Why You Should Be Doing Carries Every Week - Not Just When You Feel Like It
TL;DR:
Carries aren’t just accessory work — they’re a game-changer for strength, posture, grip, and longevity. In my Muscle Build and Longevity programs, they’re not optional. They’re essential.
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When most people think about carries — they think of them as a little side dish.
A “toss it in at the end” kind of thing. Maybe you throw in a farmer’s carry once a week because you saw it on Instagram. Maybe your coach said “grab some kettlebells and march around.”
But here’s the truth: carries deserve way more respect than they get.
In my Real World Ready: Muscle Build and Real World Ready: Longevity programs, carries aren’t just an afterthought. They’re baked into almost every workout. Front and center. A core piece of the programming. And not because I like watching people suffer (okay, maybe a little), but because carries are some of the most functional, full-body movements you can do.
Let’s get into why they matter — and why they might just be the missing link in your training.
Carries = Real-World Strength
Let’s take a step back for a second and ask:
You don’t need to overhead press your groceries — just carry all 12 bags in one trip like a hero.
Exactly. Now when’s the last time you carried groceries, your kid, your dog’s 40-pound bag of food, or a Yeti cooler full of beverages across a beach?
Carrying stuff is real-world strength. It’s not flashy. It doesn’t go viral. But it’s one of the most important movement patterns you can train.
Carries Are a Healthspan Superpower
If you’re not familiar with the term healthspan, here’s a quick definition:
Healthspan = the number of years you live free from major disease, pain, or disability.
In other words, how long you live is one thing (lifespan). But how long you can actually do stuff, live independently, and feel good while doing it? That’s healthspan.
And carry strength is one of the best predictors of it.
The more you can carry relative to your bodyweight — and the longer you can do it — the stronger your grip, core, posture, and gait. All of those things are tied to aging well, staying pain-free, and avoiding injury.
Carries Are Insanely Easy to Scale
Don’t overthink it.
You can carry heavy. You can carry light. You can walk. You can march in place. You can hold a dumbbell in one hand. Or two. Or above your head. Or upside down.
Carries are endlessly versatile.
Short on time? 3 sets of 30 seconds and you’re cooked.
Training at home? Grab some heavy grocery bags or fill up a duffle bag.
Dealing with an injury? Choose a carry variation that doesn’t aggravate it.
Want to get stronger? Go heavier, go longer, or add complexity (more on that next).
Bilateral vs Unilateral Carries
Carries come in all shapes and sizes — and they all serve different purposes:
Bilateral (two-handed) carries:
Farmer’s Carry: Dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand, walk tall.
Front Rack Carry: Kettlebells racked at the shoulders. Core lit up.
Overhead Carry: Dumbbells or kettlebells locked out overhead. Great for shoulder stability and posture.
Unilateral (one-handed) carries:
Suitcase Carry: Like holding one heavy grocery bag. Your obliques will be sore tomorrow.
Single Arm Front Rack: Core, posture, and glutes working overtime.
Single Arm Overhead: Core lights up like a Christmas tree.
Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Carry: Bonus points for grip and shoulder stability. Don’t drop it on your foot.
Each variation hits different stabilizers, muscles, and movement patterns — and more importantly, prepares you for real-life challenges.
Carries Hit Everything
Seriously. We’re talking:
Grip strength
Shoulder stability
Core bracing
Hip integrity
Posture
Glutes, hamstrings, calves
Mental toughness (yes, that’s a thing)
It’s hard. It’s simple. It’s grunt work in the best possible way.
And unlike many gym movements that isolate one or two muscles, carries are a global movement. Your entire system needs to work together. That’s how the human body is meant to function.
Real-World Transfer
Carries make you better at:
Hauling groceries from the car to the house in one trip like an absolute legend
Taking your kids (and all their stuff) through an airport
Competing in obstacle course races or rucking events
Moving your friend’s couch because you have “the gym membership”
They’re not theoretical gains. They’re actual, “I can do this in real life” gains.
Why I Program Carries So Often
Most programs sprinkle them in like parsley.
In my programs? They’re the meat and potatoes.
You’ll find carries in Real World Ready: Muscle Build to pack on strength that shows up in and out of the gym.
You’ll find them in Real World Ready: Longevity to build resilience that lasts decades — not just months.
They’re not flashy. But they’re functional. And they work.
Ready to Start Carrying More?
If you’ve been skipping carries or throwing them in randomly, now’s the time to give them the attention they deserve.
Your future self — the one carrying grandkids, hiking mountains, or just staying independent for decades — will thank you.
Want to see how carries fit into a real training program?
💪 Try Real World Ready: Muscle Build or Real World Ready: Longevity FREE for 30 days.
You’ll get full access to weekly workouts, progressions, and — yes — plenty of carries to keep you real-world strong.
