Get Strong as an Ox with Farmers Walks

It doesn’t get much simpler than picking up something heavy and carrying it. But just like squats, deadlifts and pullups, simpler is often better. Few exercises work the body from head to toe like farmers walks. And even fewer exercises can be used to get stronger, gain muscle, lose fat and improve athletic performance – all at the same time.

Yes, I’m talking about that crazy event that you see on World’s Strongest Man on ESPN 2 at 3 a.m. Grab two heavy objects – preferably shaped like torpedoes or a young farm animal – stand up, speed walk and hold on for dear life. It’ll give you that home-grown, rough-n-tough farmhand strength without the 20-hour work days and terrible tan lines.

But seriously, there’s almost nothing farmers walks can’t do. No matter your goal, picking up and carrying heavy shit should be a part of your exercise routine. Check it out:

• GET STRONG – A strong grip equals a strong person. Period. The carryover to deadlifts, pullups and rows is insane.
• GET JACKED – Farmers walks will smoke your forearms and biceps in a way that curls never will.
• GET YOKED – They’ll smash your traps, upper back and neck. You’ll get that Bill Goldberg look that every man should strive for.

• SHED FAT – Farmers walks are an awesome finisher for blasting fat. Keep the distances longer and the rest periods shorter and you’ll be gassed in no time.
• CORE STRENGTH – The TRUE meaning of core strength is the ability to keep a neutral spinal position. Farmers walks challenge that and then some. Resist the urge to bend side-to-side or lean forward/backward, and you’ll feel your abs and obliques catch fire.
• IMPROVE POSTURE – Farmers walks force you to keep your chest up, shoulders back, chin down and abs tight. Get strong in this position and you’ll fix your shitty posture fast.
• FIX IMBALANCES – Do them one arm at a time and you’ll fix strength deficits. This is great for overhead athletes like baseball or tennis players who tend to be much weaker on the non-throwing/swinging side.

Farmers walk variations are only limited by your imagination. Here are a handful:

Farmers Walk Handles – The original and best way to farmers walk. The long handles tip back and forth, challenging your stability but allowing you to really load up the weight. I have a pair of EliteFTS E-Series handles and they’re the best wallet-friendly handles out there.

Dumbbells – The easiest version to do just about anywhere. Grab a heavy pair of dumbbells and get walkin’. Not the same tipsy feeling as you get with handles, but it gets the job done. You can even do them one arm at a time for an extra stability challenge.

Kettlebells – If you have them, kettlebells make a great tool for farmers walks. I like them better than dumbbells because DBs tend to tip and the back half digs into your wrist, making it harder to hold on.

Weight Plates – For a real grip challenge, pinch the smooth part of a weight plate (NOT the handles) between your fingers. You can’t use as much weight, but this is a great way to build “pinching” strength, which works the small muscles of the hand. Anecdotally, this can help alleviate wrist, forearm and elbow pain during presses and pullups.

The list goes on. Just about anything you can hold onto and walk with is fair game.

USING THEM IN A WORKOUT ROUTINE

Unless you’re competing in strongman, farmers walk training shouldn’t be complicated. The simpler, the better.

Grip Strength – If it’s simply strength you’re after, use heavier weights for shorter distances with longer rest periods. For example:

Variation: Farmers walk handles
Weight: 50% of max deadlift total (so if you can deadlift 400 pounds, use 100 pounds per hand for 200 pounds total)
Distance: 20 yards
Rest: 60 seconds
Sets: 5-7
Frequency: 1-2 days per week
When: At the end of a deadlift workout

Forearm Size – If you want jacked forearms, do farmers walks more frequently and for longer distances. The forearms can take a beating and live to tell the tale, so the time under tension needs to be longer. Use dumbbells to keep the stress on the forearms and reduce the challenge to the core.

Variation: 2-arm dumbbells
Weight: 8RM dumbbell row
Distance: 40 yards
Rest: 45 seconds
Sets: 3-5
Frequency: 2 days per week
When: At the end of a back and/or arms day

Conditioning – Farmers walks fit perfectly into a conditioning circuit with other torturous exercises led sled pushes, tire flips, mountain climbers, med ball slams, etc. Keep the weight lighter, distances longer and rest shorter.

Variation: Any
Weight: Light. Start with 50% bodyweight total and increase from there.
Distance: 30-60 yards
Rest: None
Sets: 10-12 minutes total
Frequency: 1-2 days per week
When: At the end of a lower body workout or as a separate conditioning day

Here’s an example of a circuit using farmers walks from some vintage training footage from back in my St. Mike’s baseball days. This video’s so old I still had hair.

WALK ON HOME BOY

If you aren’t already doing farmers walks, you’re missing out on some serious gains in strength, size and (wo)manliness. Add them in a few times a week and you’re set. Nothing left to do but…