The Farmer's Carry

Welcome to this week's edition of Fit Tip Friday!This week we have a fit tip, where we will look at the basic and beneficial Farmer's Carry. Known also as the Farmer's Walk, the Farmer's Carry is a simple, efficient, and effective exercise.These mix of traits makes this an ideal exercise for someone who is strapped for time, has competing priorities (kids, family, work, etc...), but wants a simple workout that can be incorporated into a routine. Let's jump in!  

Fit Tip: Turn your walk into a Farmer's Carry

The Farmer's Carry is a simple exercise. Pick up an object with some weight and go for a walk. Try not to set it down. Alternate hands as needed. The Farmer's Carry utilizes your entire body and has a special burn for your grip and forearms. The walking elevates your heart rate, making this a cardio exercise. Additionally, when you carry a weight in one hand, your body has to counterbalance your shift in your center of gravity, which helps improve proprioception. 

The Farmer's Carry can be either a test for endurance, strength, or a combination of both. 

• For endurance, go lighter on the weight but further on the walk. 

• For strength, go heavier on the weight but shorter on the walk. 

• For both, incorporate both endurance carries and strength carries throughout the week. Shock your muscles. 

There are many options of what you can carry: 

• Hold a dumbbell in one hand.

• Hold a dumbells in each hand.

• Hold a kettlebell in one hand.

• Hold a kettlebell in each hand.

• Hold a baby.

• Hold two babies. 

two Dinnie Stones

• Target 30 minutes when beginning. This helps you develop your baseline. Once you have a sense of how much you can carry for 30 minutes, move up from there. 

• Add in exercises periodically. See the new workout for this week to get an idea on how to do this. 

• Go in the morning before work to clear your head.

• Go in evening to unwind.

• Pray while walking. 

• Go with your wife. 

• Push your kids in the stroller in one hand, and farmer carry with the other.

In the words of my excellent wife after she carried a 15lb KB for 40 minutes on our family walk this week:  

"Yeah, the Farmer's Carry is a really efficient workout"

Give it a try!