HYROX Farmers Carry: Weights, Technique and the Kettlebells to Train With
HYROX farmers carry explained: 200 m with 2 × 16, 24 or 32 kg, the rules that cost 30 seconds or a DQ, technique, pacing and the kettlebells to train with.
Key takeaways
- Station 6 is a 200 m farmers carry: 2 × 16 kg for Open women, 2 × 24 kg for Open men and Pro women, 2 × 32 kg for Pro men.
- You can set the bells down to rest, as long as they don't roll forward. Returning them with handles not upright is 30 seconds; the wrong weight or a missed lap can be a DQ.
- Coaches commonly suggest a fast, controlled walk or jog, short steps and a firm but relaxed grip.
- Our pacing targets: 1:38 for a 1:15 finish, 1:58 for 1:30, 2:18 for 1:45 and 2:37 for 2:00.
The HYROX farmers carry looks like the easy station: just pick up two kettlebells and walk. Then your grip goes, your shoulders round and you’re putting them down every 30 metres.
The HYROX farmers carry at a glance
| Division | Kettlebells | Colour |
|---|---|---|
| Open women | 2 × 16 kg | White |
| Open men | 2 × 24 kg | Grey |
| Pro women | 2 × 24 kg | Grey |
| Pro men | 2 × 32 kg | Black |
The distance is 200 m, sometimes over several laps. It’s station 6, after the row. Weights are from section 8.6 of the HYROX Singles Rulebook 2026/27 and our station guide.
The farmers carry rules (2026/27)
- Pick the right weight. That’s your job. The wrong weight means repeating the station or a disqualification.
- Start and finish at the box. You take the bells from the marked box and return them there.
- Carry both bells whenever you move, arms extended at your sides.
- Rest if you need to. You can set them down as long as they don’t roll forward.
- Handles upright at the finish. Getting it wrong is a 30-second penalty, waived if you fix it before leaving the Roxzone.
- Count your laps. Missing one is a disqualification.
- Event chalk only. Your own chalk is a 2-minute penalty.
Technique
Exercise physiologist Dr Adam Storey, of the HYROX Sports Science Advisory Council, told Rox Lyfe: “I would actually classify the farmer’s carry as a postural endurance test.” In other words, your hands might not be the weak link. Your posture might be.
- Pick up like a deadlift. Hinge or squat, then stand tall.
- Brace and stand tall. Chest up, shoulders stable, arms long by your sides.
- Grip firmly, not maximally. Squeezing as hard as you can from the start tires your forearms early.
- Take short, quick steps. Shorten them into the turns and speed up out of them.
- Stop the swing. Bells banging off your legs slow you down.
Pacing: as fast as you can control
Rox Lyfe’s advice is to go “as quickly as you can control.” Some racers jog, others do best with a fast walk. HYRESULT warns against sprinting the first 50 m and suggests breaking the 200 m into four 50 m chunks.
Should you put them down? Every stop costs time, so aim for unbroken. But Rox Lyfe notes one short, planned break can cost less than several unplanned ones. If you stop, set them down under control, reset your grip and go.
Split targets from our HYROX pacing guide:
| Goal finish | Farmers carry target |
|---|---|
| 1:15 | 1:38 |
| 1:30 | 1:58 |
| 1:45 | 2:18 |
| 2:00 | 2:37 |
HYRESULT puts most racers between 2 and 5 minutes.
How to train the farmers carry
- Race weight, race distance. HYRESULT suggests 100 to 200 m carries at race weight or slightly heavier, 2 to 4 sets with 1 to 2 minutes’ rest, building to an unbroken 200 m.
- Go heavier, shorter. Rox Lyfe suggests 3 rounds of 60 to 80 m with heavier bells, and 3 rounds of 150 m at race weight.
- Train it tired. Carry straight after a run or the row.
- Build the engine behind it: dead hangs, heavy holds, Romanian deadlifts, shrugs, rows and core work.
Your grip will already be tired from the sled pull three stations earlier, so train carries when your hands are fatigued.
The kettlebells to train with
You need a pair at your race weight. For most Open men and Pro women that’s two 24 kg (53 lb) bells, and for Open women two 16 kg (35 lb).
- Competition kettlebells keep the same size at every weight, so your grip feels the same as you go heavier. Kettlebell Kings sells competition kettlebells at the race weights. They cost more than cast iron.
- Cast-iron kettlebells are the budget option. They get bigger as they get heavier, but carrying two of them works the same muscles.
Check price on Amazon: Yes4All cast-iron kettlebell (pick 35 or 53 lb) · Competition kettlebells
Training only, since race day is event chalk only:
Check price on Amazon: Friction Labs liquid chalk · Grip strengthener
Building a full setup? See our HYROX home gym guide, and compare picks on the HYROX gear page.
On race day
- Check the colour before you lift. White 16, grey 24, black 32.
- Know your laps from the athlete map.
- Handles up when you put them back.
Next station: sandbag lunges. Catch up on station 5 in our HYROX rowing guide.
Next station: read our HYROX sandbag lunges guide.
Gear for this
All gearCast-iron kettlebell
A cheaper way to train the carry. Pick 35 lb (16 kg) or 53 lb (24 kg) to match race weights.
We may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. How we choose products.
Quick answers
How heavy is the HYROX farmers carry?
2 × 16 kg for Open women, 2 × 24 kg for Open men and Pro women, and 2 × 32 kg for Pro men. The bells are colour-coded white, grey and black.
How far is the HYROX farmers carry?
200 metres. Depending on the venue it may be several laps, so check the athlete map before you race.
Can you put the kettlebells down in HYROX?
Yes. You can set them down to rest as long as they don't roll forward. The station ends when you return them to the box with the handles upright.
Can you use chalk on the HYROX farmers carry?
Yes, but only the chalk provided at the station. Bringing your own chalk is a 2-minute penalty.
Sources
- HYROX Singles Rulebook 2026/27 (section 8.6, farmers carry)
- Rox Lyfe: HYROX farmers carry guide by Greg Williams (updated Oct 2, 2026)
- HYRESULT: HYROX farmers carry
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