Farmer's Carry

What it trains. A carry is a hold plus walking. Nothing moves through a big range; the work is holding positions against the load while your legs move underneath you.

• Primary: the forearm flexors (grip) hold the handles, and the upper trapezius stops the weight pulling your shoulders down.
• Secondary: the trunk muscles (quadratus lumborum, the obliques, the erector spinae and rectus abdominis) stiffen your torso so each step doesn't tip or twist you.

Walking makes the trunk work harder than standing still. Ellestad et al. (2024) measured trunk muscle activity in healthy college-aged adults:

• The farmer's carry (about 51 kg in total, split across two dumbbells) produced higher activity on both sides in the rectus abdominis, external oblique, longissimus and multifidus than standing still holding the same weights.
• The suitcase carry (about 25 kg in one hand) produced higher back-muscle activity on both sides than a one-arm hold. The abdominals worked harder on the side holding the weight.
• Both carries raised trunk activity compared with standing holds; the one-sided carry added extra demand on the loaded side.

Carries train something lifts don't. McGill, McDermott & Fenwick (2009) modelled spine load and trunk stiffness in strongman events, including the farmer's walk and suitcase carry. The trunk muscles co-contracted to stiffen the torso; in the yoke walk, muscles such as quadratus lumborum supported the pelvis where the hips' own abduction strength fell short. Their conclusion was that carrying events challenged different abilities than lifting events, so loaded carrying could add to a lifting-based programme. This was a series of case studies of 3 competitive strongman athletes (75 kg per hand on the farmer's walk), so treat it as a description of what carries ask of the body, not proof of training effects.

One hand or two? McGill, Marshall & Andersen (2013) calculated low-back compression in people carrying buckets:

• 30 kg in one hand: compression above 2,800 N.
• 15 kg in each hand (the same 30 kg split): 1,570 N, a 44% reduction.
• 30 kg in each hand (double the total): still less spine compression than 30 kg in one hand.

That gives you a clear choice:

• Farmer's carry (two hands): the way to carry heavy. Load is balanced, so you can go heavier with less load on the spine per kilogram.
• Suitcase carry (one hand): use a moderate weight on purpose to train the trunk against side-bending. It loads the spine more per kilogram, so build up gradually.

Technique cues:

• Pick up like a deadlift. Stand between the weights, hinge at the hips with a braced trunk, and stand up with them (see Deadlifts (bent knee)). Don't round over to grab them.
• Stand tall. Ribs stacked over hips, eyes forward, shoulders level.
• Shoulders set. Don't let the weight drag your shoulders down and forward, and don't shrug them up to your ears.
• Brace and breathe. Keep your trunk firm (see Abdominal Bracing (vs Hollowing)) and keep breathing in short breaths behind the brace. Don't hold your breath for the whole walk.
• Short, quick steps in a straight line. Turn with small steps rather than a pivot.
• Suitcase carry: don't lean away from the weight to balance it. Stay upright, as if the weight wasn't there.
• Put the weights down the way you picked them up: hinge, don't drop them from the hips while rounded over.

See it. Demo clips in the Fysiqal media library: Farmers Carry, Suitcase Carry, Overhead Carry.

• Anyone wanting stronger grip, upper back and trunk with one simple exercise; it suits beginners through advanced lifters.
• People whose daily life or job involves carrying: shopping, children, tools, luggage.
• Lifters whose grip fails before their legs or back in deadlifts and rows.
• Training at home: two heavy dumbbells or kettlebells are enough.

• Healthy backs only. Carries load the spine. With current back pain, a recent injury or surgery, or a hernia, get individual advice first.
• The suitcase carry loads the spine more per kilogram. Use a moderate weight and build up gradually (McGill 2013).
• Small studies. McGill 2009 tested 3 competitive strongman athletes and McGill 2013 had 6 participants. Muscle-activity and modelled spine-load studies describe what a carry asks of the body; they don't measure training results over weeks.
• Grip is often the limit. If your grip gives out long before your trunk or legs, that's your grip training, but don't let a slipping weight drop onto your feet. Stop the set when the handles start to slide.

Sam (70 kg) deadlifts 100 kg but his grip fails on heavy sets, and he slumps sideways carrying shopping.

1. Starting load. A pair of 24 kg kettlebells (48 kg, about 70% of his body weight). He can walk 30 m tall with no lean.
2. Plan for 6 weeks, twice a week, at the end of his sessions:
   • Farmer's carry, 3 × 30 m, resting 90 s.
   • Suitcase carry with one 20 kg kettlebell, 2 × 20 m on each side.
3. Progression: first he adds distance up to 40 m. When all sets feel steady at 40 m, he steps up to 28 kg kettlebells and drops back to 30 m.
4. Result: at week 6 he carries 2 × 28 kg for 3 × 40 m, and his grip holds through his heavy deadlift sets.

Next lesson: Squats. Learn the main lower-body lift, and how depth and knee travel really work.

• Primary: forearm flexors (grip) and upper trapezius. Secondary: quadratus lumborum, obliques, erector spinae, rectus abdominis.
• Walking with the weights raised trunk-muscle activity on both sides compared with standing holds; the suitcase carry added extra abdominal activity on the loaded side (Ellestad 2024).
• Carrying events challenged different abilities than lifting events, so carries can add to a lifting programme (McGill 2009).
• 30 kg in one hand: low-back compression above 2,800 N. 15 kg per hand: 1,570 N (44% less). 30 kg per hand still loaded the spine less than 30 kg in one hand (McGill 2013).
• Carry heavy with two hands; use the one-handed suitcase carry with moderate weight to train the trunk against side-bending.