What Is a Farmer’s Carry?

Why Loaded Carries Might Be The Strongest Exercise You’re Not Doing

If you’ve ever seen someone walking across the gym with ridiculously heavy kettlebells in each hand, shoulders locked in place, face concentrating hard, you’ve probably watched a farmer’s carry in action. On paper it looks almost too simple: pick up weight, walk, put it down. In reality, it’s one of the most demanding and effective full-body movements you can do.

In strongman, CrossFit, HYROX and general strength training, the farmer’s carry (also called the farmer’s walk) has become a test of grip, posture, core stability and mental grit. It carries over into deadlifts, pull-ups, everyday life, and for HYROX athletes it can decide whether you finish strong or fade in the middle of the race.

This guide breaks down what a farmer’s carry actually is, the muscles worked, why the benefits go way beyond grip strength, how HYROX farmer’s carry weight and distance are set up, and how to train it in the gym, at home, on a treadmill, and even marching in place when space is limited.

Understanding the Farmer’s Carry Movement

A farmer’s carry is a loaded carry exercise where you hold a heavy weight in one or both hands, usually by your sides, and walk for a set distance or time. Traditionally, strongman athletes used specialised farmer’s carry equipment with long handles and plates on each end. Now you’ll see it done with kettlebells, dumbbells, trap bars, sandbags and even shopping bags.

At its core, the movement pattern looks like this:

Pick up the weights from the floor with a strong hip hinge.

Stand tall with your shoulders set and your core braced.

Walk in a straight line without letting the weights pull you out of position.

Put the weights down under control at the end of the set.

It sounds basic, but the combination of load, distance and fatigue is brutal. For HYROX, the farmer’s carry is one of the eight functional workout stations, so it sits on the same stage as the SkiErg, sled push, sled pull and wall balls. For strongman, farmers carry strongman events have long been used to showcase raw power and grip. And in CrossFit, farmers carry crossfit workouts are used to build capacity for everything from heavy deadlifts to pull-ups and bar work.

If you’ve ever wondered “what it is a farmers carry” beyond the simple description, think of it as loaded walking that forces your whole body to coordinate under stress. It’s part strength, part conditioning, part posture test and part mindset challenge.

Farmer’s Carry Muscles Worked

One reason the farmer’s carry is so effective is the sheer number of muscles used at once. Instead of isolating one area, it challenges almost everything from your fingers to your feet. The main farmer’s carry muscles worked include:

Grip and forearms

Your fingers, hands and forearms are under constant tension, fighting against the weights trying to peel them open. This is why farmers carry for grip strength is so highly regarded. Regular carries will improve deadlifts, pull-ups, rows and even day-to-day tasks like carrying shopping, luggage or even your kids.

Shoulders, traps and upper back

Your shoulders and upper back stabilise the load and keep your posture tall. Your traps, rhomboids and rear delts have to work hard to stop the weights dragging you into a slouch. Over time, farmer’s carry muscles used in the upper back become more resilient, which supports better posture and heavier lifting across your training.

Core and obliques

The farmer’s carry turns your abs and obliques into a stabilising belt. Your core resists side-to-side sway and rotation, especially in unilateral versions like a farmers carry one side (suitcase carry). This anti-rotation element makes it a powerful tool for building a strong, protective mid-section that transfers force efficiently in running, lifting and sport.

Glutes, hamstrings, quads and calves

Every step you take under load recruits your lower body. Your glutes and hamstrings drive you forward, your quads control each step, and your calves and feet stabilise each landing. Farmer’s carry muscles worked in the legs may not “burn” like a set of squats, but they’re working constantly in the background.

Cardiovascular system

Technically not a muscle, but your heart and lungs are heavily involved. Heavy weight plus continuous walking equals a big aerobic and anaerobic demand. That’s why a hard farmer’s carry feels like strength and cardio blended into one brutal package.

