HYROX Farmers Carry: Weights, Grip, and Strategy (Station 6)
HYROX Stations · Station 6 of 8
The farmers carry is the simplest station in HYROX, and one of the most deceptive. Pick up two kettlebells. Walk 200 metres. Put them down. By now you have run six kilometres, and your grip has already been spent on the sled pull and the rowing. That is the whole problem.
Data from more than 700,000 race results shows this is the lowest-variance station in the sport, with only around 26 seconds separating the finishing brackets. Almost nobody gains time here. But a single drop costs 10 to 15 seconds you cannot get back. This station is not about being strong. It is about not putting the bells down.
200 m for every division. Typically the fastest station in the race, with a median around 2:02 for Open Men and 2:10 for Open Women. Over 3 minutes means this station needs work.
The Station, Weights, and Rules
Station 6 is a 200 m carry with a kettlebell in each hand, completed after your sixth 1 km run. Behind you sit five stations and six kilometres. Ahead lie two kilometres of running, the sandbag lunges, and the wall balls. The distance is the same for every division. Only the weight changes.
| Division | Kettlebells |
|---|---|
| Women Open | 2 x 16 kg |
| Men Open | 2 x 24 kg |
| Women Pro | 2 x 24 kg |
| Men Pro | 2 x 32 kg |
- Select the correct weight. It is your responsibility. Using the incorrect kettlebell weight for the Farmers Carry results in disqualification.
- Carry them at your sides. You cannot rest them on your shoulders.
- You may put them down. There is no penalty for resting, as long as you do it in your lane.
- Do not drag or roll them. They must be placed and picked up under control.
- Return them correctly. Place the kettlebells in the correct box with the handles upright. If they are not returned correctly, a 30-second penalty applies, unless you correct it before exiting the Roxzone.
- Chalk, carefully. Event-provided chalk is permitted for the Sled Pull and the Farmers Carry only. Do not bring your own chalk, and do not carry chalk away from the station. Either can bring a 2-minute penalty.
- Same distance, 200 m. Doubles Women use 2 x 16 kg. Doubles Women Pro, Men, and Mixed use 2 x 24 kg. Doubles Men Pro use 2 x 32 kg.
- No forward passes. The kettlebells must not be passed forward during a transition. Sideways or backward transitions are allowed.
- The resting partner walks behind the working partner, and must not obstruct other racers.
Weights and standards can change by season, so confirm the current numbers on the official HYROX rulebook before race week.
Why Grip Is Not Really the Problem
Everyone trains dead hangs for this station. That is not wrong, but it misses the real limiter. Speaking on the topic, exercise physiologist Dr Adam Storey, a member of the HYROX Sports Science Advisory Council, has pointed out that when posture collapses, grip fatigue accelerates. Your hands may not be the weak link. Your upper back is.
Watch the fastest athletes on this station. They do not have unusual hands. They look rock solid from shoulders to hips, with no collapse and no wasted motion. When the shoulders round forward and the torso sways side to side, every step leaks energy, and the hands give out sooner as a consequence.
Technique: Pick Up, Posture, Walk
- Lift both kettlebells together using a deadlift pattern. Hinge at the hips, back flat, stand tall before you move.
- Grip at the base of your fingers rather than deep in the palm. It is a stronger position and delays fatigue.
- Set your grip once. Repeatedly adjusting wastes time and tires the hands.
- Stand tall, chest up, spine neutral. Imagine a string lifting the crown of your head.
- Pack the shoulders down and back. Do not let the weight drag them forward and up towards your ears.
- Brace the core against the sway. This is an anti-rotation exercise as much as a carry.
- Look ahead, not down at the bells.
- Walk briskly and with purpose. Do not run, since running makes the bells swing and destroys your grip.
- Keep the steps controlled and rhythmic. Let the arms hang naturally without excessive swing.
- Breathe steadily through the carry rather than holding your breath.
Breaks: How and When to Put Them Down
Coaches genuinely disagree here, and the honest answer is that it depends on which system fails first for you. Both approaches are valid.
If your posture holds but your grip fades, short and frequent breaks work best. Set the bells at your feet, shake out your hands for three to five seconds, take two or three breaths, and go. Keep every stop under about ten seconds. Longer than that and your grip cools, making the handles harder to re-take, and you are simply standing still.
If your grip holds but you fall apart, aim for one longer unbroken effort first, perhaps 100 or 150 m, then one deliberate rest. Multiple stops each carry the cost of setting down and picking back up, and those seconds accumulate.
What both camps agree on completely: plan your breaks before you start. A planned stop is always cheaper than collapsing mid-lane and being forced into an awkward, unplanned rest. Know from training whether you can carry 200 m unbroken. A useful test is that if you can carry 250 m unbroken on fresh grip, you can likely carry 200 m on race day with tired hands.
The 200 m Broken Into Four
- 0 to 50 m. Establish your pace. Tall posture, brisk walk, lock in the rhythm. Do not sprint.
- 50 to 100 m. Maintain. If the grip starts to weaken, squeeze slightly harder and re-engage your lats rather than slowing down.
- 100 to 150 m. The mental checkpoint. Grip solid? Lift the pace a little. Grip failing? Take your planned break at the next turnaround.
- 150 to 200 m. You can see the end. Squeeze and drive home. Set the bells down upright, shake out your hands, and go straight into the run.
Focus on reaching the next turnaround, not the whole 200 m. The distance shrinks when you break it into pieces.
