Now Certified as an Official HYROX Training Gym, with Sekiyoshi Joining as Sponsored Athlete and Head Coach
THE PICKLE BANG THEORY has built a dedicated HYROX training area inside the facility, entering full operation in August 2026. The facility has also been certified as an official HYROX training gym, and Sekiyoshi — a current member of Japan's HYROX national team — has joined as sponsored athlete and head coach.
The facility opened in April 2026 as a dedicated indoor venue with three pickleball courts. With this expansion, it now offers a dedicated space for training in HYROX, the fitness race format whose competitor base is growing rapidly worldwide, and operates as a combined sports facility for both pickleball and HYROX.
What is HYROX?
HYROX is a fitness race with a single global format: a 1 km run paired with eight functional workout stations.
Races are held in more than 34 countries, and over 650,000 people took part in the 2024–2025 season. With events selling out around the world, it is one of the fastest-rising fitness sports right now.
Certified as an official HYROX training gym
The HYROX area at THE PICKLE BANG THEORY holds official HYROX training gym certification. It sits one minute on foot from Motoyawata Station, offering an environment where you can train under race-like conditions.
The equipment needed for HYROX training is permanently installed, so the space works for experienced competitors and for anyone taking on HYROX for the first time.
Sekiyoshi joins as sponsored athlete and head coach
Sekiyoshi has joined the facility's HYROX programme as sponsored athlete and head coach. A pioneer of HYROX in Japan and a current national team member, he is also the first Japanese Spartan Race champion and a national triathlon champion — one of the country's leading hybrid athletes.
Alongside his racing experience, he has coached widely, from complete beginners to competition-focused athletes, and will lead classes here at every level from beginner through competitor.
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Why it pairs well with pickleball
Pickleball has simple rules and movement that is gentle on the body, which is why it has grown so quickly worldwide as a sport anyone can play regardless of age or experience. According to research by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), roughly 24.3 million people played in the United States alone in 2025 — about a 479% increase over 2020, and the fifth consecutive year it has been named the fastest-growing sport in the country.
HYROX is likewise a young sport, created in 2017, and its popularity owes much to its team formats and to movements that never get overly technical. Both are easy to start and easy to keep going, because you grow alongside a community.
What comes next
Hourly court use is available now, alongside regularly scheduled HYROX classes. Trial sessions, group lessons, race-preparation programmes and collaborative events with pickleball are all planned.
This announcement was distributed as a press release via PR TIMES on 31 July 2026.