When it comes to the best full body, strength-building exercises, if you’re a seasoned lifter, you might already know the drill: deadlifts, squats, lunges, pull-ups, push-ups, planks, rinse, repeat. Of course, while those moves are foundational for an effective strength routine, there’s one total-body exercise that’s often unfairly slept on: the farmer’s carry. 

While the name might not sound that tough or imposing, Peloton instructor Katie Wang says it’s a real powerhouse move. “Farmer’s carries are a great functional full body movement to help strengthen your postural muscles (like your back and shoulder girdle), your grip, and your core,” she explains.

As Katie notes, the move—which consists of holding a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells and, quite literally, walking for a set time or length—can also contribute to improved grip strength. Research suggests that there’s a strong correlation between a person’s grip strength and their overall physical strength and endurance, as well as their likelihood to age healthier (and live longer). 

The best part? The move is super straightforward and accessible for many folks—and it can be tweaked and tailored for ease or more of a challenge. Here’s exactly how to do a farmer’s carry, its main benefits and muscles worked, and some variations to try. 

What Is the Farmer’s Carry? 

Let’s go back to that farmer illustration for a minute. You probably picture a person picking up and carrying a bunch of items from point A to point B, right? That repetitive pick-up, carry, and drop action has some hefty strength-building benefits: Studies show it’s one of the most physically demanding jobs out there. 

In that same vein, a farmer’s carry (the exercise) requires a person to hold a load and carry it from point A to point B, explains Jason Machowsky, an exercise physiologist and board-certified sports dietitian. But whereas a farmer may haul bales of hay, heavy equipment, or other big items from one end of the worksite to another, you’re hoisting (and moving) dumbbells and kettlebells from designated points (say, from one end of the weight room to the other) or for a certain amount of time (60 to 90 seconds, for example). 

Muscles Worked by the Farmer’s Carry 

As Machowsky reiterates, the farmer’s carry is a total body move. That means it targets the major muscle groups in both the lower and upper halves of the body. Here’s a breakdown of which ones are being used to propel and maintain the movement. 

Upper Lats, Traps, and Shoulders 

According to Machowsky, these are the primary players when it comes to posture alignment in a farmer’s carry. Your latissimus dorsi (aka lats) and trapezius (aka traps) are muscles that cross your upper back and help to maintain posture and move your shoulder blades as well as your head and neck. Your shoulders, meanwhile, involve nearly a dozen muscles, including your rotator cuff. If they’re not activated, particularly with heavier loads, you might feel wobbly as you start walking. 

Core

Speaking of posture and stability: The lower half of your torso (aka your core) plays an essential role in keeping you upright. It’s comprised of a bunch of muscles, including the rectus abdominis (which covers the front side of your stomach and helps you bend forward), erector spinae ( which run down your back and help you stand up straight and bend backwards), internal and external obliques (on the sides of your abdomen, and help twist and stabilize your torso), transverse abdominis (your deepest core muscle that helps protect your spine), and the multifidus (which run vertically along the sides of your spine and also help with stabilization).

As you’re walking with weights in hand, this group of muscles works overtime to keep your spine stabilized (and your torso upright) so the load of the weights you’re carrying doesn’t cause you to bend forward, backward, or to either side. 

Arms

In order to actually hold and transfer the weight in a farmer’s carry, your biceps, triceps, forearms, wrists, and hands have to come into play, Machowsky says. And while grip plays a major role in most compound weightlifting moves (most notably deadlifts), your hand, wrist, and forearm muscles go into overdrive in a farmer’s carry, Machowsky notes. You’re fighting gravity, quite literally, for the entire duration of the exercise. 

Legs 

This includes your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves, per Machowsky. And while your legs are lighting up throughout the movement, picking the load up off the floor is also included in the exercise, and mimics the mechanics of a traditional deadlift (a total body exercise with a heavy lower-body emphasis). 

Benefits of Doing a Farmer’s Carry

Aside from being relatively accessible—all you need is a pair of weights to hold and some space to move—the farmer’s carry is associated with a slew of health and strength benefits. Here are some of the most common perks:  

1. You’ll Build Functional Strength

According to Katie, the farmer’s carry is considered a functional strength training move, which is a branch of exercise meant to mimic the demands of everyday life. Think of it this way: You might not need to bust out a ton of burpees on a regular basis, but you will probably need to pick heavy boxes (or kiddos) up off the floor from time to time, climb flights of stairs, or even stand up from the toilet. Research from Frontiers in Physiology notes that functional training can boost a person’s agility, strength, speed, power, and balance. 

You might not be a farmer, construction worker, or an employee with similarly demanding job requirements, but chances are you’ve had to haul a load of super-heavy groceries a few yards—or even a few miles—or move hefty furniture to clean. A farmer’s carry, in theory, can make those types of movements way easier (and safer). 

