The farmers carry is station 6 in a HYROX race: 200 meters of walking with a kettlebell in each hand. It comes right after the 1,000 meter row and right before the sandbag lunges, so you pick up the bells with tired legs, tired lungs and forearms that just spent a few minutes squeezing a rowing handle.
On paper it looks like the easiest station of the day. Just walk. In practice it is where a lot of people lose time without noticing, because they keep stopping to put the bells down. The good news is that the carry rewards simple things: a solid grip, good posture and a steady pace. Here is how we coach it.
The farmers carry rules that matter
These come from the official HYROX 26/27 Singles rulebook. Always check the current rulebook for your event, because standards can change between seasons.
- Distance: 200 meters for every division. Depending on the venue, that can mean more than one lap, and it is on you to know how many.
- Weights: Women 2 x 16 kg, Women Pro and Men 2 x 24 kg, Men Pro 2 x 32 kg. Kettlebells are color coded by weight. Use the wrong pair and you have to repeat the whole station with the right ones.
- Start and finish: you take the bells from the marked box next to the start line and the station ends when you carry them back across the finish line.
- Arms by your sides: both bells are carried with your arms extended at your sides the whole time you move.
- Setting them down: you can put the bells down to rest, as long as they don't move forward when you place them on the ground.
- Return them upright: put the bells back in the correct box with the handles standing up. If you don't, it is a 30 second penalty unless you go back and fix it before you leave the Roxzone.
- Passing: faster racers can overtake slower racers when it is safe. Lane markings at this station are for orientation only.
How to carry well
A good carry looks almost boring. Tall body, quiet arms, quick feet. Here is what we focus on.
1. Pick the bells up like a deadlift
Stand between the bells, hinge at the hips, flat back, and stand up with your legs. Don't round over and yank them off the floor. You are going to pick them up again if you set them down, and a bad pickup with tired legs is how backs get grumpy.
2. Grip the middle of the handle
Center your hand on the handle so the bell hangs straight and doesn't tip and pull on your fingers. Wrap your thumb around and squeeze hard enough to own the handle, but not so hard that your forearms are on fire after 30 meters. Think firm handshake, not death grip.
3. Stand tall and pack the shoulders
Shoulders down and slightly back, ribs down, chest proud, eyes forward. Let the bells hang at your sides without shrugging. When people get tired they lean forward and look at the floor, and that makes the bells feel heavier and the steps get shorter.
4. Take short, quick steps
Long strides make the bells swing and bang into your legs. Short, quick steps keep them quiet and keep you moving. Walk fast with purpose. A light jog can work for strong carriers, but for most people a brisk walk is the faster choice over 200 meters.
5. Breathe while you walk
Brace your core but keep breathing. Holding your breath for the whole lap is a fast way to get dizzy and slow down. Short breaths in and out through each lap.
How to pace the 200 meters
The biggest time loss at this station is not slow walking. It is stopping. Every time you put the bells down you lose the stop itself, the reset and the pickup, and your grip doesn't recover as much as you hope in a few seconds.
So the plan is simple: pick a pace you can hold without stopping. If you are not sure you can go unbroken, plan your break before you need it. For example, set the bells down once at the turn, take two or three deep breaths, shake out your hands and go. A planned short break beats three panicked ones near the finish.
Also remember what comes next. The carry leads straight into 100 meters of sandbag lunges and then 100 wall balls. You don't need to win the carry. You need to finish it with enough grip and legs left for the last two stations. If you want to dial in the next one, read HYROX Sandbag Lunges: Technique, Weights, Pacing.
How to train the farmers carry
You don't need a fancy gym for this. A pair of kettlebells or dumbbells and some space will do.
- Carry for distance: once or twice a week, carry your race weight for 4 to 6 rounds of 50 meters with a short rest. Build toward 2 rounds of 100 meters unbroken.
- Carry heavier, shorter: use bells a little heavier than race weight for 20 to 30 meter carries. Race weight will feel lighter.
- Train grip when tired: put a carry after a row, a run or a set of pull-ups. In the race your grip is never fresh, so don't only train it fresh.
- Dead hangs and holds: hang from a bar or hold heavy dumbbells for time at the end of a session. Simple and very effective.
- Run, then carry: a 1 km run straight into a 200 meter carry teaches you what race pace really feels like.
No kettlebells at home? Heavy bags, water jugs or buckets work for grip and posture practice. Just keep the load even in both hands.
Common farmers carry mistakes
- Grabbing the bells off center so they tip and pull on your fingers.
- Shrugging and leaning forward as you get tired.
- Long strides that make the bells swing and slow you down.
- Putting the bells down every 20 meters instead of planning one break.
- Rushing out of the row without shaking out your hands first.
- Leaving the bells on their side in the box and taking a 30 second penalty.
Where to start
New to hybrid racing? Grab our free 2-week Hybrid Race Starter Plan. It lays out your first two weeks of runs, stations and strength, so you know exactly what to do each day.
Want a full plan you can follow from home or your gym? New State Hybrid Online Programming gives you weekly sessions with runs, stations and grip work built in. Racing soon? Hybrid Race Prep (8 Weeks) takes you through every station with progression built in.
Grip it. Stand tall. Keep walking. Change your state.
New State is not affiliated with HYROX®, DEKA, Spartan or any race organizer. This content is general fitness information, not medical advice. Check with a qualified professional before starting a new training program.