Execution form
- EquipmentDumbbell
- PatternCarry
- Repsheld for time
- Joint loadShoulder
- One side at a time
How to do the Overhead Carry
Set up. Press a dumbbell overhead in one hand and lock the arm straight, biceps near your ear.
- Brace your stomach and stand tall.
- Walk forward with steady, normal steps.
- Lower the weight under control at the end of the distance or time.
- Switch sides.
Form cues
- Keep the arm locked and vertical.
- Keep the ribs down.
- Walk without leaning.
Common mistakes
- Letting the arm drift forward.
- Arching the lower back.
Muscles worked
Main target: Front delts. The front head of the deltoid caps the front of the shoulder. It raises the arm forward and helps in every press, which is why it is often trained more than its two neighbours.
On the way: Side delts, Traps and Abs.
Its other side: Upper back, Lats and Rear delts, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
Its other side: Rear delts, in the front and rear shoulder pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Overhead Carry, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Rear Delt Fly Superset partner: it trains the other side of the front and rear shoulder pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Dumbbell Bench Press Same push session: it trains the chest.
- Diamond Push-Up Same push session: it trains the triceps.
- Dumbbell Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Overhead 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.
- Overhead Carry 3 × 30 to 60 s
- Rear Delt Fly 3 × 12 to 20 reps
- Dumbbell Bench Press 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Diamond Push-Up 3 × 5 to 25 reps
- Dumbbell Shrug 3 × 8 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Pike Push-Up
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Machine Shoulder Press
Machine
Less load on the shoulder
Landmine Press
The Overhead Carry loads the shoulder by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Farmer’s Carry.
Other variations of the Farmer’s Carry: Suitcase Carry and Front-Rack Carry.
Do before it: Wall Slide (shoulder blades), Dead Bug (bracing) and Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Overhead 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 Overhead Carry?
Set up: Press a dumbbell overhead in one hand and lock the arm straight, biceps near your ear. Steps: 1. Brace your stomach and stand tall. 2. Walk forward with steady, normal steps. 3. Lower the weight under control at the end of the distance or time. 4. Switch sides. Form cues: Keep the arm locked and vertical. Keep the ribs down. Walk without leaning. Common mistakes: Letting the arm drift forward. Arching the lower back.
What muscles does the Overhead Carry work?
It trains the front delts as its main target and works the side delts, traps and abs on the way.
What can I do instead of the Overhead Carry?
At home: Pike Push-Up. In a gym: Machine Shoulder Press. With less load on the shoulder: Landmine Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Overhead Carry with?
Good partners in the same workout are Rear Delt Fly, Dumbbell Bench Press, Diamond Push-Up and Dumbbell Shrug.