Hyrox Farmers Carry: Weight, Technique, Workouts & Benefits

Current HYROX^® Singles standard

The Kettlebell Farmers Carry is station six, after the sixth 1 km run and five earlier stations. The distance is 200 m, but the number and shape of laps depend on the venue and athlete map. Women carry two 16 kg kettlebells; Women Pro and Men carry two 24 kg; Men Pro carry two 32 kg. This is a bilateral loaded walk, not a prescribed test of one muscle or a universal benchmark for grip strength.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

Technique within the rules

Remove both kettlebells from the marked box. Carry both whenever moving, with both arms extended at your sides. You may put them down to rest provided they do not move forward as you place them. Finish by carrying them across the line and returning them to the correct box with the handles upright. A wrong weight requires the whole station to be repeated at the correct weight; failure to do so means disqualification. Incorrect return or handles not upright brings 30 seconds unless corrected before leaving the Roxzone. The rulebook does not prescribe grip pressure, shoulder position, step length, cadence or breathing rhythm.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

What research can and cannot show

A strongman biomechanics review found only a small evidence base and reported that faster farmer-walk performers in the included studies combined greater stride length and rate with shorter ground contact. Those cross-sectional findings do not prove that deliberately changing one variable saves time in HYROX^®. A small EMG experiment found greater activation of selected trunk muscles during bilateral or unilateral carries than matched static holds; it did not measure more than 20 muscle groups, injury prevention, bone density, running economy or station transfer. Military load-carriage research mostly concerns backpacks and cannot validate exact kettlebell programmes.

Hindle et al. · strongman biomechanics systematic review · Ellestad et al. · loaded-carry EMG experiment · Knapik et al. · load-carriage training systematic review

Training and pacing

No reviewed evidence defines a universal 90–150-second station time, elite/open benchmark, 85% walking speed, mandatory unbroken strategy, 10–15% overload, two-to-three sessions weekly or fixed 12-week plan. Train the qualities that limit you using progressive, recoverable doses. Race-standard carries improve familiarity; lighter work can develop technique or volume, and heavier/shorter work can be an option when appropriate. Practise planned rests without moving the bells forward. Judge progress by valid distance, load, time and control under comparable conditions, not arbitrary age tables.

ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand · Knapik et al. · load-carriage training systematic review · HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27

Equipment, variations and safety

Kettlebells reproduce the race implement most closely. Dumbbells, carry handles, a trap bar, suitcase carries and static holds change load position, grip or symmetry and can serve different goals, but none is an identical substitute for two kettlebells over the race course. Treadmill carries add a moving belt and a dropped-weight hazard; floor space is the safer default when load control is uncertain. Scale or stop for pain, dizziness, loss of balance or inability to place the load safely.

HYROX^® Singles Rulebook 2026/27 · Ellestad et al. · loaded-carry EMG experiment · ACSM 2026 resistance-training position stand

Frequently Asked Questions

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If you're training with limited equipment, Repz contains 216 exercises with prioritized alternatives for every movement. The app automatically substitutes the best alternative based on your available equipment, prioritizing free weights over machines (barbell → dumbbell → kettlebell → bodyweight → machine) across four equipment tiers.