How to Do a Farmer’s Carry with Dumbbells: Strengthen Your Core, Grip, and Posture
Looking for a simple, effective way to build full-body strength, boost core stability, and improve posture—all in one move? Enter the Farmer’s Carry, also known as the Farmer’s Walk. This deceptively simple exercise can be performed with dumbbells, kettlebells, or even a barbell, and offers huge benefits for women over 40 looking to feel strong, stable, and confident.
Let’s break down exactly how to do a farmer’s carry with dumbbells, the muscles it works, why it’s ideal for functional fitness, and how to modify it based on your current strength level.
What Is a Farmer’s Carry?
A farmer’s carry is a loaded carry—a category of exercises where you hold weight and walk for a certain distance or time. The movement mimics the real-world task of carrying heavy grocery bags or hauling luggage.
To do the farmer’s carry with dumbbells:
- Pick up a dumbbell in each hand (light to heavy depending on your strength).
- Stand tall with core engaged, chest lifted, and shoulders back.
- Walk forward slowly and intentionally, keeping the dumbbells at your sides.
- Turn around and walk back, maintaining posture and control.
Key Benefits of the Farmer’s Carry
This one move challenges nearly every muscle group in your body—and that’s why it’s so powerful.
1. Strengthens Core Stability
Your abs and lower back work isometrically to stabilize your torso and prevent wobbling. This improves balance and posture, especially important as we age.
2. Improves Grip Strength
Grip tends to decline over time, but strong hands and forearms support everything from lifting weights to opening jars. The farmer’s carry is one of the best ways to train grip endurance and strength.
3. Promotes Better Posture
By training proper alignment—chest up, shoulders back—you reinforce habits that combat slouched shoulders and forward head posture.
4. Builds Total-Body Functional Strength
From shoulders to glutes, your body learns to move under load, which carries over to everyday tasks like lifting kids, carrying groceries, or doing yardwork.
5. Low Impact, High Reward
Unlike high-impact moves that can stress joints, the farmer’s carry is joint-friendly and can be scaled up or down for any fitness level.
Science Behind the Farmer’s Carry
Research shows that loaded carries like the farmer’s walk activate deep core stabilizers—including the transverse abdominis and multifidus muscles—more effectively than many traditional ab exercises like crunches.
A 2020 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that loaded carries significantly improve trunk stiffness and neuromuscular control, which helps prevent injury and promotes longevity in training.
How to Do a Farmer’s Carry (Step-by-Step)
- Choose Your Dumbbells
Start light if you’re a beginner (10–15 lbs per hand) and work up as your strength improves. - Set Your Posture
- Feet hip-width apart.
- Core braced.
- Chest up.
- Shoulders down and slightly back.
- Neck neutral (don’t look down).
- Lift Properly
- Squat down using your legs (not your back) to pick up the weights.
- Avoid rounding your spine.
- Walk Slowly and Controlled
- Take slow, deliberate steps.
- Don’t lean side to side.
- Maintain tension in your core the entire time.
- Turn Around Smoothly
- Once you reach your distance or time, pause, pivot, and walk back the same way.
Modifications and Progressions
- Beginner Tip: Start with shorter distances (20–30 feet) and lighter weight. Focus on maintaining posture.
- Intermediate: Use heavier dumbbells and aim for 40–60 seconds of walking.
- Advanced: Try single-arm carries (suitcase carry) to challenge lateral core stability, or use a trap bar for heavier loads.
FAQs About the Farmer’s Carry
How heavy should my dumbbells be for the farmer’s carry?
The ideal weight for a farmer’s carry depends on your current strength level, grip endurance, and experience with loaded carries. As a general rule, choose dumbbells that you can hold comfortably for 30 to 45 seconds without compromising your posture. For beginners, this often means starting with 10–20 lbs per hand, while more experienced lifters may work up to 30–50 lbs or more per hand.
What matters most isn’t the raw number—it’s your ability to maintain proper form: shoulders down and back, chest lifted, core tight, and a controlled, steady gait. If your shoulders are slumping, grip is slipping, or you start to sway from side to side, the weight may be too heavy. As your grip strength and core stability improve, gradually increase the load to continue challenging your body.
