Fysiqal

Carry & Anti-Movement Core · Beginner

Farmers Carry

Compound carry & anti-movement core exercise using dumbbell.
Farmers Carry demonstration (no audio).
Difficulty
Beginner
Equipment
Dumbbell
Mechanics
Compound
Sides
Bilateral
Main plane
Multiplanar

Free account. Log your sets of Farmers Carry and each workout shows your best set by estimated 1RM.

Log this exercise & track your 1RM free in Fysiqal →

How to do the Farmers Carry

Cues reviewed by Kwabena Osei on

Setup

Pick up a heavy weight in each hand, standing tall with shoulders back and down.

  1. Walk forward with short, controlled steps, keeping your torso upright and braced -- don't let the weight pull you into a lean to either side.

  2. Keep your shoulders pulled back and down rather than letting them round forward or shrug up toward your ears.

Common mistakes

  • Leaning to one side to compensate for grip fatigue instead of keeping the torso upright and braced.

  • Letting the shoulders round forward and down, which turns this into a grip-and-shrug exercise instead of a full-body carry.

Muscles worked

Primary

Secondary

How the knowledge graph models this movement

Each joint action, with the role and emphasis the graph assigns each muscle. These are qualitative anatomical labels, not measured muscle activation.

  • Scapula depressionprimary action · resisted

    Trapezius (prime mover, high emphasis); Levator scapulae (synergist, moderate emphasis)

  • Wrist extensionprimary action · resisted

    Wrist flexors (prime mover, high emphasis)

  • Elbow extensionsecondary action · resisted

    Biceps brachii (stabilizer, low emphasis); Brachialis (stabilizer, low emphasis)

  • Spine lateral flexionsecondary action · resisted

    External oblique (stabilizer, moderate emphasis); Quadratus lumborum (stabilizer, moderate emphasis)

Related exercises

All carry & anti-movement core exercises →

From the Knowledge Library

Educational content only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional for individual guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy or medical conditions.