Wheelbarrow Race | Friends

Quick Intro

The wheelbarrow race is the race version of the wheelbarrow walk. One partner, the hand-walker, is in a high plank. The other, the ankle-holder, stands behind holding the hand-walker’s ankles. On the signal, the hand-walker moves forward hand over hand as fast as they can while staying in control. The ankle-holder walks along in step. The first pair over the finish line wins the heat. Then the partners swap places for a second heat, so both have a turn in both positions.

Learn the Wheelbarrow Walk before racing. The nearest solo exercise is the Bear Crawl, which moves forward on the hands with the feet down. In the race, the feet are held up and the pace is fast, so the shoulders and trunk work hard for a short time.

What You’ll Need

A short, flat, non-slip lane, about 10 metres. Grass or a gym floor is best.
A start and a finish line.
A timer if only one pair is racing.

What It Works

Front of the shoulder (anterior deltoid), triceps (triceps brachii) and chest (pectoralis major), which support the body and drive the hands forward.
Serratus anterior, which keeps the shoulder blades flat and stable with each fast hand step.
The deep stomach muscle (transverse abdominis) and the front stomach muscles (rectus abdominis), which keep the hips level at speed.
Forearm flexors, for the ankle-holder’s grip.

The Technique

Setup

The hand-walker gets into a high plank on the start line: hands under the shoulders, arms straight, body straight.
The ankle-holder stands behind, squats, takes hold just above the ankles and stands up, lifting the legs to a comfortable height, around the hips or a little lower.
Both check they are steady before the start.

Going fast on the hands

Speed comes from quick, short hand steps. Long reaches make the shoulders wobble and the hips swing. Think of quick, small, rhythmic steps: right, left, right, left.

Keep the hips level and the body straight. A sagging back loses speed and strains the lower back.
Keep the head in line, eyes on the floor just ahead.
Breathe steadily. The race is short, so the arms tire before the lungs do.

Holding at speed

The ankle-holder’s job decides the race as much as the hand-walker’s.

Match the hand-walker’s pace. Walk or jog in step with their hands, never ahead.
Never push. A hand-walker driven faster than their hands can move ends up on their face.
Keep the legs steady at a constant height. Bouncing the legs throws off the hands.
Watch for sagging or shaking, and slow down or stop if you see it.

At the finish

The hand-walker slows down over the last metre. The ankle-holder slows with them, bends the knees and lowers the legs to the floor gently.

Before You Race

Run through a short check with each new pairing:

The hand-walker can do a 10-metre Wheelbarrow Walk at an easy pace with level hips.
The ankle-holder has practised lifting and lowering the legs smoothly.
Both have agreed the word for stopping, usually “stop”.

If any of these is missing, practise the walk first.

How to Play

Pairs line up at the start in the wheelbarrow position, with space between lanes.
On the signal, race to the finish.
First pair over the line wins the heat.
Swap positions and run the second heat.
Count the heats each pair won, or add the two times together. With only one pair, add both heats’ times and try to beat that total in a later round.

What Counts

A finish counts with the hand-walker still in the wheelbarrow and the ankle-holder holding.
A collapse or drop ends that attempt. Check on each other first, then restart if both are fine.
A foul is the ankle-holder pushing or dragging the hand-walker faster than they can move.

Making It Fair

The hand-walker’s upper-body strength decides most of the race. A pair can even things out:

Shorter distance for the weaker hand-walker.
Lower hold: the ankle-holder holds the legs a little lower, which puts less weight on the hand-walker’s shoulders.

Running two heats with swapped positions also helps, since both partners race in both roles. Training With a Friend has more on fair contests.

Staying Safe

Short, flat, non-slip lane.
Practise the walk first. If the walk is not solid, do not race.
Ankle-holder sets a fair pace. Never faster than the hands can go.
Stop at once if the hand-walker’s hips sag, shoulders shake or wrists hurt.
Lanes well apart if pairs are racing side by side.

Getting into and out of the wheelbarrow safely is covered in Lifting, Carrying and Catching a Person.

Common Mistakes

Long reaching steps. Short and quick wins.
The ankle-holder pushing. Follow the hands.
Sagging hips. Brace and stay straight.
Dropping the legs at the finish. Lower them gently.

Fitting It Into a Session

It suits a team session, a field day or a short, intense finisher. Two heats each, with full rest between, is enough. Do it after a warm-up that includes some planks and wrist circles.

Wheelbarrow Walk is the controlled version to learn first.
Partner Wheelbarrow Push-up adds push-ups in the same position.
Bear Crawl builds hand-walking strength on hands and feet.

FAQ

Who should be the hand-walker first?

Either partner. Both have a turn, so the order matters little. The stronger partner going first can show the pace.

How high should the legs be held?

Around the holder’s hips, or a little lower. Higher adds load to the shoulders without making the walker faster.

What if we fall?

Stop, check on each other and restart. The hand-walker should keep the elbows soft so they can lower themselves rather than collapse.

Related to Bear Crawl, Wheelbarrow Walk and Training With a Friend.