bunches and creeps upward. A fitted-chest, relaxed-stomach cut in a light non-cling fabric stays in place through the full range. Tucking a well-fitted hem is another simple fix.
Should I tuck my top in for burpee broad jumps?
You can, and many athletes do to stop the hem catching on their hands or riding up. It works best with a fitted top that will not balloon when tucked. If your top is already cut fitted at the chest with a reinforced hem, tucking is optional rather than necessary.
Is a singlet or a t-shirt better for burpee broad jumps?
A singlet or tank has less fabric to bunch and often stays clearer of your hands and the mat, which many athletes prefer for this station. A well-fitted tee also works if it does not cling when wet. Choose whichever you have proven stays put through repeated reps in training.
How do I stop my pocket bouncing during burpees?
Empty it before the station if you can, or use a flat heat-sealed zip pocket that holds contents close rather than a deep swinging pocket. A bouncing, loaded pocket changes your balance on the jump and lands awkwardly under your hip. Carry only what the race format genuinely requires.
What shorts are best for burpee broad jumps?
Race-specific shorts with a stable waistband, 4-way stretch and flat pockets, so they hold their silhouette and do not slip on the jump or restrict the squat and drive. THETA's Race Short and Tech Short v2 are built for exactly this. Avoid loose run shorts that lose shape under intensity.
Do I need to test kit specifically for burpees?
Yes, because the chest-to-floor and explosive jump combination exposes ride-up, bounce and chafe that other movements do not. Do a set of burpee broad jumps in your race kit after a hard effort and note anything that shifted. Only race in kit that stayed put without adjustment.
Sources
- HYROX official race format and burpee broad jump distance (hyrox.com)
- THETA product information: race-fit tops and shorts, pocket construction
- THETA coaching data, 2024–2026 (kit behaviour on dynamic floor movements)
Race in kit that holds its place when you hit the floor. THETA's fitted race tops and stable-waistband shorts are tested by elite HYROX athletes through full race sims. Shop THETA performance kit.