Rucking has gained serious momentum recently. It’s based on walking or hiking while carrying extra weight, usually in a backpack or vest, using whatever heavy items are available — water bottles, dumbbells, bricks, or purpose-built gear.
But here’s something worth asking: have you tried the farmer’s walk yet?
You might not travel as far, but this movement delivers an intense, functional workout that can be done almost anywhere. If you haven’t tested it yet, let’s take a closer look at why the farmer’s walk could be the upgrade your weighted walking routine needs.
Is the Farmer’s Walk Really Just Walking With Weights?
In simple terms, yes — but the execution and impact go far beyond that. The farmer’s walk is a functional exercise that recruits nearly every major muscle group. You grip a trap bar or a pair of heavy weights and walk, choosing your own route and distance.
Anyone familiar with Hyrox-style training will recognize how demanding weighted walking can be for both cardiovascular fitness and strength. You’ll feel the work most in your shoulders, arms, core, and grip — and that’s no drawback. Grip strength plays a vital role in long-term physical resilience.
This movement mirrors everyday tasks like carrying groceries or heavy bags, making it practical as well as challenging.
How the Farmer’s Carry Builds Strength and Conditioning
Also known as the farmer’s carry, this technique is a compound exercise that activates multiple muscle groups at once. Performed with good form, it can enhance posture while building strength and muscle.
You can adjust the stimulus depending on your goal. Lighter loads with faster movement support cardiovascular fitness, while heavier weights at a slower pace push strength, grip, and endurance.
You’re free to vary the terrain too. Flat paths, hills, or stairs all change the challenge. Inclines place extra demand on the quads, glutes, and hamstrings while raising cardiovascular intensity. Higher effort over shorter periods can deliver strong results without long distances.
What the Farmer’s Walk Trains Across Your Body
Very few muscles escape the workload. The movement targets the biceps, triceps, shoulders, upper and lower back, core, hips, and legs. Under heavy loads, even the chest becomes involved.
Loading exercises like weighted walking also support bone density and joint strength, helping maintain muscle, ligaments, and connective tissue as you age. This can contribute to longevity and help counter conditions such as osteoporosis.
The farmer’s walk blends isometric work — where muscles like the core and shoulders stay braced — with isotonic movement in the legs. Research has even shown muscle activation patterns similar to deadlifts, but with less strain on the lower back.
How to Perform the Farmer’s Walk
You can carry one weight or two, depending on the variation you choose. Single-sided carries challenge balance, coordination, and stability, while carrying two weights allows for heavier loading.
Dumbbells work well, but kettlebells and trap bars are equally effective. All you need is enough space to walk safely while maintaining control.
Farmer’s Walk Technique Tips
- Actively brace your muscles, especially the core and glutes, to support your lower back.
- Draw your shoulder blades back and down to avoid rounding and to engage your lats.
- Stand tall and maintain a neutral spine without over-arching.
- Grip the weights firmly, wrapping your thumbs fully and keeping forearms engaged.
- Use shorter, quicker steps to reduce strain and improve control.
How Long Should You Do the Farmer’s Walk?
The farmer’s walk fits easily into strength sessions, conditioning workouts, or walking routines. You can program it by distance, step count, or timed intervals with rest.
Some people aim to accumulate as much distance as possible over multiple sets, while others work against a time limit or even turn it into a friendly race. Interval formats, such as short work periods with brief rest, also work well.
Regardless of how you structure it, proper form matters. The rotator cuff muscles, along with the rhomboids and serratus anterior, stabilize the shoulders and support posture during loaded carries.
If your shoulders begin to roll forward, certain muscles may overwork while others disengage, leading to imbalance and tension. Keep your posture upright, reduce the weight if needed, and stop the set if your form starts to break down.
