How to do a farmer's carry (farmer's walk): form, how heavy and how far, grip, your back, and variations

The carry

Pick up a weight in each hand with a flat back, stand tall with a tight grip and your arms long at your sides, and walk a set distance with short, even steps. Turn, walk back, and set the weights down by bending your knees.

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What it works

Your grip, upper back, trunk and hips, together, while you walk. Carrying challenged the trunk differently from lifting in strongman athletes. In 18 young adults, walking with about 51 kg drew more back muscle activity than holding the same weights still, and slightly more than a plank, but the plank worked the front of the stomach far harder.

Sources 3, 4

Two hands are easier on your back

In 6 people, 30 kg in one hand pressed on the lower back with more than 2,800 newtons, and 15 kg in each hand with 1,570 (44% less); even 30 kg in each hand loaded the spine less than 30 kg in one. So coaches start with the farmer's carry and add the one-hand suitcase carry later.

Sources 5, 2

How heavy: a coaching figure

No trial has set it. Our grip guide starts around a quarter of your body weight in each hand, which matches a coaching benchmark for rehabilitation of half your body weight in total; those figures are coaches' experience, untested in trials. The right weight lets you walk tall, without leaning or shuffling, for the whole carry.

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How far

20 to 40 metres, or about 20 to 40 seconds, 2 to 4 times, with 60 to 90 seconds' rest, as our grip and back guides and workouts use. Change the weight or the distance from week to week, not both at once.

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Not just for strongmen

The NHS counts carrying heavy shopping bags as muscle-strengthening activity, the UK consensus on osteoporosis encourages it, and our back pain guides use carries to rebuild strength.

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The move

Walking with a heavy weight in each hand: dumbbells, kettlebells, farmer's handles or full shopping bags. ACE (the American Council on Exercise) describes a dumbbell in each hand with a tight, firm grip, the arms resting at your sides so the weights sit by your hips, the back straight, walking a set distance and back, and rates it intermediate. The suitcase carry uses one weight in one hand; the overhead carry holds one weight locked out above your head.

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Grip and forearms

Your forearm muscles hold the weights, and for many people grip is the first thing to give out: in one carry study, a participant was left out because they couldn't hold the dumbbells.

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The upper back and trunk

In strongman carries, the stomach muscles peaked as each foot took weight and the back muscles as each leg swung. In 18 young adults carrying about 51 kg in total, the farmer's carry drew more activity from the back and stomach muscles than holding the same weights still. Against a plank, it drew 9 to 11 points more back muscle activity (in percentage points of a maximal effort), and the plank 22 to 46 points more from the front of the stomach.

Sources 2, 4

The side of the trunk and hips

With a weight in one hand, the side muscles of your trunk and the hip muscles on the other side stop you tipping towards it. Walking with 15 to 20% of body weight in one hand raised the opposite hip's abductor activity in 26 adults, and in the suitcase carry the stomach muscles on the loaded side worked harder than in a suitcase hold.

Sources 3, 10, 4

The spine

Splitting a load between two hands kept the lower back's compression far lower than carrying it in one. Of the strongman events measured, the yoke (a heavy frame across the shoulders) loaded the spine most.

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The legs

In strongman athletes, a loaded farmer's walk more than doubled the peak force through the feet against an unloaded walk (3,630 against 1,510 newtons).

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Where people differ

The heaviest one-hand carry before form broke averaged 52 kg (64% of body weight) in 25 recreationally active men and 33 kg (53%) in 26 women, and fat-free mass predicted it well. In 16 trained men, those whose hip abductors were weak for the size of their thigh muscles used more of the side of the hip in the farmer's walk.

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No trial of carries on their ownMixed evidence

A coaching article in the National Strength and Conditioning Association's (NSCA) journal says there is little research on loaded carries, so the sets, times and loads come from coaches' experience. What we know comes from lab studies, strongman research and everyday-activity advice.

Source 2

One hand loads the spine more than twoEmerging evidence

In 6 people carrying buckets, 30 kg in one hand produced more than 2,800 newtons of lower back compression, 15 kg in each hand 1,570 (44% less), and 30 kg in each hand less than 30 kg in one. A small modelling study, but a clear direction.

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Carries work the trunk differently from liftsEmerging evidence

Comparing strongman events in the lab, the carries challenged the trunk and hips differently from the lifts, and the authors suggested carrying would add to lifting-based programmes. The yoke walk loaded the spine most.

