Chances are that loaded carries do not form the backbone of your core-strengthening workouts, but do form a part of your every day, whether that's carrying the shopping home from the supermarket, lifting a suitcase down a flight of stairs, or wearing a heavy rucksack.
These are all real-world examples of loaded carries, and this type of movement works wonders for strengthening the postural, abdominal and lower-back muscles that support your spine, hips and ribcage. Replicating real-life scenarios in your workouts is a smart move to make these tasks more manageable, and perfecting these techniques can also help reduce injury risk.
Loaded carries are a firm favorite of trainer James Stirling, who goes by the moniker London Fitness Guy on Instagram. Stirling regularly shares home workouts with his more than 1.2 million Instagram followers, and a recent video homed in on loaded carry variations that he believes we should all be incorporating into our weekly workout routines.
"If you aren't doing this exercise, here is why you should be," he says in the clip that has already amassed more than 5,000 likes. "Loaded carries are one of the most effective ways to develop core strength. They offer so much value for your trunk and hip stability."
In the video, Stirling cycles through four loaded carry variations. "An easy way to start is by doing a farmer's carry," says Stirling, holding dumbbells by his sides as he walks. "This can then be progressed into a unilateral walk using one heavy dumbbell," he continues, now holding just one dumbbell by his side.
Next, he rests the dumbbells on his shoulders. "To make this more challenging you can rack the dumbbells onto the shoulders and do a rack carry," says Stirling, before pressing the weights overhead, adding, "and for the pros, take your dumbbells up into an overhead carry."
Stirling argues that loaded carries not only provide a functional, real-world challenge for your overall strength, they can also spare you from a lifetime of sit-ups and crunches. "These carries work because they require your body to maintain posture under load and they're far better than doing these [sit-ups and crunches] if your goal is to build a strong core," he says.
How to perform loaded carries to strengthen your core
As Stirling demonstrates, loaded carries come in several shapes and sizes. Some are better suited for beginners, some for advanced exercisers. Some challenge your core to resist anterior flexion (bending forwards), others, like the unilateral carry, to resist lateral flexion (bending to the side).
Here I've detailed the four loaded carries highlighted in Stirling's Reel, and added two more I think should form part of your core-strengthening repertoire.
Use them at the end of your next workout, cycling through three variations to give your whole core a good going over. Perform 2-3 sets of each move for 20-30 seconds, resting 30-60 seconds between sets.
Don't choose too heavy a weight or your grip strength will fail long before your core taps out. Just be sure to perform every rep with good form. Breathe normally, smile and relish your new sit-up-free future.
Beginner loaded carries
Farmer's walk
Sets: 2-3 Time: 20-30sec Rest: 30-60sec
- Hold dumbbells by your sides.
- Pull your shoulder blades back and down to engage your upper-back muscles, and engage your core.
- Walk forward or in a figure of eight if space is tight, maintaining your upright posture.
Unilateral carry
Sets: 2-3 Time: 20-30sec each side Rest: 30-60sec
- Hold a dumbbell by your side.
- Pull your shoulder blades back and down to engage your upper-back muscles, and engage your core.
- Walk forward, resisting the weight pulling your torso to the side.
- Repeat on the other side.
Intermediate loaded carries
Racked carry
Sets: 2-3 Time: 20-30sec Rest: 30-60sec
- Rest dumbbells on your shoulders, keeping your elbows high and pointing forward.
- Pull your shoulder blades back and down to engage your upper-back muscles, and engage your core.
- Walk forward, maintaining your upright posture.
Waiter's walk
Sets: 2-3 Time: 20-30sec each side Rest: 30-60sec
- Rest a dumbbell on one shoulder.
- Hold your other arm out to the side to help maintain balance.
- Pull your shoulder blades back and down to engage your upper-back muscles, and engage your core.
- Walk forward, resisting the weight pulling your torso to the side.
- Repeat on the other side.
Advanced loaded carries
Overhead carry
Sets: 2-3 Time: 20-30sec Rest: 30-60sec
- Hold light dumbbells by your shoulders and press them overhead, keeping your arms straight and your biceps close to your ears.
- Walk forward, maintaining your upright posture.
Unilateral overhead walking lunge
Sets: 2-3 Time: 20-30sec each side Rest: 30-60sec
- Hold a light dumbbell by your shoulder and press it overhead, keeping your arm straight and your biceps close to your ear.
- Hold your other arm out to the side to help maintain balance.
- Take a big step forward and bend both knees, lowering until your rear knee is just above the floor.
- Push through your front foot to stand up and bring your rear foot forward to take another big step forward.
- Bend both knees to lower into another lunge.
- Continue lunging forwards.
- Repeat with the dumbbell held in the other hand.