Farmer’s Carry Benefits: Why It Deserves A Place In Your Training

Because it hits so many systems at once, the farmer’s carry benefits go far beyond “better grip”. Done consistently, it can:

Build serious grip strength

Farmer’s carry for grip strength is legendary. Rather than static holds alone, you’re moving under load, which forces your hands and forearms to manage shifting forces. If your deadlift or pull-ups always fail at the hands, carries should be high on your list.

Strengthen your core in a real-world way

Instead of endless crunches, the farmer’s carry trains your core to do what it’s supposed to do in real life: resist movement. Whether it’s a bilateral carry, a farmers carry one side, or a farmers carry overhead, your mid-section is constantly bracing to keep you stacked over your feet.

Improve posture and resilience

Many lifters are strong on paper but crumble under fatigue. Loaded carries reinforce the habit of “chest up, shoulders back, ribs down” while breathing under load. Done well, they can help undo hours of desk posture and build an upper back that feels rock-solid.

Boost conditioning without endless machines

A heavy farmer’s carry feels like a blend of interval cardio and strength work. If you hate treadmills, this is a way to get your heart rate up while still building muscle and strength. For time-pressed lifters, a short block of carries at the end of a session can deliver a lot of return for very little time.

Carry over to everyday life

From carrying suitcases through airports to hauling shopping bags, the pattern is the same. When you train the farmer’s carry, you’re making real-world tasks feel easier. That kind of functional strength is hard to beat.

Build mental toughness

Walking with heavy weight when every instinct tells you to drop it is a skill. Farmer’s carry goal setting around distance or time becomes a mental challenge as much as a physical one. This grit pays off across the rest of your training and your life.

HYROX Farmer’s Carry: Weights, Distance And Strategy

In HYROX, the farmer’s carry is a fixed station with standardised loads. The current HYROX farmer’s carry weight is:

Men: 2 x 24 kg kettlebells

Women: 2 x 16 kg kettlebells

The farmers carry distance HYROX standard is typically 200 metres, broken into laps inside the arena. On its own that doesn’t sound terrifying. After thousands of metres of running, sled pushes and SkiErg intervals, it’s another story.

Because the format is standardised around the world, you can programme your training around these exact numbers. Farmer’s carry weight HYROX prep might look like:

Starting at 2 x 16 kg kettlebells for men or 2 x 12 kg for women if you’re new.

Progressing gradually until you can walk 200 m at or above race weight without dropping.

Practising turns, tight lines and efficient breathing under fatigue.

Pacing is everything. You don’t win your HYROX race on the farmers carry, but you can absolutely lose it. Trying to sprint the first 50 metres with a heroic pace often ends in grip failure and slow, painful rest breaks. Smooth, steady and controlled usually beats chaotic and overly aggressive.

Farmer’s Carry Variations: Kettlebells, Dumbbells, Strongman Handles And More

One of the strengths of this exercise is how flexible it is. You can build a full farmers carry gym progression with multiple tools.

Farmers walk kettlebell

Kettlebells are the classic choice and the standard in HYROX. Their handles are thick enough to challenge grip, and the load hangs low and slightly away from the body, forcing more stabilisation. If your gym has competition-style bells, they’re perfect for building up to the HYROX farmer’s carry weight and distance.

Farmers carry dumbbell

Dumbbells work just as well, especially in commercial gyms that don’t stock heavy kettlebells. The shape changes the feel slightly, but the farmer’s carry muscles worked and benefits are broadly the same. Aim to keep the bells tight to your sides so they don’t crash into your legs.

Farmers carry strongman handles

Dedicated strongman equipment lets you go very heavy: 100 kg per hand and beyond. These are ideal if you’re chasing maximum strength and farmers carry goal numbers like double bodyweight total load. The longer implement also challenges your ability to keep the weights stable as they sway.

Farmers carry equipment at home

If you’re doing a farmers carry at home, you can get creative. Heavy shopping bags, water containers, sandbags or a loaded trap bar all work. The important thing is that the load is secure, heavy relative to your strength, and safe to pick up and put down.