Source 3

Carries against holds and planksEmerging evidence

In 18 young adults, the farmer's and suitcase carries drew more trunk muscle activity than holding the same weights still. The farmer's carry worked the back muscles slightly more than a plank, and the plank worked the front of the stomach far more. One study of muscle activity, read in full.

Source 4

One weight works the opposite hipEmerging evidence

Walking with 15 to 20% of body weight in one hand raised hip abductor activity on the opposite side, not the loaded side, in 26 adults. In 16 trained men, the side of the hip worked harder in the farmer's walk in those with weaker hip abductors (42 against 26% of a maximal effort).

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Strongman training worked as well as traditional trainingEmerging evidence

30 trained rugby players did 7 weeks of strongman training, including carries, or matched traditional training. Both groups improved strength, speed and power by 0.2 to 7%, with no significant difference between them. In 10 men, a strongman session with farmer's walks was a similar physical stimulus to a traditional session.

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Carrying and strength go togetherEmerging evidence

In 23 rugby players, performance in every strongman event, including the farmer's walk, tracked squat strength. Across 11 small studies, faster farmer's walkers took longer, quicker strides with shorter ground contact.

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Injuries in strongman athletesEmerging evidence

Of 213 strongman athletes, 82% reported an injury in a year, most often the lower back (24%) and shoulder (21%). Over half the injuries (54%) came from traditional lifts, but allowing for time spent, training with strongman implements was 1.9 times more likely to injure. Our strongman guide says the farmer's walk caused 5% of them.

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How heavy: coaching figures, untestedEmerging evidence

Coaches suggest 2 to 4 rounds of 10 to 20 seconds with a challenging weight, and benchmarks for a two-hand carry held for 30 seconds: half your body weight in total for rehabilitation, your body weight for general fitness, twice your body weight for elite athletes. No trial has tested them. A lab study of the one-hand carry found the most people could carry before their form broke, which is a maximum, not a training weight.

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Start by how it feels

Choose a weight you can carry for 20 to 30 metres while walking tall, without leaning, shrugging or shuffling, with your grip just about holding at the end. That's our editorial starting point, in line with our workouts' note: heavy enough that your grip works.

Coaching figures

About a quarter of your body weight in each hand to start, as our grip strength guide says, equals the NSCA article's rehabilitation benchmark of half your body weight in total, carried for 30 seconds. Its general fitness mark is your body weight in total, and its elite mark twice your body weight. These are coaches' figures; no trial has tested them.

Source 2

One hand: much lighter

Use a suitcase weight you can carry without leaning towards or away from it, as our move page says. For context, recreationally active men managed 64% of their body weight and women 53% in one hand for 20 seconds before their form broke: that is a maximum, not a training weight.

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Hyrox

The race's farmers carry is 200 metres with two 16 kg kettlebells (women's divisions) or two 24 kg (men's), as our Hyrox guide explains.

Distance or time

2 to 4 carries of 20 to 40 metres, or about 20 to 40 seconds. Our grip guide uses 3 or 4 carries of 30 to 40 metres, our back guides 3 of 20 to 30 metres, and most of our workouts 2 or 3 of 30 metres. With a heavier weight, coaches use 2 to 4 rounds of 10 to 20 seconds.

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Rest

60 to 90 seconds between carries, as our strongman and obstacle race workouts use; a little less if the weight is light.

One change at a time

Increase the weight or the distance, not both at the same time, as ACE's carry ladder says. Our grip guide adds weight before distance.

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Where in the session, and how often

Carries can go at the start of a session or at the end as a finisher. Two or three sessions a week, as part of your other strength training, is plenty (our suggestion).

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Measuring progress

Log the weight in each hand and the distance or time. A simple test is the longest walk with a set weight, or the heaviest weight you can carry for 30 seconds, as the coaching benchmarks use. Our grip strength test measures your grip itself.

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Your grip will tire first

Put the weights down before it fails, not after, as our workouts say. Thicker handles make it harder; a firm, full grip makes it easier.

Straps

Use lifting straps only once your trunk, not your grip, is what limits you, as our move page says. Until then, the grip work is part of the point.

Grip and health

Grip strength tracks with health in large studies, but that's an association, not proof that training it changes your health, as our grip strength guide explains. Carries train it well, though no trial has tested carries alone for grip.

Hands that hurt

Pins and needles, numbness or an ache in the hand, worse at night, can be carpal tunnel syndrome; the NHS advises cutting down on anything that makes you grip hard. With arthritis at the base of the thumb or trigger finger, start light with thick or padded handles, as our move page says.

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Leaning or shrugging

Stay upright and don't bend sideways; if you can't, the weight is too heavy.

