A couple of years ago hardly anyone in India had heard of HYROX. Now there are races in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, and the question we get most in our showrooms, from gym owners and first-timers alike, is a simple one: what do I actually need to train for it?

Let's start with the station that wrecks more race times than people expect: the 200 m farmers carry.

What the HYROX farmers carry asks of you

It is station six of eight. You've already run 6 km and done the SkiErg, both sleds, burpee broad jumps and a 1,000 m row. Now you pick up two kettlebells and walk 200 metres without letting your grip quit.

Doubles and Relay athletes carry their division's Open weights. The weight itself isn't extreme for most regular gym-goers. What makes it hard is carrying it when you're already tired, at race pace, without putting it down.

Why the shape of the kettlebell matters

Most people train the carry with whatever round kettlebells their gym owns. Over 20 metres that's fine. Over 200 metres, a round bell rolls forward in the hand and swings into the thigh with every step, so you spend energy fighting the bell instead of moving.

That's why we built the Afton Octo HYROX Kettlebell with flat octagonal sides. It sits flush against the leg, hangs straight and doesn't spin in the grip. The flat base means it stops dead when you put it down and stacks neatly in a studio. It comes in the two Open race weights, 16 kg and 24 kg, colour-coded yellow and green, cast in a single piece and held to a ±2% weight tolerance so a pair actually matches.

A 6-week farmers carry plan

Do this twice a week, after your main strength work. Rest 90 seconds between carries.

Setting up a HYROX zone in your gym

If you run a box, studio or apartment gym and want to offer HYROX-style classes, the farmers carry is the simplest station to equip properly. Plan on at least two matched pairs per weight for every 8–10 members in a class, plus a clear 20 m lane. Pair it with a rower, a ski erg and a turf track and you can programme most of the race indoors. We supply studios by the set, so you don't have to source each station from a different vendor.