2. You’ll Boost Your Muscular Endurance 

A farmer’s carry isn’t an exercise that you necessarily bust out for a certain number of reps, as Machowsky notes. It’s a move that’s executed for time or for distance, which puts it into a muscular endurance category. Strong muscular endurance can help you work longer and harder without fatiguing. In other words, a farmer’s carry won’t help you bust out a one-rep-max in a squat, but can help propel you up a steep hike or get your weekly groceries from the store to your apartment (and up the stairs) that’s five blocks away. 

3. You Could Improve Your Bone Density

Speaking of muscular endurance, Machowsky notes that your bone density may benefit from carrying heavy loads for extended periods. Studies suggest that strength training, in general, is one of the most impactful ways to build bone density, which thus reduces your risk of osteoporosis, osteopenia, and fractures.

4. You’ll Fire Up Your Core 

While grip strength might be the physiological star of a farmer’s carry, core activation is the backing orchestra. That’s because, without a strong core, the weight of the load you’re carrying will inevitably bring you down—think of it like a walking plank. 

5. You'll Gain Grip Strength—a Key Marker of Longevity

Again, when it comes to grip strength-building exercises, there aren’t a ton of moves that come close to farmer’s carries. “Grip strength has been researched to be associated with many aspects of overall health and function,” Machowsky explains. In fact, some research categorizes grip strength as an actual vital sign—putting it in the same tier or importance as, say, your resting heart rate or blood pressure when it comes to your longevity and health. 

“It can stand to reason that having decent grip strength could signify having sufficient strength elsewhere, and the associated benefits of having sufficient strength and force production and muscle mass on all aspects of the body,” Machowsky says. 

How to Do a Farmer’s Carry

As Katie notes, before you add significant weight to your farmer’s carry, it’s important to execute the move with a light pair of dumbbells or kettlebells. “You can start with medium or lighter dumbbells to get familiar with the act of the farmer’s carry, then week over week, work on increasing your load or your time under tension, or how long you’re carrying the load for,” she explains. 

Here’s exactly how to execute a farmer’s carry, per Katie and Machowsky: 

How to Choose the Right Weight and Equipment

Again, you want to go light for your first farmer’s carry, Katie says. When choosing a load, Katie recommends aiming for something you can first hold for 60 seconds—no walking. “If the weight you select is too heavy, work your way up either in weight or time,” she advises. 

Once you’re ready for a bit more load, she prefers kettlebells. “Kettlebells create an additional layer of stability challenge, given the off-center weight distribution of the bell versus the more balanced weight distribution of a dumbbell,” she notes. 

Personally, Katie tries to incorporate some type of carry (more on variations below) roughly once or twice per week. “I would actually like to get into the habit of doing them before any strength workout to help with my posture and core activation before any lift,” she says. 

Common Farmer’s Carry Mistakes to Avoid 

A farmer’s carry might seem like a super simple exercise to execute (which is true!), but it’s important to keep a handful of key form tips in mind throughout the movement to avoid injury—and help you progressively grow in strength. Here are a few farmer’s carry mistakes to avoid: 

Farmer’s Carry Variations

To make the farmer’s carry easier, Katie advises placing the weights on a raised surface like a box or weight rack to avoid unnecessary strain when picking them up. Otherwise, the original farmer’s carry is a pretty effective exercise without any alterations, she says. 

When and if you’re looking to “spice things up,” Katie says, you can try a handful of challenging variations, listen below. “But don’t be afraid to stick to the basics,” she says. “Functional strength training plays an integral part in healthy aging.” 

Overhead Carry 

Instead of allowing the weights to hang by your sides, press the weights overhead—arms straight, biceps by your ears—for a mega shoulder and core burn. Machowsky advises against trying this one unless your shoulders are in good health (i.e., without any injuries). You can also perform this farmer's carry variation with one arm at a time, as demonstrated above.

Unilateral Carry

Katie notes that holding a single weight on one side (making it a unilateral exercise) forces the opposite oblique to work harder. Just be sure to alternate the unilateral carries so you’re hitting both sides equally and not creating any strength imbalances. You can perform a unilateral carry holding the weight by your side (often called a suitcase carry, since it mirrors walking while holding a suitcase in one hand), overhead, or even at shoulder height.

Waiter’s Carry 

This move (shown above) infuses an overhead challenge with unilateral instability, Machowsky says. It involves holding the weight just above shoulder height, with your working arm bent, similar to how a waiter might walk with a tray. Focus on keeping your core engaged throughout the movement.

Watier’s and Farmer’s Combo Walk 

For this advanced move, hold a weight overhead with one hand and a weight low, by your side, in the other. Don’t forget the core activation.

Marching Carry

If you don't have space to walk around, you can still reap some of the benefits of the farmer's carry without going anywhere. Try a marching carry (shown above), where you march in place while holding weights either by your sides or overhead.