The Magic of Loaded Carries – The Most Underrated Strength Exercise

When people think of core training, they often picture endless sit-ups or planks. But there’s a movement that builds a stronger core and works your whole body at once: the loaded carry. It’s simple, functional and perfect for athletes of all ages.

1. What’s a Loaded Carry?
A loaded carry is just walking while holding weight. It could be in both hands (farmer’s carry), one hand (suitcase carry), or overhead - you guessed it (overhead carry). You can use dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags or even heavy shopping bags.

2. Why Carries Beat Sit-Ups

• Core stability over core crunching – Sit-ups mainly work the front abs, but carries train your deep core muscles to stabilise your spine during movement.
• Full-body engagement – Your legs, shoulders, grip and back all get a workout.
• Real-world strength – Carries mimic everyday life, like lifting groceries or sports equipment.

3. The Benefits

• Posture improvement – Carrying weight forces you to stand tall.
• Grip strength – Crucial for sports like rugby, tennis and climbing.
• Balance and coordination – Especially with one-sided carries.
• Joint safety – Builds strength without heavy spinal compression like barbell lifts.

4. How to Add Carries to Your Training

• Farmer’s Carry – Hold one weight in each hand, walk 20–40m, rest, repeat.
• Suitcase Carry – One weight on one side; switch sides after each walk.
• Overhead Carry – Press weight overhead and walk; great for shoulder stability.

5. Perfect for Young Athletes
For kids, carries are safe, fun and build strength without complicated technique. You can even turn it into a game — “who can carry the sandbag furthest?”

Conclusion:
If you want a stronger body, better posture and a more powerful core, skip the endless sit-ups and start carrying. Sometimes the simplest moves deliver the biggest results.

Reference List:

Jain, P. and Khanam, S., Efficacy of Heavy Bags With 15% of Body Weight in Teenagers on Cervical and Shoulder Posture Alignment. www. ijmaes. org, jmmodernpublishers. ijmaes. org.

Kabadayı, M., Karadeniz, S., Yılmaz, A.K., Karaduman, E., Bostancı, Ö., Akyildiz, Z., Clemente, F.M. and Silva, A.F., 2022. Effects of core training in physical fitness of youth karate athletes: A controlled study design. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(10), p.5816.

Prieske, O., Muehlbauer, T., Borde, R.A., Gube, M., Bruhn, S., Behm, D.G. and Granacher, U., 2016. Neuromuscular and athletic performance following core strength training in elite youth soccer: Role of instability. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 26(1), pp.48-56.