Loaded Carry Exercises are a set of exercises in which weight is added to your body after which you start walking. The loads can be held in either of your hands or in both of your hands and even wear them on your shoulders or as a pack, including choosing to wear them in any combination.
Loaded Carry Exercises work on strengthening your core muscles, apart from helping improve your grip strength and upper back portion of your body. Moreover, you can also expect a remarkable improvement in the heart rate of individuals by doing these exercises.
Some of the loaded carry exercises that help you to work your entire body are mentioned below:-
1. Waiter’s Walk:
Waiter’s Walk is an exercise that is performed by holding a weight above your head and start walking. This exercise focuses on your shoulder muscles and may also be ideal for helping you build your shoulder strength and stability. While doing this movement, you must ensure to keep your wrist straight as much as you can, since there are chances that the wrist can be injured if it is bent backwards.
Equipment Required:
• Dumbbell or Kettlebell
How to do this exercise?
• Get into a standing position and begin the exercise by lifting a dumbbell or a kettlebell over your head with the help of one of your arms that should be fully stretched on top.
• Now, start by walking for a prescribed time period and covering a specific distance by bracing through your core and by keeping a neutral spine.
• You have completed one rep.
• You can do the prescribed reps on one side and subsequently move on to complete the reps for the other side. Now, one set would be complete.
You must always ensure that you are using a dumbbell that is not so heavy and which can also be controlled by you over your head.
2. Kettlebell Duck Walk:
Kettlebell Duck Walk is one of the loaded carry exercises that is done by walking and keeping yourself in a squatting position. By doing this exercise, you would be able to improve your body flexibility. You would be able to firm up your thighs and buttocks better by doing this exercise.
Equipment Required:
• Kettlebells
How to do this exercise?
• Get on to a standing position. Now, hold 2 kettlebells by assuming the rack position.
• Keep your feet wider than shoulder width distance. Your toes must be kept pointed in a 45 degree angle.
• The bell must be carried right above your shoulder’s height while you are squatting down, till the calves are making contact with the thighs.
• Start walking in the same way as that of a duck by doing the movements for at least a minute.
• You can do about 3 sets of 30 feet.
Note: Make sure not to rush ahead while walking and do the movement calmly till you complete the exercise.
3. Suitcase Carry:
Suitcase Carry can be a very effective exercise for individuals and is a part of the loaded carry set of moves, in which a kettlebell is lifted and you walk around with it. By holding the kettlebell by your side, you start walking. While doing the walk, you should engage your core as you would do if you were carrying a suitcase. This exercise helps in raising your heart rate as it targets your calves, glutes, quadriceps, shoulders and a few more.
Equipment Required:
• Kettlebells
How to do this exercise?
• Pick up a kettlebell in your hand. You can decide on choosing a weight that you consider hefty enough to generate resistance while holding the same, but at the same time light enough so that your posture remains upright at the time of walking.
• Get on to a standing position by keeping your feet at shoulder width apart and your arms by your sides.
• Start moving by engaging your core muscles and pull your shoulder blades down and behind to make sure that your posture is upright.
• Start moving a step forward and begin the walk, while at the same time carrying the kettlebell in your hand. Your abdominal muscles and more particularly the obliques must be kept contracted at all times.
• Try taking small steps slowly, so that the focus will be on keeping your core tight as well as your posture aligned and upright instead of keeping on forward momentum.
• The handles of the kettlebell must be gripped tight, so that it will help increase the tightness in your core, while at the same time strengthening your grip.
• This movement can be continued for a specific time period and subsequently you can place the weight down.
• Similarly, start doing with your other hand by picking up the kettlebell again.
You can do this exercise for three days in a week.
4. Farmer’s Walk:
Farmer’s Walk is one of the exercises that work your various muscle groups and also help in building endurance. By doing this exercise, you will be able to build not only your stamina as you carry weight, but also would be able to improve the strength of your arms, core, shoulders, legs and even the back of your body. There would definitely be some good burning out happening within a few seconds as you continue the walk, as you would be waiting to put the weight down. However, continue to go ahead without stopping and you will be able to notice the difference.
This exercise can help strengthen your body as a whole, when you are busy performing other exercises.
Equipment Required:
• A pair of dumbbells or kettlebells
How to do this exercise?
• Grab dumbbells or kettlebells in both of your hands and stand up straight. Keep your chest out and your back straight.
• Start squatting in order to grab on to your weights with a neutral and palm-in grip.
• Keep your core braced and your chest up and get on to a standing position.
• Move forward by keeping your torso upright. Your abs must be engaged so that the weight would not be dumped into your lower back.
• Once you are finished, start squatting to place the weight back on to the floor.
You can do at least 3 sets by spending about 30 seconds for each set.
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Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a health advice. We would ask you to consult a qualified professional or medical expert to gain additional knowledge before you choose to consume any product or perform any exercise.
