Arms · Forearms · Dumbbell
Farmer's Carry
The farmer's carry is walking with a heavy dumbbell or handle in each hand. It builds grip strength, the traps and the core, and trains the whole body to stay upright and braced under load.
How to
Dumbbell- 1 Pick up heavy dumbbells, stand tall.
- 2 Walk with short quick steps, shoulders back.
- 3 Set down under control at the end of the distance.
Tips
- Log the weight per hand and the distance or time the same way every session.
- Pick the dumbbells up like a deadlift, with a flat back.
- Walk tall with the ribs down; do not let the weights pull the shoulders forward.
Common mistakes
- Leaning to one side.
- Taking long, bouncing strides.
- Dropping the dumbbells at the end instead of setting them down.
Muscles worked
Main
- Forearms and grip
- Traps
Also working
- Abs and obliques
- Glutes
- Calves
Breathing and bracing
Take short breaths behind a light brace; do not hold your breath for the whole walk.
Sets and reps
- Strength
- 3–5 carries of 20–40 m with a heavy load, 2 min rest
- Conditioning
- 3–4 carries of 40–60 m with a moderate load, 1 min rest
- Starting weight
- About a quarter of your body weight in each hand
Setup
- 1 Place two heavy dumbbells or farmer's handles beside your feet.
- 2 Lift them as in a deadlift, with a flat back.
- 3 Stand tall with the shoulders back and the arms straight at your sides.
Technique in detail
- Walk with short, quick steps.
- Keep the chest up and the shoulders level.
- Keep the dumbbells from swinging or hitting the legs.
- Keep the abs braced the whole walk.
- At the end, stop and set the weights down with a flat back.
In these plans
Not part of a built-in plan. Add it to any workout from the exercise picker.
Variations and alternatives
Questions
How do I log carries in Volu(me)?
Log the weight in one hand and use the reps field for metres or seconds, the same way every session.
Straps or no straps?
No straps: the grip is part of the point.
Why do my shoulders shrug up?
Actively pull the shoulders down and back. If you cannot, the weight is too heavy for now.
Log it in Volu(me)
Add Farmer's Carry to any workout. Next time the app fills in the weight and reps from your last session and marks a new best set the moment you tick it.