- EquipmentDumbbell
- PatternCarry
- Repsheld for time
- Joint loadNone flagged
How to do the Farmer’s Carry
Set up. Stand between two heavy dumbbells, squat down with a flat back and grip one in each hand.
- Stand up tall with the dumbbells at your sides.
- Walk forward with short, steady steps.
- Set the dumbbells down by squatting at the end of the distance or time.
Form cues
- Stand tall with the shoulders back.
- Grip hard.
- Walk smoothly, without rushing.
Common mistakes
- Leaning forward or to one side.
- Bending over to put the weights down with a round back.
Muscles worked
Main target: Forearms. The forearm holds the muscles that bend and straighten the wrist and close the hand. Grip is forearm work: carries, hangs and heavy pulls all train it.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Farmer’s Carry, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row Same pull session: it trains the upper back.
- Pull-Up Same pull session: it trains the lats.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Farmer’s Carry first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Farmer’s Carry 3 × 30 to 60 s
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Pull-Up 3 × 3 to 15 reps
- Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
The catalog has no other movement for the forearms with different equipment.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Suitcase Carry, Front-Rack Carry and Overhead Carry.
Do before it: Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades) and Dead Bug (bracing).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Farmer’s Carry is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Farmer’s Carry?
Set up: Stand between two heavy dumbbells, squat down with a flat back and grip one in each hand. Steps: 1. Stand up tall with the dumbbells at your sides. 2. Walk forward with short, steady steps. 3. Set the dumbbells down by squatting at the end of the distance or time. Form cues: Stand tall with the shoulders back. Grip hard. Walk smoothly, without rushing. Common mistakes: Leaning forward or to one side. Bending over to put the weights down with a round back.
What muscles does the Farmer’s Carry work?
It trains the forearms as its main target and works the traps, abs and glutes on the way.
What should I pair the Farmer’s Carry with?
Good partners in the same workout are Single-Arm Dumbbell Row and Pull-Up.