How to do a Farmer's Carry
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Farmer's Walk Handles
Workouts with Farmer's Carry
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
A functional exercise focusing on grip strength, core stability, and overall strength endurance. This exercise engages the entire body, particularly the forearms, core, and upper back muscles, while also improving posture and stability.
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart between the pair of resistance apparatus’
- Brace your core to maintain a neutral spine
- Hinge your hips backward and flex your knees slightly to extend arms and grip the resistance apparatus’ with an overhand grip, palms facing in.
- Extend your legs back to an upright position.
- Begin to walk forward taking short strides while keeping your hips underneath your shoulders.
- Walk for an allotted distance or time.
Alternatives & Variations to Farmer's Carry
1. Farmer's Walk
86.8 mSCORESWAPPED 229 TIMESFarmer's Walk is a compound exercise that primarily targets your forearms, shoulders, and core. By holding heavy weights in each hand and walking a set distance, you can develop strong grip strength, functional stability, and overall body conditioning. This exercise mimics real-world activities, making it highly effective for improving functional strength and endurance.
- Intermediate
- Forearms
- Farmer's Walk Handles
2. Kettlebell Single Arm Farmer Walk
40.3 mSCORESWAPPED 159 TIMESA functional exercise focusing on grip strength, core stability, and unilateral strength. This exercise engages the entire body, particularly the core and forearm muscles. Unlike the standard variation, by holding the weight in one hand, you drastically increase the need to recruit your core for stability.
3. Single Arm Farmer Walk
36 mSCORESWAPPED 134 TIMESThis exercise is a unilateral variation of the Farmer’s Walk. Like the standard Farmer’s Walk this exercise focuses on grip strength, core stability, and overall strength endurance. In addition, by holding the weight in a single hand, you drastically increase the demand for recruiting your core for stability.
4. Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl
87.4 mSCORESWAPPED 77 TIMESPalms Down Dumbbell Wrist Curls is an isolation exercise that hits your forearms. By securing your forearm against the pad, you ensure that only your wrist is able to perform the movement. Using a dumbbell allows you to target each side independently, as well as adding a bit more instability to the exercise.
5. Palms-Up Dumbbell Wrist Curl
87.6 mSCORESWAPPED 67 TIMESAn isolation exercise targeting the forearms. This is a great exercise for improving grip strength, or building muscle mass in your forearms.
6. Plate Pinch
38.5 mSCORESWAPPED 65 TIMESA grip strength exercise involving holding weight plates between the fingers and thumb. This is a great exercise for improving grip strength.
- Intermediate
- Forearms
- Plates
7. Farmer's Carry
51 mSCORESWAPPED 57 TIMESA functional exercise focusing on grip strength, core stability, and overall strength endurance. This exercise engages the entire body, particularly the forearms, core, and upper back muscles, while also improving posture and stability.
- Intermediate
- Forearms
- Farmer's Walk Handles
8. Palms-Down Barbell Wrist Curl
69.9 mSCORESWAPPED 38 TIMESPalms Down Barbell Wrist Curl is an isolation exercise that targets the forearm. By positioning your forearm against a bench or other flat surface, you restrict any motion to your wrist. The use of a barbell helps to add some stability to the movement, as well as allowing you to perform the exercise with both sides moving a single weight.
9. Palms-Up Barbell Wrist Curl
68.4 mSCORESWAPPED 37 TIMESAn isolation exercise targeting the forearms. This is a great exercise for improving grip strength, or building muscle mass in your forearms.
10. Handle Band Reverse Curl
28.9 mSCORESWAPPED 36 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on the standard curl. Like the standard curl, this exercise primarily targets your biceps, however there is a much greater need to recruit your forearms due to the reverse grip. The use of a handle band increases the resistance as you progress through the movement.