Benefits of Loaded Carries

Core Strength

Weighted carries require a great deal of both resisting rotation and resisting lateral flexion, this applies a stress on the core muscular which allows it to adapt and become a great deal stronger. This strength increase in the obliques and the deep trunk is extremely beneficial for health and performance.

Hip Stability

The core musculature also includes and is intertwined with the hip joint, which can be a key joint for both injury mitigation for sports and as we age. Using heavy carries requires us to spend time on one leg whilst carrying a load, this does wonders for hip stability and balance.

Sport and Weight Room Performance

Heavy carries are very beneficial for athletes, especially athletes that play contact sports like American football or martial arts where aggressive rotational movements are required against opponents. These exercises help link the lower body strength and upper body strength of an athlete allowing them to improve their performance on the field. When you see someone carrying a double KB front rack carry , you can see their entire erector spinea muscles working to stabilise the spine, these muscles are used in so many of the movements we perform in the gym, notably the squat and the deadlift variations. Therefore doing these movements allows us to also improve our performance in other areas of the gym and mitigate injury in the weight room at the same time.

How to Implement Loaded Carries

Loaded carries can either be added into Bi-sets or Tri-sets in resistance training sessions or be done in stand alone or circuits like the one seen above. Here is a sample Tri-set that you might see in a typical full body resistance training session

Key Technical Points in Common

Try These 6 Loaded Carry Variations