Loaded Carries: Farmer's Walk Benefits and Technique

0 to Elite course · Lesson 20 of 100 · Level 1: Movement Foundations

The farmer’s walk is the simplest exercise in this course: pick up two heavy weights and walk. It builds grip, core strength, posture and toughness all at once. In this lesson you’ll learn the benefits, the technique and the variations.

What a loaded carry is

A loaded carry is any exercise where you hold a weight and walk. The farmer’s walk, with a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand by your sides, is the classic version. It’s the movement pattern you use every time you carry shopping bags from the car or a suitcase up the stairs.

So far in Level 1 you’ve learned to squat, hinge, push and pull. Carries tie them together. You’ll pick the weights up with the hip hinge from lesson 14 and hold your trunk rigid with the bracing from lesson 12.

Farmer’s walk benefits

• Grip strength. Holding heavy weights for time builds strong hands and forearms, which helps your rows, deadlifts and pull-ups.
• Core strength. Your trunk has to stay upright and still while you walk. This is “anti-movement” core work, the kind covered in the full guide to strengthening your core.
• Posture and upper back. Your shoulders and upper back work to stop the weights pulling you forwards and down.
• Conditioning. A long or heavy carry raises your heart rate quickly, so it doubles as a short burst of fitness work.
• Real-world strength. It transfers directly to lifting and carrying in daily life.
• Easy to learn. There’s very little technique to get wrong, which makes it ideal for beginners.

How to do the farmer’s walk

1. Place two equal dumbbells or kettlebells beside your feet.
2. Hinge down with a flat back, grip the handles firmly in the middle, brace and stand up tall.
3. Shoulders down and slightly back, chest up, eyes looking forwards, not at the floor.
4. Walk with short, controlled steps, keeping the weights still by your sides.
5. Breathe in short sips behind your brace. Don’t hold your breath for the whole walk.
6. At the end, stop, hinge and place the weights down under control. Don’t drop them.

Cues: “stand tall”, “crush the handles”, “quiet feet”.

Common mistakes

• Rounding to pick up or put down. Treat the pick-up like a light deadlift every time.
• Shrugging. Your shoulders should stay down, not up by your ears.
• Leaning or swaying. If you rock side to side, the weight is too heavy or your steps are too long.
• Rushing. This is a strength exercise, not a race.
• Letting the weights bang your legs. Hold them slightly away from your thighs.

Variations and progression

Start with 3 to 4 walks of 20 to 30 metres, or 30 seconds each, with a weight that’s challenging but lets you keep perfect posture. Rest about a minute between walks. Then progress by adding distance, then weight.

• Suitcase carry: one weight in one hand only. Your obliques (side core muscles) work hard to stop you tipping over. Brilliant core training, as you’ll see in lesson 21.
• Front rack carry: kettlebells held at chest height. Harder on your upper back and breathing.
• Overhead carry: one weight held straight above your head. Only add this once your overhead press is solid.

Carries fit nicely at the end of a session as a “finisher”, once your main lifts are done and you no longer need fresh grip. Because there’s so little technique involved, they’re also one of the easiest exercises to push hard safely, which makes them a useful way to build confidence in lifting heavier things. Keep progress steady: a little more distance or a slightly heavier weight each week is plenty.

Safety: heavy carries raise your blood pressure and heart rate. If you have heart problems, high blood pressure, a hernia, or back, shoulder or hand pain, check with your GP or physio before carrying heavy loads. Always walk in a clear space away from others.

Your action steps

1. Do 3 farmer’s walks of 20 metres or 30 seconds with a moderate weight, resting a minute between.
2. Do 2 suitcase carries per side and notice which side feels harder to keep upright.
3. Film a carry from the front and check your shoulders are level and down.
4. Log the weight and distance, then add a carry to the end of two sessions this week.

Frequently asked questions

What are the benefits of the farmer’s walk?

It builds grip, core strength, upper back strength and posture, raises your heart rate, and transfers directly to carrying things in daily life. It’s also easy for beginners to learn.

How heavy should a farmer’s walk be?

Pick a weight you can carry for 20 to 30 metres while staying tall, with level shoulders and no swaying. Increase distance first, then weight.

Do farmer’s walks burn fat?

They raise your heart rate and burn energy like other hard exercise, but fat loss mainly comes from a consistent calorie deficit. Carries are best seen as strength and conditioning work.

Keep going

Previous: Lesson 19: Single Leg Exercises: Lunges and Split Squats

Next: Lesson 21: Core Training for Beginners: The Simple Starting Plan

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