Strong People Move Heavy Things

Using loaded carries to enhance strength and stability

Something that I like to utilize whether I’m training older high level athletes or younger kids just getting into training is weighted carries. Weighted carries are a simple and effective way to increase anyone's core strength, core stability, grip strength, and overall general physical preparedness. All of which when improved will certainly help athletes with their progress on other lifts. But more importantly, will keep them strong and healthy for their sport — and life in general.

It’s ideal when coaching carries if you have some room where the athletes can walk down and back in somewhat of a straight line. But this is an easy exercise to manipulate so it works wherever. In tight quarters where we don’t have much straight line distance I’ve had athletes walk a lap or two around the weight room or even just do a static hold in place if it’s really tight. As far as equipment goes, dumbbells and kettlebells work well but really you can use anything that you can pick up and walk with safely. However you decide to do it, keep it consistent. I’ve found that it’s much easier to track progress on this when I have a set distance or set time. Then the only thing that changes from week to week is the intensity, or weight being used.

What I really like about these, particularly with younger athletes, is they’re relatively easy to coach. It’s not as technical as a lot of other weight room exercises so I find that it’s easy for kids to grasp the concept and they like to push themselves to see what they can do. It doesn’t get much simpler than picking up a weight and walking with it.

There’s so many different variations that you could do, but for me there’s three types of carries I most commonly use with my programs: Double arm carries (Farmers Walk), single-arm carries (Suitcase Carry), and single-arm overhead carries (Waiters Walk).

Farmers Walk

When coaching the farmers walk, I tell athletes to pick a weight that they know they can handle for the first set, then we can adjust when necessary. This will typically be the heaviest variation that we will do.

Coaching cues: Tight grip before you even pick up the implements, stand tall throughout the carry, brace your core, keep the implements slightly outside the legs so they do not touch, walk smooth and under control throughout the duration.

Suitcase Carry

Here I will coach athletes to pick a dumbbell that is heavy enough to challenge them, but not heavy enough that it will break their technique.

Coaching cues: Stay as tall as you can without compensating towards one side or the other by bracing, keep the implement slightly outside of your frame so it isn’t touching your leg, walk smooth and under control to the programmed distance.

Waiters Walk

This variation is the most demanding of the three and will challenge the athlete in overhead strength and mobility. This variation will be on the lighter side compared to the previous two. Similar to the suitcase carry, I’ll have the athlete pick a weight that is challenging but will not be too heavy where they need to compensate by leaning one way or the other.

Coaching cues: Keep the arm extended overhead until you reach the predetermined distance, stay tall and try not to lean one way or the other, walk smooth and under control.

Whether you’re working with elite level athletes or beginners, I can’t recommend weighted carries enough! There’s a ton of benefits to doing them and they are about as simple as it gets when it comes to training. Try them out and figure out how they can work for you!