Who needs rucking? Try the farmer’s walk instead to strengthen your whole body
Rucking has been trending lately. It involves walking or hiking with a weighted backpack (or similar), loading up with anything you have handy — water bottles, dumbbells, bricks, or even using weighted vests.
But I have a question for you — have you tried the farmer’s walk yet?
You might not cover as much distance, but it makes for a killer functional workout that you can do pretty much anywhere. If you haven’t already given it a go, give me a chance to convince you as to why you should try farmer’s walking right now instead.
You could use dumbbells, kettlebells, or even add a weighted vest (as long as you’re still holding heavy weights!). You just need enough space to go for a little walk. Here are the benefits of the farmer’s walk, and why I think it’ll change the game for you and weighted walking.
Is the farmer’s walk just walking with weights?
Well, yes, but there are lots of ways to do it. This functional exercise works just about every major muscle group in your body. All you do is grip hold of a trap bar or a set of free weights and go for a walk; where you travel is up to you.
Those who enjoy Hyrox workouts will be very familiar with how effective weighted walking is for your cardiovascular system and strength, but where will you feel it most, I hear you ask? Your shoulders, arms, core and grip. But that’s okay, after all, grip strength is the key to longevity.
The great news is that farmers’ walks are very functional, as they mimic carrying any sort of load for a time, like the groceries when you’ve gone a little snack-heavy on the weekly shop.
Done properly, it can improve your walking posture and build strength and muscle.”
The walking technique, also known as a farmer’s carry, is a compound exercise, meaning it doesn’t just hit one muscle group, but multiple. Done properly, it can improve your walking posture and build strength and muscle. You could load light and move fast for cardiovascular benefits, or move slow and heavy to test strength, endurance and grip.
The terrain is up to you, too; flat ground, uphill, or climbing stairs are all options. As we know, uphill walking is more challenging on your muscles (particularly your quads, glutes and hamstrings) and cardiovascular system, helping to burn more calories. A harder output (increased intensity) during walks is said to be more beneficial than overall distance, which means you can suck out all the benefits of walking in less time.
What is the farmer’s walk good for?
There aren’t many muscles left untouched. You’ll work your biceps, triceps, shoulders, back, core, hips and legs — even your chest under super heavy loads.
Simple resistance exercises and activities that load your bones like weighted walking help you to maintain strong bones, joints, ligaments and muscles as you age, combating the natural decline we see. This can boost longevity and help reduce age-related conditions like osteoporosis.
The farmer’s walk combines isometric and isotonic exercise; your shoulders and core are activated without moving through a range of motion (isometric contraction), while others move, like your legs (isotonic contraction). Plus, research has shown similar muscle activation to a deadlift with less potential for strain on your lower back.
Ever the fitness guinea pig at Tom’s Guide, I did the farmer’s walk every day for a week — and here’s what happened for me, personally.
How to farmer’s walk
You can choose to single or dual load your weights, and there are plenty of farmer’s walk variations to choose from in our guide on how to do the farmer’s walk. Working one arm at a time challenges balance, coordination and stability, but two weights allow you to load heavier.
Check out the video above to see how it’s done. I demonstrate with dumbbells, but kettlebells and trap bars also work well.
Farmer’s walk: Tips
Here are a few pointers:
- Consciously squeeze as many muscles as possible, especially your core and glutes to protect your lower back.
- Pull your shoulder blades back and down to prevent hunching and engage your lats — muscles that run along the sides of your back.
- Stand tall and focus on a strong posture without arching your lower back.
- Maintain a firm grip on the weights with your thumbs fully wrapped and forearms active to protect your wrists.
- Take smaller, faster strides to avoid overstepping and overstraining.
How long should the farmer’s walk be?
I usually incorporate the farmer’s walk into existing strength and conditioning workouts or walking workouts, but you could also aim for a set number of steps (with breaks) or a distance. You could try a few sets of accumulating as much distance as you can, or racing against a time cap or a friend.
Here’s an example of a five-move metcon workout that features the walk to give you some inspiration. When I took on the challenge, I tried 45 seconds on and 15 seconds off for eight sets.
However you choose to program your walk, form is key. You have a group of muscles called the rotator cuff that surround the scapulae and stabilize the shoulders. Alongside muscle groups like the rhomboids and serratus anterior, they work to maintain your posture.
When your shoulders begin to slump forward, your shoulders are no longer sitting in their correct position, meaning some muscle groups overcompensate while others underwork, creating an imbalance and some strain. For example, the chest can become tight and you might feel tension along your upper traps.
Take extra precautions to keep your posture tall and stop if you find your form is failing, or at least reduce the weight.
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Published: 2025-12-15 13:00:00
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