Six Benefits of Farmer Carries

Farmer Carries

Farmer Carries (or Farmer Walks) are an excellent exercise. With this simple move, you walk for a specified distance with weights in your hands.

This simple movement will help you build muscle, torch calories, build strength, and improve your skeletal health too. In this article, we will discuss how to perform this exercise as well as give you some free farmer carry workouts you can try today.

Farmer Carries Benefits

Farmer Carries offer some unique benefits.

• Build Grip Strength
• Builds Muscle
• Build Bone Density
• Builds Core Strength
• Burns Calories
• Build Endurance

Let’s discuss each of these categories in more detail below.

Build Grip Strength

The Farmer Carry exercise builds incredible grip strength and endurance which can transfer to other exercises.

Build Muscle

The Farmer Carry exercise can actually build muscle. You will mostly build up your grip and forearm muscles, and core muscles.

Build Bone Density

The Farmer Carry stresses the bones and builds a strong skeleton. This is important for everyone, but especially for women.

Build Core Strength

Farmer Carries build core strength, stability and endurance that transfers well to other exercises.

Burn Calories

Brisk walking with a load burns calories. You can increase the calorie burn of your workout by adding farmer carries.

Build Endurance

Farmer Carries can improve endurance and heart health by challenging the cardiovascular system.

You might be surprised, but this exercise will raise your heart rate.

What Muscles do Farmer Carries Work?

Farmer Carries work a ton of different muscle groups in unison. This exercise trains your grip, core, glutes, shoulders and heart all together.

• Forearms
• Biceps
• Triceps
• Forearms
• Shoulders
• Traps
• Quads
• Hamstrings
• Calves
• Upper/Lower Back
• Glutes
• Abs
• Obliques

How to Perform the Farmers Carry

Stand up tall. When you perform this exercise, make sure you keep your back straight and upright. Hold a weight in each hand. The weight should be moderate to heavy. Aim to look straight ahead with your chin neutral. Make sure you have good posture and shoulder position. Start walking forward with a quick, even cadence to raise your heart rate. Walk for 50-100 feet before taking a break. Choose the fastest pace that you can maintain.

How heavy should a farmers carry be?

A farmers carry should be moderately heavy. You should use weights that are challenging but doable. For women, 30-60 pounds per hand is a good target. For men, 40-100 pounds per hand is a good target.

How Long Should you Farmer Carry?

You should farmer carry for 50-100 feet for 3 to 5 sets. If you are short on space, you can also march in place for 1-2 minutes while holding your weights.

Dumbbell Farmers Carry

The dumbbell farmers carry is the simplest place to start. You can simply hold one dumbbell in each hand and perform the exercise as it is described above.

Kettlebell Farmers Carry

The Kettlebell Farmers Carry allows you to use slightly heavier loads because kettlebells are usually slightly easier to grip than dumbbells. You can simply hold one kettlebell in each hand and perform the exercise as described above.

For a new challenge, you can even hold different loads in each hand. Stay upright. Make sure you switch hands and repeat.

Suitcase Carry

The suitcase carry is a great way to train your obliques. It is also a nice break from the boring side plank. Hold one weight in one side and keep your shoulders, hips and lower body square. Walk forward while keeping good posture. Make sure to perform both sides.

Waiter Carries

Waiter Carries are a challenging exercise that targets shoulder stability.

Hold one weight overhead and one weight by your side and walk forward. Make sure to switch sides. You should use a lighter weight overhead and a heavier weight by your side.

Overhead Farmer Carries

Overhead Farmer Carries are a good way to improve shoulder strength and stability. You can do this exercise with one arm overhead or both arms overhead with a load.

You can also perform the Farmers Carry with two weights overhead. Make sure you start with light loads, keep a good overhead position, and flat back. As your overhead stability improves, you can use heavier loads overhead.

Farmer Carries Workouts

Here are a couple workout ideas that implement Farmers Carries. If you decide to do these workouts, make sure to put them in your rotation for 6-15 weeks.

You can put farmer carries at the end of a full body workout. After completing lunges, push ups, hamstring curls and rows, you can try three sets of farmer carries as the last exercise to your workout. This workout will build full body strength.

Or, you could try a conditioning workout that alternates squats, farmer carries, sled pushes, one arm farmer carries and rotational med ball slams. This kind of workout will challenge your cardiovascular system and core endurance.

Final Thoughts

Farmer carries are an effective and versatile workout to add into your workout plan. Do you enjoy this exercise? Let me know in the comments below.