What's a loaded carry, and why do them?
What are loaded carries? This exercise is just as it sounds (unless you’re imagining something involving a weapon)—carrying a weighted object in various positions. It helps improve grip, shoulder, core, and back strength and is a great way to build endurance. This exercise can be done using kettlebells, barbells, sandbags, or any other type of weight. Yes, even carrying your groceries is a variation.
Reduced grip strength is associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. I use loaded carries in my clients’ workouts to build overall strength and endurance, or “work capacity.” As you may have already experienced when carrying a heavy object for a long enough distance, your heart rate increases, making this a form of low-impact cardio work.
In general, carries require you to stabilize your gait and posture as you move or stand with the weight. They can either be loaded symmetrically or asymmetrically for different purposes (see more on this below). I often use either suitcase, rack, and/or farmer’s carries with my clients, but there are also many other options that are done for different purposes.
Here is an outline of these three options and the benefits of each one:
Suitcase carry (a weight in one hand at your side):
Great for: improving grip and core strength
Why do these? The weight is in an offset position, so you have to resist the natural urge to rotate toward or away from it. This requires you to engage your trunk (or core) to stabilize the weight and yourself. Squeezing the handle of whatever you’re carrying also engages the muscles in your rotator cuff, which helps to strengthen and create more stability in your shoulder.
Rack carry (one or two weights on your chest):
Great for: learning how to breathe while bracing and maintaining tension in your trunk or core
Why do these? Since the rack position requires you to rest a weight on your chest (these are more comfortable when done with a kettlebell), you must create tension or “brace” through your core to maintain strong spinal positioning. This is important when learning to control your body in exercises like pushups, planks, squats, or deadlifts.
Farmer’s carry (one weight in each hand at your sides):
Great for: building work capacity and overall endurance
Why do these? Since you’re carrying one weight in each hand, you can add much more load to this variation. You’ll notice that your heart rate elevates when you start to carry more weight. You have to work to maintain your posture as the weights try to pull you forward and out of the tall posture you’re trying to maintain.
Have you done any of these variations before—either intentionally or unintentionally? Which one do you think you’d like to try next? Feel free to respond with any questions or comments below!
Watch this video to see some other carry variations not mentioned above.