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A weight so heavy you shuffle

Short, quick, even steps are fine; a shuffle means go lighter (our suggestion).

Picking up or dropping with a rounded back

Bend your knees and hinge at your hips with a straight back, at the start and the end of every carry.

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Changing weight and distance together

Change one at a time.

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Carrying until your grip fails

Set the weights down while you still control them, as our workouts say.

Holding your breath

Keep breathing as you walk; holding your breath under load raises blood pressure (our suggestion).

Two hands before one

The same weight split between two hands loaded the lower back about half as much as in one hand. With a sore back, start with the farmer's carry, light.

Source 5

The back pain rule

Mild to moderate pain, no more than about 5 out of 10, settling within an hour or so and no worse the next morning, as our back pain from deadlifts guide says. Stop or shrink anything that sends pain, pins and needles or numbness further down a leg.

Carries in back rehab

Our back pain guides use farmer's carries at 3 sets of 20 to 30 metres as the easier carry, then suitcase carries at 3 sets of 20 to 30 metres each side.

Heavy carrying in sport

In strongman athletes, the lower back was the most injured area, though most injuries came from traditional lifts. Build carries up gradually, and leave the yoke to experienced lifters.

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Back pain

Two hands, light, shorter carries, within our back guides' pain rule; stop if pain spreads down a leg.

Pregnancy

Carrying shopping and children counts as strengthening in pregnancy, and gym strength training is fine if you did it before. Stop if you feel uncomfortable, too hot or unwell.

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After a caesarean

You may not be able to carry anything heavier than your baby straight away, possibly for about 6 weeks; start again when you feel able and it isn't uncomfortable.

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Prolapse or after the birth

The NHS advises avoiding heavy lifting with a prolapse, and, with separated stomach muscles after the birth, avoiding heavy lifting to start with. Our prolapse strength workout uses light carries, one weight in each hand to split the load, squeezing the pelvic floor before you pick up and put down.

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Osteoporosis

Carrying shopping is one of the everyday strength activities the UK consensus and the Royal Osteoporosis Society encourage. Keep a straight upper back when you pick up and put down, and talk to your doctor or physiotherapist first if you've had spinal fractures.

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Sore hands or wrists

With carpal tunnel symptoms, cut down hard gripping; with thumb-base arthritis or trigger finger, use thick or padded handles and lighter weights.

Source 18

After heart surgery through the breastbone

Follow your surgeon's advice before pushing, pulling or lifting with your arms, as our move page says.

Call 999 (911 in the US)

For chest pain that feels tight or squeezing, or spreads to your arms, neck or jaw; or back pain with pain, tingling, weakness or numbness in both legs, numbness around your genitals or anus, or changes in your bladder or bowels. Don't drive yourself to A&E.

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Urgent GP appointment or NHS 111: your back

Back pain with feeling hot, cold, shivery or generally unwell, or severe pain that starts suddenly or gets worse quickly. In the US, your doctor or urgent care.

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A sudden pain in the hand, wrist or forearm

NHS 111 if it's very painful or getting worse, very swollen or bruised, or hard to move; 999 or A&E if you heard a crack, it has changed shape, or it's numb, tingling, or blue or cold. In the US, your doctor or urgent care, or 911.

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See a GP

Back pain that hasn't improved after a few weeks of looking after it, or hand tingling or numbness that's getting worse, not going away, or not helped by home treatment.

Sources 25, 18

Stop the session

For chest pain, feeling faint or unusual breathlessness, as our plans' safety note says.

"Carries are just for strongmen"Mixed evidence

We found no evidence for it. The NHS lists carrying heavy shopping as strengthening for adults and older adults, and coaches start rehabilitation with the farmer's walk. It's an everyday task that happens to be a good exercise.

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"Carries are bad for your back"Emerging evidence

Two hands load the lower back far less than one, and in strongman athletes most injuries came from traditional lifts. Start light, two hands first, and stay upright.

Sources 5, 17

"The farmer's carry is the best core exercise"Emerging evidence

It worked the back muscles slightly more than a plank, but the plank worked the front of the stomach far harder. Use both.

Source 4

"A suitcase carry is just a farmer's carry with one hand"Emerging evidence

One hand changes the job: the spine carries more, and the side of your trunk and the opposite hip work to stop you tipping. Start with two hands.

Sources 5, 10, 3

"Carries build big forearms and traps"Mixed evidence

No trial has measured muscle growth from carries, so we don't know. They train grip and posture; for size, add rows, curls and shrugs.

Source 2