Anyone ever try Farmer Carries?

[FREE866]

Stumbled upon these yesterday and I'm looking to mix up my weight exercises a bit. Anyone have experience with these?

 

[Winemaker]

I haven't done those but I did carry DW(115#) and a backpack from the Napali Coast State Park back to the trailhead after she tore her hamstring back in 2009. I can't remember how many miles, but my right knee reminds me at least once a week.

I also carried about 45# of tools, instruments, battery, detectors on my mine belt each and everyday I spent in a coal mine for 35 years.

 

[Masquernom]

Work up to them slowly. Be careful of your wrists, hand tendons.

 

[walkinwood]

The exercise is a regular part of a circuit fitness class, targeted to older adults, that I do.
The weights in the video are monstrous! I use much lighter ones - a little less than the 30% of body weight that they recommend.

 

[Hank]

I do them and they seem to help with my balance. I also find them oddly satisfying so I look forward to them unlike many other exercises. I do them mostly one side at a time. I do about 25% of my body weight and that seems to be enough for now.

I look just like the guy in the video without all the muscles and ab definition.

 

[Sunset]

Every summer I have to carry 2 full pails of water (2 gallons each = 16.66 pounds each) uphill from the lake as we don't have running water.
As a teenager I hated wash day as that meant 6 trips for the wash on top of the regular trips.

Didn't know I was doing exercise, it was just life

 

[Music Lover]

I do them occasionally as part of my workout, usually up and down the basement stairs.

 

[Humbooster]

I did them every summer from age about 8 to 16 on our small farm, it was my job to milk two cows every evening and get the milk back home for our daily consumption. Went off to college after that. I have great memories of that journey across the hill, lots of time to think and daydream...

 

[PappaChris]

On one trip to Hilton Head Island my wife and I were doing our morning walk on the beach. We ran into a trainer with his clients and he was having them do farmers carries.

 

[PointBreeze]

I do them. But even more often, I do them single-sided, being very careful to keep my hips level and spine vertical - single-sided is an amazing core exercise if done carefully.

 

[Thomasbob]

Wheelbarrow, 10 yards of dirt, then hurl with a grain shovel. After loading said wheelbarrow with 20 scoops. ..

 

[Koolau]

My back hurts enough without trying to aggravate it with extra weight.

 

[Time2]

I do them mostly one side at a time. I do about 25% of my body weight and that seems to be enough for now.

That's interesting, I would think carrying on one side at a time would increase core strength better then carrying on both sides.

 

[Yoheadden]

They are a good exercise for multiple muscle groups and balance. As with any new exercise and like others have said, gradually work up with the weight.

 

[Rianne]

This is easily done with empty milk cartons, with handles. You don't need expensive weights. Add water gradually increasing the weight over time.

 

[Koolau]

This is easily done with empty milk cartons, with handles. You don't need expensive weights. Add water gradually increasing the weight over time.

Are these exercises considered "good" for backs??

 

[Music Lover]

Are these exercises considered "good" for backs??

Any exercise done correctly and carefully that builds muscle is good, unless someone has a unique physical issue that would prevent it.