Average Farmers Carry Times
| Division | Median 200 m |
|---|---|
| Men Open | around 2:02 |
| Women Open | around 2:10 |
| Needs work | over 3:00 |
This is typically the fastest station to complete in the entire race. Roughly two to five minutes covers almost everyone. The narrow spread is why the strategy is simple: move briskly, keep the bells in your hands, and get on with your race.
How to Train It in an Indian Gym
This station needs almost nothing. Two heavy kettlebells, or two dumbbells, or even a loaded gym bag in each hand. Train it deliberately rather than tacking it on at the end of a session when you are already spent.
- Race weight distance: 3 to 4 rounds of 200 m at race weight, 2 to 3 minutes rest. Aim for unbroken, tall posture, brisk pace.
- Interval carries: 4 to 6 sets of 40 to 60 m at race weight with only 10 to 15 seconds rest. Time the total effort including rests, and work to reduce it week by week.
- Heavy and short: 3 sets of 100 m above race weight. Builds grip and core under a heavier load.
- Compromised: a 1 km run at race pace straight into a 200 m carry. Do this once a week close to your race.
- Grip circuit: max dead hang, then 100 m carry, then 20 kettlebell swings. Rest 90 seconds. Three or four rounds.
Then train the part most people ignore. Build the posture that holds under load: Romanian deadlifts, heavy shrugs, barbell rows, single-arm suitcase carries for anti-rotation, and front rack carries. Add plate pinches and towel hangs for grip endurance. Remember that you want grip endurance at a moderate load, not maximal grip strength. Do not chase heavier weight. Chase a faster, tidier 200 m.
The Top Mistakes
Gripping with maximum force from the very first step, so there is nothing left at 150 m. Letting the shoulders round forward, which collapses posture and accelerates grip failure. Trying to run, which swings the bells and tears at the hands. Having no plan for breaks, then collapsing mid-lane. Taking breaks longer than about ten seconds, which lets the grip cool without meaningful recovery. Bringing your own chalk, which can cost you two minutes. Returning the kettlebells incorrectly and collecting a 30-second penalty at the very end. And training the carry only as a fresh finisher, never after a run.
Frequently Asked Questions
What weight is the HYROX farmers carry?
Women Open carry 2 x 16 kg, Men Open carry 2 x 24 kg, Women Pro carry 2 x 24 kg, and Men Pro carry 2 x 32 kg. The distance is 200 m for every division. Confirm the current weights on the official rulebook before your race.
Can you put the kettlebells down during the HYROX farmers carry?
Yes. There is no penalty for resting, provided you set them down in your lane and do not drag or roll them. Most athletes break at least once. Each break costs roughly 10 to 15 seconds, so the goal is to minimise them.
What is a good HYROX farmers carry time?
The median is around 2:02 for Open Men and 2:10 for Open Women. It is usually the fastest station in the race. If you are over three minutes, this station needs dedicated work.
How do I stop my grip failing on the farmers carry?
Grip at the base of your fingers rather than deep in the palm, and use about 80 percent grip intensity rather than crushing from step one. Keep your posture tall, since collapsing shoulders accelerate grip fatigue. Use the event-provided chalk at the station. Train grip endurance with dead hangs, towel hangs, and interval carries.
Should I run during the HYROX farmers carry?
No. Running makes the kettlebells swing, which tears at your grip and costs you more than the pace gains. Walk briskly and with purpose, keeping your steps controlled and your posture tall.
Is grip really the limiting factor in the farmers carry?
Not entirely. Posture is often the true limiter. When the shoulders round and the torso sways, grip fatigue accelerates. The fastest athletes on this station are not the ones with the strongest hands, but the ones who stay stacked from shoulders to hips.
Can I use gloves or chalk on the HYROX farmers carry?
Event-provided chalk is permitted for the Sled Pull and the Farmers Carry only. Do not bring your own chalk and do not carry chalk away from the station, since either can bring a 2-minute penalty. Check your event's rules on gloves before race day, and train with whatever you plan to use.
What happens if I use the wrong kettlebell weight?
It is your responsibility to select the correct weight for your division. Using the incorrect kettlebell weight for the Farmers Carry results in disqualification. Check before you lift.
How must I return the kettlebells?
Place them in the correct box with the handles upright. If they are not returned correctly, a 30-second penalty applies, unless you correct it before exiting the Roxzone.
Can you pass the kettlebells to your partner in Doubles?
Not forward. Sideways or backward transitions are allowed, but forward passes are not. The resting partner must walk behind the working partner and must not obstruct other racers. The distance stays 200 m.
About the Coach
Niraj Kumar Borah
Founder and head coach of Fitness Bootcamp, a premium residential health transformation program based in Rishikesh. Since 2020 he has guided more than 4,600 guests through structured, fully supported transformations.
He is a HYROX Academy Level 1 certified coach, a Precision Nutrition and Bioforce Conditioning coach, and a VDOT certified running coach. He races HYROX himself. At HYROX Bengaluru 2026 he placed 25th in the 35 to 39 age group, finishing the Doubles in 1:24:59, so the coaching here comes from racing the stations, not just reading about them.
Want your stations coached one by one?
A personalised plan that fixes your technique on every station and builds the strength to hold it removes the guesswork from race day.
Message the team on WhatsAppThis is general training guidance for healthy adults. Heavy carries place real load on the back and shoulders. If you have a health condition or an injury, speak with your doctor before starting a new training plan.