How long should I do a farmer’s carry?
You can structure farmer’s carries using either time-based or distance-based approaches, depending on your space and training goals. For time, begin with sets of 20 to 30 seconds, focusing on maintaining excellent posture and tension throughout. As your strength and endurance improve, build up to 45 to 60 seconds per set.
If you’re using a distance approach, start by walking 40 to 50 feet down and back, or the length of a room or hallway if you’re training at home. Repeat this for 2 to 3 rounds, resting 30–60 seconds between sets.
The goal is to train under load without breaking form. It’s better to carry a moderate weight for a clean, steady walk than to overload and sacrifice technique. As you progress, you can increase time, distance, or weight—but avoid making all three harder at once.
Can I do the farmer’s carry every day?
Technically, yes—you can do farmer’s carries daily, especially if you vary the load and volume. However, for most people (especially beginners or women over 40), it’s best to include them 2 to 3 times per week within a structured strength or conditioning program. This gives your body—particularly your grip, shoulders, and core—ample time to recover and adapt.
If you want to incorporate them more frequently, consider alternating intensity. For example, one day may focus on heavier loads and short carries (20–30 seconds), while another day might use lighter weight for longer durations (45–60 seconds). Recovery is key to preventing overuse, especially for small stabilizing muscles in the hands, wrists, and shoulders.
Farmer’s carries also pair well with leg days, upper body finishers, or metabolic circuits.
Do farmer’s carries work your abs?
Yes, and in fact, they work your deep core muscles—arguably more effectively than traditional ab exercises like crunches or sit-ups. When performing a farmer’s carry, your abs and obliques are working constantly to resist movement in all directions. This is called anti-movement training, and it’s critical for functional core strength.
Specifically, the transverse abdominis (your body’s natural corset), internal and external obliques, and erector spinaeare all activated to keep your torso upright and stable. This kind of isometric activation improves spinal alignment, balance, and core control without putting pressure on your lower back.
Over time, farmer’s carries can help tighten your midsection, support better posture, and increase your ability to stabilize under load—all of which are especially important for women managing hormonal shifts and changes in body composition after 40.
Is the farmer’s carry safe for beginners or women over 40?
Absolutely. The farmer’s carry is one of the most accessible and beginner-friendly strength movements you can perform, especially because it’s low-impact, requires no complex technique, and mimics natural daily movements.
For women over 40, the carry offers powerful benefits—improved posture, grip strength, core engagement, and full-body muscle activation—all without placing excessive strain on joints. It also helps preserve bone density and prevent muscle loss, two critical concerns during perimenopause and menopause.
That said, proper form is key. Beginners should start with lighter weights and shorter carries, and should pay close attention to alignment. Using a mirror, recording your form, or working with a coach can help ensure safe movement. When done properly, the farmer’s carry not only strengthens the body but also builds resilience and functional power for everyday life.
What’s the difference between a farmer’s carry and a suitcase carry?
While both movements fall under the category of loaded carries, the key difference lies in how the weight is distributed:
- In a farmer’s carry, you hold a weight in each hand, creating a balanced load. This allows both sides of your body to work evenly and challenges your grip, posture, and full-body endurance. It’s excellent for building symmetrical strength and reinforcing proper alignment.
- In a suitcase carry, you hold a weight in only one hand, which introduces an asymmetrical load. This challenges your core to resist bending or leaning to one side, making it especially effective for strengthening the obliques and lateral stabilizers.
Think of the farmer’s carry as a total-body strength builder, while the suitcase carry functions more like a core stability and anti-lateral flexion drill. Both are valuable and can be alternated in your routine for a well-rounded approach to core and functional strength.
Final Thoughts
The farmer’s carry is a simple, time-efficient, and highly effective exercise that deserves a regular spot in your workout routine. Whether you’re just starting out or already lifting, it builds real-world strength, better posture, and a stronger core—all without needing fancy equipment or complicated programming.
Give it a try this week. Pick up those dumbbells, keep your chest lifted, core tight, and walk like you mean it!
