Kettlebell Farmers Carry Workouts

What must be reproduced for competition

The current Singles Farmers Carry is 200 m with two kettlebells. Loads are Women 2×16 kg, Women Pro/Men 2×24 kg and Men Pro 2×32 kg. The rulebook allows the kettlebells to be put down for rest but they must remain in the designated lane; throwing them or moving them outside the lane can be penalised. No alternative is identical unless it reproduces two independent implements, legal load, distance, handle demands and walking context.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

Closest equipment substitutions

Two dumbbells or kettlebells carried at the sides are the closest general substitution when competition kettlebells or handles are unavailable. Match total load only when control and equipment permit, but recognise that handle diameter, implement swing, centre of mass and floor setup differ. Practise with the actual competition-style kettlebells when possible before racing; a trap bar keeps the load in one connected frame and is therefore a different task.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27 · ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand

Carries that change the task

Suitcase carries load one side and can train control under asymmetric loading. Front sandbag and Zercher carries move the load in front and reduce the direct similarity to the bilateral side carry. Overhead and rack carries add shoulder-position demands. These may be selected for general training goals, but evidence reviewed does not rank them as superior HYROX^® alternatives or prove stated transfer percentages.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand

Grip-focused and improvised options

Plate-pinching or buckets can provide a holding/walking task when equipment is limited, but grip shape and safety differ. “Equipment-free Farmers Carry” is a contradiction: without external load there is no loaded carry. Static holds omit walking, while rows, deadlifts or shrugs train different actions. Use them as accessories rather than claiming they replace the whole station.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand

Programming and safety

Select load, distance, sets and rest from experience, available equipment, total programme and symptoms. Progress one main variable at a time and keep a clear walking path. Secure improvised loads; do not use unstable containers or sharp handles. Pain, numbness, loss of grip control or unsafe posture requires stopping and reassessment. A 15% side-to-side rule, fixed 30–60 m sets or weekly race-load carry is not universally established.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand · HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the closest alternative?

Two side-carried dumbbells or kettlebells generally preserve the bilateral walking task best, though handles and balance still differ.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand · HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

Can a trap bar replace Farmers Carry?

It can train loaded walking, but the connected frame changes grip and load behaviour; use actual separate implements for race specificity when possible.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand · HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

Can I train it without equipment?

You can train supporting strength or walking fitness, but a loaded carry requires external load and cannot be fully reproduced without equipment.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand · HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

What weight should I use?

Use a controllable training load that fits the session, then progress toward relevant race demands when appropriate. The official race load depends on division.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27 · ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand

Marketing text preserved unchanged

The 200 m carry after a kilometre at pace is the closest you can get to race conditions outside the event itself. Repz recent seasons of race data shows that athletes who regularly train their carry under cardiovascular stress, rather than fresh, hold their station splits significantly tighter late in the race when fatigue compounds^[4]. Run first. Always.

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Sources

1. Repz internal analysis of recent seasons of race data shows that Farmers Carry station splits for athletes who train the movement under cardiovascular stress (post-run) are consistently 8–15 seconds faster than splits for athletes who train the same carry volume in a rested state. The race-specificity of the fatigue context matters: conditioning the carry under elevated heart rate and respiratory drive prepares the nervous system for the exact combination it will encounter at the station. ↩