Best Carry
The frame carry and loading race are among strongman's most demanding medley events, combining raw strength with speed, agility, and cardiovascular endurance. Athletes must pick up heavy objects (frames, kegs, sandbags, anvils, or custom implements) and move them over a set course as fast as possible. The fastest times require not just the strength to handle the implements but the athletic ability to transition quickly between objects.
Unlike static lifting events where athletes can take their time setting up, carry and loading events are all-out sprints under load. Every second counts, and the difference between first and last place often comes down to fractions of a second in transitions and turning speed rather than raw strength alone.
Frame Carries and Loading Races: Strongman's Fastest Movers
Frame carries test a slightly different set of qualities than the farmer's walk. The frame typically distributes weight across a wider base, changing the balance dynamics and allowing for heavier total loads. Some competitions use frames loaded with vehicles or custom weights exceeding 500 kg, creating a visual spectacle as athletes struggle to move an enormous apparatus across the competition floor. The wider grip position also shifts the demands on the upper back and traps compared to narrow farmer's handles.
Loading races add a complexity that pure carries do not. Athletes must pick up a series of objects, often five implements of varying weight and shape, and load them onto a platform or over a bar within a time limit. The strategic element is significant: do you start with the heaviest object while fresh, or save it for last and risk running out of time? The best loading race competitors have rehearsed their object order and transition movements so thoroughly that every second between implements is minimized.
What makes the athletes on this list exceptional is their combination of strength and speed. Many of the fastest carry and loading performers are not the heaviest or strongest athletes in the field. They are the ones with the best power-to-weight ratio, the fastest foot speed under load, and the cardiovascular capacity to maintain intensity across an event that typically lasts 30 to 90 seconds of all-out exertion.