Farmer’s Carry In Small Spaces: Marching In Place And Treadmill Carries

You don’t need a long runway to benefit from carries. If you train in a tight home gym or busy commercial space, farmers carry in place and farmers carry march in place are useful options.

Farmers carry in place

Here you pick up the weights, stand tall and hold for time instead of distance. Think of it as a long, loaded standing plank. You can shift weight slightly from foot to foot, but the focus is on staying rock-solid.

Farmers carry march in place

Marching in place under load adds just enough movement to challenge balance and core control without needing much room. Drive one knee up at a time while keeping the weights stable and your torso upright. It’s surprisingly taxing and excellent for runners and field athletes who need single-leg stability.

Farmers carry on treadmill

This is a more advanced option and needs care, but it can be effective. Set the treadmill to a slow walking pace, pick up your weights and walk with precise, controlled steps. Some athletes use a slight incline to increase the challenge. Start light and ensure your balance and foot placement are solid before adding load.

Suitcase Carry And Overhead Carry: Unilateral Farmer’s Carry Variations

To really challenge your core and shoulder stability, you can move beyond the classic two-handed carry.

Farmers carry one side (suitcase carry)

In the suitcase carry, you hold a single weight on one side of your body. Your abs and obliques on the opposite side have to work hard to stop you bending or twisting. This makes it a powerful anti-lateral-flexion exercise and one of the best farmer’s carry muscles used variations for real-world strength, because most life loads are not perfectly balanced.

Farmers carry overhead

In an overhead carry, you lock a weight out above your head and walk. This can be done with a kettlebell, dumbbell or barbell. It’s more technical and should be introduced carefully, but the farmers carry overhead variation lights up your shoulders, traps and core. It also improves overhead stability for presses and handstands.

You can also combine positions, such as one kettlebell overhead and one by your side, to create even more demand on your stabilisers.

How Heavy Should You Go? Setting Farmer’s Carry Goals, Reps And Distance

There isn’t one “correct” farmers carry distance or load. It depends on your goal.

For general strength and grip

Think heavier weights, shorter distances. For example:

3–5 sets of 20–30 metres with a total load around 1.5–2 x bodyweight, resting 2–3 minutes between sets.

For conditioning and work capacity

Use moderate weights and longer distances or time. For example:

3–4 sets of 60–80 metres, or 30–45 seconds of walking, with a load around bodyweight total. Rest 60–90 seconds.

For HYROX preparation

Anchor your training around the farmers carry distance HYROX uses and the standard loads:

Work towards 3–4 repeats of 200 metres at race weight, with controlled turns and minimal drops. Once that feels manageable, practise carrying slightly heavier loads for 100–150 metres to build a buffer.

For hypertrophy and posture

You can include farmers carry reps and distance as a finisher at the end of upper body or full-body days. Two or three runs of 40–60 metres with a moderate weight will light up your traps, upper back and core.

If you prefer time-based goals, pick the load first (challenging but safe) and walk for 20–40 seconds. Over several weeks, you can increase either farmers carry distance, weight, or time under tension, but usually not all at once.

How To Do A Farmer’s Carry With Good Technique

To get the most from the movement and protect your joints, pay attention to form. Here’s a simple checklist for a safe, strong farmer’s carry:

 

1. Set up the weights correctly

   Place your kettlebells or dumbbells just outside your feet, handles parallel. You want to reach down with a neutral spine, not rounded.

2. Brace before you lift

   Take a breath into your belly, tighten your core, then hinge at the hips to grip the handles. Think of pulling your shoulder blades down and back before the weights leave the floor.

3. Stand tall

   Drive through your feet, straighten your legs and stand up to full height. Imagine a string pulling you from the crown of your head. Your ribs should be stacked over your pelvis, not flared.

4. Start walking with purpose

   Take short, controlled steps. Let your arms hang naturally, but don’t let the weights drift too far from your sides. Avoid stomping or letting the weights swing.

5. Keep your head and chest neutral

   Look a few metres ahead, not at the floor or the ceiling. Your chest should stay open without exaggerating a big arch in your lower back.

