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Farmer’s carry: The full-body strength builder hiding in plain sight

Develop your core stability and grip strength with this simple exercise!

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Farmers carry
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The farmer’s carry is often neglected because it is so simple and perhaps not the most exciting. However, as a personal trainer, I frequently include it in my clients’ programming to help with developing core and grip strength. The exercise also directly relates to everyday tasks like carrying groceries, so it is impactful when it comes to longevity and maintaining independence.

If you are interested in adding the farmer’s carry to your workout routine, keep reading to discover how to do it, tips for optimization, and more!

The unique benefits of loaded carries

Farmers carry with dumbbells
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Loaded carries like the farmer’s carry offer a deceptively simple movement — picking up weight and walking — but hide a powerful set of benefits. Here are three major ones to consider:

Grip strength development

Carrying heavy dumbbells or kettlebells forces sustained isometric tension in your hands and forearms, which builds serious grip endurance and control. Over time, this improves performance in lifts like deadlifts, rows, and any grip-intensive movement.

Core stability and spinal resilience

As you walk with the weight, your core (including the obliques, transverse abdominis, and spinal stabilizers) fights to maintain proper posture and resist unwanted motion. This trains anti-rotation and anti-extension strength, bolstering spinal stability.

Postural alignment and upper-body strength

Loaded carries engage the traps, rhomboids, and spinal erectors, helping you maintain an upright ribcage and strong shoulder positioning. This corrects forward-rounded posture common from sedentary habits and supports better shoulder alignment.

What you need to know about grip strength, core stability, and more

Farmers carry
Pexels

One of the biggest draws of the farmer’s carry is how effectively it trains your core. According to a PubMed study, “The farmer’s carry elicited higher activation bilaterally in the longissimus, multifidus, rectus abdominis, and external oblique, compared to a matched hold exercise.” This means you’re working deep spinal stabilizers dynamically, not just in a static plank. 

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Moreover, the NSCA has noted that loaded carries — because they require your trunk and hip muscles to maintain posture while moving — are among the most effective ways to build trunk stiffness and neuromuscular coordination. 

Grip strength isn’t a nice-to-have, either; the isometric demand builds forearm endurance, which can improve your lifts and even carry over to everyday tasks. Altogether, loaded carries deliver strength, stability, and functionality in one deceptively simple package.

How to do the farmer’s carry with proper technique

Farmers carry with dumbbells.
Designed by Freepik

Instructions:

  1. Choose two weights (dumbbells, kettlebells, or farmer’s walk handles) that are challenging but manageable.
  2. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hinge at the hips, and pick up the weights with a flat back, driving through your legs.
  3. Engage your core, pull your shoulders down and back, and keep your chest high.
  4. Walk forward in a controlled manner, taking short, steady steps. Try to keep your feet less than a foot apart.
  5. Keep your gaze forward and maintain neutral neck alignment; avoid tipping your head.
  6. Breathe: inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth, and keep your ribs down (don’t flare) to maintain core tension.
  7. Once you reach your target distance or time, pause, pivot smoothly, and walk back with the same control.

Recommended sets and reps:

  • Beginners: 2–3 sets of 20–40 feet (20–30 seconds)
  • Intermediate: 3–4 sets of 40–60 seconds (60+ feet)
  • Advanced: 4–5 sets with heavier weights, adjusting distance/time based on your goals (strength vs. endurance)

Distance, weight, and programming tips for all levels

Kettlebells
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Consider the following tips to improve your farmer’s carry over time:

  • Start with a manageable weight: Going too heavy too soon can compromise form and limit the benefit.
  • Use a time- or distance-based approach depending on space: If you have room, walk a set distance; if not, carry for a set time.
  • Focus on consistency: Include carries in your routine two to three times per week, especially on strength or conditioning days.
  • Vary the load and carry distance over weeks: Sometimes use heavier weights for shorter walks, other times lighter weights for longer carries.
  • Listen to your grip: Grip fatigue often limits how long you can carry more than anything — scale volume accordingly to improve grip strength without overtraining.
Christine VanDoren
Christine VanDoren
Contributor
Christine is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist with an undergraduate degree from Missouri State University. Her…
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