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The weighted carry is exactly what it sounds like - carrying heavy things. Usually while walking. Sometimes holding a heavy thing by your side, on your shoulders, or overhead.
It's a pretty fundamental concept: Grab something heavy and go. It's also an extremely effective exercise for building strength and a surprising amount of cardio.
A good carry targets the whole body - including the core muscles. The carry is dynamic, meaning your muscles must adapt to the stress while in motion. It creates strength and stability from the shoulders, to the abs, to the hips, to the calves. Loaded carries are also great for developing grip strength, which is extremely useful to maintain quality of life as we age - and many sports require a strong grip. Weighted carries translate well to most sports, rehabilitation programs, strength programs, and overall "real life."
Weighted carries work well as a standalone exercise, or as a "filler" exercise between sets. As a filler exercise, it can keep the heart rate up shift the work to other muscle groups while you're resting.
For example, try carrying two 80lb dumbbells for 90 seconds between sets of squats. If that's too easy - well then I'm proud of you.
Here are a few of my favorite carry exercises to incorporate into your workout.
Farmer's Walks
Grab a heavy object or two and take a walk. It's pretty simple. Dumbbells or kettlebells work great here, but heavy medicine balls or awkward sandbags can be a good change of pace.
Waiter's Walks
Take a weight and hold it overhead while you walk. I recommend dumbbells or kettlebells for this one. The trick is to push your shoulder into your ear. Make sure the arm stays straight for the entire walk - this will engage the abs more.
Shoulder Carry
Take a dumbbell, kettlebell, or heavy barbell - hoist it onto your shoulder, and walk. Not as intense as the overhead waiter's walks, but you may be able to use more weight. Heavy weights above your center of gravity does wonders for your abs. Make sure not to twist or contort your torso.
Turkish Get-Up
While technically not a "carry" like the other exercises on this list, you're holding a heavy weight overhead while moving your body - so it's basically the same thing. A great option if you're limited on space or heavy things. Here's my guide on how to master the get-up.
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