Farmers Walk
If you've watched World's Strongest Man, or any other Strongman event, you'll probably have seen them do farmers' walks as an event.
It's a full-body exercise that will work the legs (not anywhere near enough to be considered a leg exercise), traps, and especially grip. Holding something and having to carry it is something that is often needed to be done outside of the gym.
I like to do a farmers' walk at the end of a workout as a finisher.
The exercise is best done with farmer handles. However, it can be done with dumbbells, but this isn't ideal, as the dumbbells will bang against your legs. We do have farmer handles at Real World Fitness.
How to do a Farmers Walk
Turning right - Have the right handle lower than the left handle. Turn your hands in so the plates are touching and overlapping with the left handle in front of the right handle. Push the right handle forward into the left handles weight, and then pull the left handle back into the right handle weights.
The handle which you'll be turning towards- Handle turned in, low, and pushing forward.
The other handle - Handle turned in, high and pushing back
It's a full-body exercise that will work the legs (not anywhere near enough to be considered a leg exercise), traps, and especially grip. Holding something and having to carry it is something that is often needed to be done outside of the gym.
I like to do a farmers' walk at the end of a workout as a finisher.
The exercise is best done with farmer handles. However, it can be done with dumbbells, but this isn't ideal, as the dumbbells will bang against your legs. We do have farmer handles at Real World Fitness.
How to do a Farmers Walk
- Deadlift the farmer handles off the floor. This should be done like doing a trap bar deadlift. Make sure to grab the centre of the handle.
- Brace and make sure you don't slouch forward. Keep your shoulders tight and back. Slouching forward puts considerable stress on the lower back, neck, and shoulders. Having a slumped posture with weights dragging you down increases your chance of injury.
- Take small steps to start, before lengthening your steps for the required distance. You will be walking heel to toe throughout.
- Turning with the handles is the part most people find the hardest. It's common for the handles to wobble around if you don't use the correct technique.
Turning right - Have the right handle lower than the left handle. Turn your hands in so the plates are touching and overlapping with the left handle in front of the right handle. Push the right handle forward into the left handles weight, and then pull the left handle back into the right handle weights.
The handle which you'll be turning towards- Handle turned in, low, and pushing forward.
The other handle - Handle turned in, high and pushing back