How to Do Farmers Walk Correctly: Form, Weight and Mistakes
Learning how to do farmers walk correctly takes five minutes, but most people still get it slightly wrong. They grab weights that are too heavy, shrug their shoulders up to their ears and shuffle along with a rounded back. Done well, the farmers walk is one of the best exercises for grip, posture, core strength and real-life fitness. Here is exactly how I coach it at my private studio in Archway.
What is a farmers walk?
A farmers walk is a loaded carry. You hold a heavy weight in each hand, stand tall and walk a set distance or time. It looks simple, and it is, but it trains your whole body at once. Your grip holds the weight, your shoulders and upper back stay set, your core keeps you upright and your legs drive every step.
If you want the full list of what it does for your body, read my guide to farmers walk benefits. This post is all about technique.
How to do farmers walk correctly, step by step
Follow these steps every time, even with light weights. Good habits at low load protect you when the weights go up.
Set up the weights. Place two dumbbells or kettlebells just outside your feet. Make sure your path is clear for at least 10 to 20 metres.
Pick them up like a deadlift. Push your hips back, keep your chest proud and your back flat, grip the handles in the middle and stand up by driving through your feet.
Set your posture. Stand tall. Shoulders down and slightly back, ribs down, eyes looking forward. Think "tall and proud", not "hunched and heavy".
Brace your core. Take a breath into your belly and gently tighten your stomach, as if someone was about to poke it.
Walk with short, controlled steps. Heel to toe, feet roughly hip width apart. Do not rush. The weights should barely swing.
Breathe. Short breaths while staying braced. Do not hold your breath for the whole walk.
Put the weights down safely. Stop, then lower them the same way you picked them up, hips back and back flat.
How heavy should a farmers walk be?
Start lighter than you think. The weight should be heavy enough that your grip is working hard by the end of the walk, but light enough that your posture does not change.
Beginners: try a weight in each hand that you could hold for about 30 to 40 seconds with good posture.
Progress slowly: add a little weight only when you can finish every round tall and steady.
Distance or time: 20 to 40 metres, or 20 to 40 seconds, for 3 to 5 rounds works well for most people.
Rest: 60 to 90 seconds between rounds, so your grip recovers.
If your shoulders creep up, your back rounds or you lean to one side, the weight is too heavy.
Common farmers walk mistakes
These are the mistakes I see most often, and the simple fixes.
Shrugging. Shoulders rise towards your ears. Fix: think about putting your shoulder blades in your back pockets.
Leaning back. You arch to balance the load. Fix: ribs down, squeeze your glutes lightly.
Long, fast strides. The weights swing and hit your legs. Fix: shorter, slower steps.
Looking down. Your head drops and your upper back rounds. Fix: pick a spot ahead and look at it.
Lifting badly. People bend from the back to pick the weights up. Fix: treat the pick up and set down like a deadlift every time.
Lifting with a braced core matters for every carry and every lift. My guide on how to brace your core when lifting explains it in more detail.
Farmers walk variations to try
Once the basic version feels solid, small changes make it harder or work different areas.
Suitcase carry: one weight in one hand. Your core has to stop you leaning, so it is great for the obliques. See suitcase carry benefits.
Overhead carry: weights held above your head. Harder on shoulder stability, so keep it light.
Front rack carry: kettlebells held at chest height. Tough on the upper back and breathing.
Mixed carry: one weight overhead, one at your side. A big challenge for core control.
If you train at home and do not have dumbbells, there are still ways to do it. I cover them in my post on farmers walk at home.
If you have back pain, a hernia, high blood pressure or a recent injury, speak to your GP or a physiotherapist before doing heavy carries.
How to add farmers walks to your training
Farmers walks fit almost anywhere in a week. I like them at the end of a session as a finisher, or between strength exercises as a lighter "active" exercise.
Add 3 to 4 rounds at the end of a lower body or full body session.
Pair them with a pulling exercise, like a row, to build a strong upper back.
Do them 1 to 3 times a week. Your grip and core recover quickly.
Want someone to check your form and build carries into a full plan? Training with a personal trainer in Archway means every rep and every step is coached, and the plan moves up only when you are ready. It all happens in a private personal training studio in Archway, with no queues for the dumbbells.
Want this coached 1-to-1? I will set your weights, fix your posture and build carries into a plan that fits your week. Book a free consultation at our Archway studio.
Frequently asked questions
How far should you do a farmers walk?
Most people do well with 20 to 40 metres per round, or 20 to 40 seconds, for 3 to 5 rounds. Stop the round when your posture or grip starts to fail.
Should you look down during a farmers walk?
No. Look straight ahead at a fixed point. Looking down tends to round your upper back and pulls you out of position.
Is a farmers walk good for beginners?
Yes. It is easy to learn and easy to scale. Start light, focus on standing tall and add weight slowly.
What muscles does the farmers walk work?
It works your grip and forearms, traps and upper back, core, glutes and legs. Your heart rate also rises, so it builds fitness too.
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SYP Fitness is a private 1-to-1 personal training studio at 2-4 Navigator Square, Archway, London N19 3UB, 2 minutes from Archway tube. Rated 5.0 from 106 Google reviews.
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