The farmer’s carry may seem simple when you watch someone else do it, but once you pick up a heavy weight and start walking, you quickly realize how challenging it can be. Your shoulders ache, your grip starts slipping, and you begin to realize that you may be making one of many farmer carry mistakes.
You might feel like swearing and dropping the weight, but then you remember that there are other people around, including a grandmother who is warming up with your maximum weight.
So, it’s better not to embarrass yourself and tough it out.
Legendary strength coach Dan John has repeatedly stated that carries are the missing link in many people’s training programs because of the biggest mistake of all: not doing them. If there is one exercise that lifters go out of their way to avoid (besides warming up and side planks), it is carries.
So, if you do them, the other mistakes are fixable. If you don’t do them, it’s up to you to fix it.
Here, we will reintroduce you to the farmer’s carry, what you need for it, and three common mistakes to watch out for so you can get the most out of this functional exercise.
How to Do The Dumbbell Farmers Carry
- Select a dumbbell with 25% to 50% of your body weight in each hand.
- Pick them up and hold the dumbbells tightly by your sides and at arm’s length.
- Keep your chest up and shoulders down for proper walking posture.
- Walk slowly and carefully, paying attention to your gait for 40-100 yards.
- Place the dumbbells back in the rack or carefully on the floor when you’re done.
- What’s Needed For Good Form
First, you must do them because if you don’t, you miss out on the life-saving benefits of grip strength. And don’t you like pickles on your hamburger? Almost all hamburgers are made better by adding pickles. Anyhow, here is what you need for good farmers’ carry form.
- Willingness to do them.
- Some degree of mental toughness.
- Good walking posture.
- A clear path where you can walk.
- The ability to grip using your thumb.
Seems simple, right? Yet mistakes can be made. Here, we will go over some common errors with easy fixes to get the most out of this awesome exercise.
Common Farmer’s Carry Mistakes
The best place to start with carries, regardless of the variation, is to think of it as a loaded standing plank on your two feet. And you do planks, right?
