Dumbbell Farmers Carry

1. Set two matched dumbbells on the floor beside you; a starting point is 20 to 30 percent of your body weight per hand.
2. Hinge and squat down with a flat back and grip a dumbbell in each hand.
3. Stand up as you would in a deadlift, driving through the legs, and let the dumbbells hang at your sides.
4. Pull your shoulders back and down, brace your core, and look straight ahead.
5. Walk with short, controlled steps, keeping the dumbbells still and your torso tall.
6. Breathe in short, steady cycles behind your brace rather than holding one big breath.
7. Walk 20 to 40 meters, then set the dumbbells down with a flat back, rest, and repeat.

Common Mistakes

• Leaning or shrugging: tilting toward one side or hiking the shoulders to the ears breaks posture; stay tall with shoulders set back and down.
• Overstriding: long fast steps get the dumbbells swinging and strain the grip early; short quick steps keep the load quiet.
• Sloppy pickup and setdown: rounding the back to grab or dump the dumbbells is where carries injure people; treat both like deadlift reps.
• Weight too light: carries only build grip and trunk strength when the load is honestly heavy for the distance; if you finish easily, go up.