6. Breathe rhythmically

   Don’t hold your breath for the entire distance. Use a steady inhale–exhale pattern, similar to a brisk walk or light jog.

7. Put the weights down under control

   At the end of your farmers carry distance, slow down, plant your feet, hinge at the hips and lower the weights with a flat back. Dropping them from height might look dramatic, but it does nothing for your joints or your gym floor.

 

Common mistakes to avoid include rushing and taking massive strides, letting the shoulders roll forward, gripping so hard that your forearms burn out in the first few metres, and choosing weight that’s too light to genuinely challenge you.

Farmer’s Carry In CrossFit, Strongman And The Gym

In CrossFit

Farmers carry crossfit workouts often appear in partner WODs or as part of longer work-capacity pieces. You might see something like:

5 rounds for time:

200 m run

50 m farmer’s carry

15 burpees

The goal here is to build the ability to move under fatigue, not to hit a single farmers carry rep max. Pacing and grip management are key.

In strongman

Farmers carry strongman events are typically heavier and shorter. Distances of 20–40 metres with loads well above bodyweight per hand are common. The focus is on brute strength, acceleration and efficient pick-ups and put-downs. If you want to head in this direction, you’ll need specific farmer’s carry equipment or at least heavy trap bars and handles.

In a regular gym programme

You don’t need to compete in anything to benefit. A simple farmers carry gym template might place carries at the end of your lower or full-body days, 1–3 times per week. This could be as straightforward as:

Day 1: Heavy carries for short distance (strength focus)

Day 2: Moderate carries for medium distance (posture and muscle focus)

Day 3: Light carries for longer distance or time (conditioning focus)

Farmer’s Carry At Home: Making It Work In Real Life

No specialist kit? You can still do a farmers carry at home. Use what you’ve got:

Sturdy shopping bags loaded with bottles or tins

Water containers or weighted vests

Heavy backpacks held at your sides

Sandbags or filled buckets with strong handles

The principles stay the same: brace, stand tall, walk with control and put the weight down safely. If you can’t walk far, use farmers carry march in place or static holds. For many people, this is one of the most practical ways to build real-world strength without a full gym.

Programming Farmer’s Carries: How Often, How Long, How Hard?

If you’re new to loaded carries, start light and keep frequency modest while your body adapts. Twice per week is enough for most beginners:

Week 1–4:

2 sessions per week

3–4 sets of 20–30 metres with a moderate weight you can carry without stopping

Focus on perfect form and steady breathing

Week 5–8:

2–3 sessions per week

Mix one heavier day (short distance) and one lighter day (longer distance or time)

Start to nudge the load towards bodyweight total or above

Beyond that, your farmers carry goal will dictate progression. If HYROX is your target, your farmer’s carry reps and distances should gradually resemble race demands. If you’re more interested in grip and back strength, you might aggressively chase load increases while keeping distance modest.

The key is to treat carries like any other lift: progressive overload with respect for recovery. Your forearms, upper back and nervous system all need time to adapt.

Bringing It All Together

It’s easy to overlook the farmer’s carry because it doesn’t look flashy. There’s no complicated technique, no ego-friendly numbers to post on a barbell, and no machine to sit on. But that’s exactly why it works so well.

With a simple set of weights and a few metres of space, you can train grip strength, posture, core stability, leg drive and conditioning in a single movement. Whether you’re getting ready for a HYROX event, looking for a farmers carry crossfit workout that boosts your work capacity, or just want to feel stronger in daily life, this exercise earns its place.

Start where you are. Pick a load that feels honest, set a clear farmers carry distance or time, walk tall, and fight for every step. Over the weeks you’ll notice your grip lasting longer, your posture feeling more solid, and your confidence under load quietly rising. That carry-over is what strength training is really about.

 

If you want a laugh, you can watch me attempt a farmer’s carry on our YouTube channel — form questionable, effort undeniable.

 

If you’re building strength at home or gearing up for HYROX, you can explore all our gym, outdoor, and training essentials on the Fittux homepage — everything built for real training, real progress, real life.