core
Farmer's Carry
Works in
home, gym
Equipment
dumbbells, kettlebell
Primary muscles
abs, obliques
Why do it
Pick up something heavy, walk with it tall and braced. It is that simple and that effective. Farmer's carries build a vice grip, bulletproof traps and a core that holds you upright under load, and they carry straight into Hyrox-style events and everyday strength. Walk 20 to 40 meters, keep the shoulders back and do not let the weights swing.
How to do it
Hold a heavy weight in each hand at your sides with shoulders back and core braced. Walk in a straight line with short, controlled steps while keeping your torso upright. Avoid leaning or letting the weights swing.
What the science says
In the PURE study of nearly 140,000 people, grip strength predicted early death and heart disease better than blood pressure did, so training a hard grip is training for a longer life (Leong et al., 2015, The Lancet).
Fun fact
The farmer's walk is a classic strongman event, part of the World's Strongest Man since 1983. Competitors haul loaded handles weighing well over 300 pounds in each hand as fast as they can.