Weighted carry exercises are some of the best things you can do to build muscle, gain strength, and torch fat at the end of your workout.
The sad thing is that far too many lifters simply ignore this training technique and leave a ton of gains at the table.
Weighted carries will put muscle on all your body — legs, traps, glutes, arms, core — as well as spike your heartrate.
Imagine telling the average gym bro they could build loads of muscle, burn fat, get fit, functional, and more — but for them to ignore it?
Surely not?!
Well this is the case.
Unless you go to a specialize strength gym, you will rarely see lifters performing weighted carries.
But let’s see if we can try to change this fact.
Out of all the 7 core lifting pattern movements:
- Push
- Pull
- Hinge
- Squat
- Lunge
- Twist
- Weighted Carry (Gait)
The weighted carry is the least used — and undeservedly so.
Yeah, it isn’t quite an eccentric “pump-inducing” exercise, but I guarantee you things will ache and your body will be a vascular fiery mess when you’re done.
Looking for a program to make you STRONG AF? Look no further, click here.
The 5 Best Weighted Carry Exercises
When choosing your weighted carry exercises at the end of your program, you need to decide whether the movement is specific to your goals and can be performed with the equipment you have access to.
There’s no point trying to do overhead carries with a barbell in a cramped gym with a low ceiling.
Don’t be a douche.
You can stick to what works and won’t interfere with other gymgoers.
If you have any reservations about spinal loading, please check out our articles on spinal decompression and prehabing.
1. Farmer’s Walks
Now this is the OG and most famous of all weighted carry exercises.
This is one of the least technical of all of the weighted carry exercises in this list — but one of the most challenging.
You will see Farmer’s Walks in various strongman competitions and Crossfit games.
This exercises is taxing on the whole body and will turn you into a machine.
Plus, assuming you have a little bit of space, and the gym owners don’t mind you taking some equipment outside, you can do them almost anywhere.
All it needs is two hands, some heavy weight, and can-do attitude.
I used to love programming Farmer’s Walks and other weighted carry exercises after deadlifting to work on my grip and finish off my posterior chain.
Farmer’s Walks will build strength everywhere in no time.
And you can use a trap bar, dumbbells, or any other equipment that you can find.
2. Suitcase Carries
Think of this weighted carry as a one-armed Farmer’s Walk.
You might need to leave your ego at the door and keep the weight slightly lower than on the Farmer’s Walk.
You need to maintain good posture and try to remain as upright as possible while executing this exercise.
Like the Farmer’s Walk, you can use any heavy equipment you can get your hands on to complete this exercise.
The difference is that the Suitcase Carry will set your opposing oblique muscle ablaze as you try to maintain upright.
I personally liked this exercise to strengthen my core for a strong Squat or Deadlift.
Just remember to switch hands when doing this exercise.
Looking for a program to make you STRONG AF? Look no further, click here.
3. Overhead Carries
Now these exercises are getting less common.
Holding a snatch-grip overhead, nicely balanced, proceed to walk a distance you feel “comfortable” with.
This weighted carry movement will shift a lot of stress onto your core and shoulders.
Unlike the Farmer’s Walk which will tax your lower body and forearms a lot more, Overhead carries will test your balance and upper body’s ability to stabilize while in motion.
The overhead carry is a great finisher to an Olympic Lifting workout or to simply strengthen your shoulders in a fun way.
Before you attempt this, we recommend that you try Overhead Shrugs first to perform them safely.
4. Squat Walks/Yoke Carries
Again, another of the OG weighted carry exercises, the carrying the Yoke or Squat walks can add a ton of muscle throughout your body.
Actually, this exercise can turn you into a beast.
Your heartrate will be through the roof, everything will ache, and you will become a revitalized lifter if you program these weighted carry variations into your workout.
There are three variations of Squat Walks you can perform.
These include:
- back squat
- front squat
- Zercher squat
Now, the final two variations will add a ton of extra strain on your upper back.
If you make these a staple in your program, you WILL be YOKED.
Your traps and shoulders will pop.
And your core will be bulletproof, plus the beauty of these exercises is that they carry over to sports, your other main lifts, and to being “functional”.
Looking for a program to make you STRONG AF? Look no further, click here.
5. Deadlift Walks
Now, this one was also a personal favorite of mine after finishing a heavy deadlift session.
Literally just pick up half of your max and walk as far as you can for 5 sets.
It will f*** you up — in the nicest way possible.
Your forearms, traps, upper back, core, legs, everything will be on fire.
This weighted carry is a phenomenal way to add a little more volume and to truly finish off the muscles you’ve used for a deadlift session.
Plus it’s also a fantastic way to sear off a few hundred calories and strengthen your cardiovascular system if you don’t like cardio.
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