FOCUSED STRENGTH WORKOUT: FUNCTIONAL FARMERS WALK ON AN INCLINE

Train view of Illinois farmland, June 29, 2018. Taken by PKSenagore. All rights reserved.

WANT TO START TRAINING WITH WEIGHTS? Consider trying just one exercise, the Incline Farmer’s Walk, from this celebrity workout designed by Gunnar Peterson.  The full workout is highlighted by Brett Williams in his MensHealth.com piece of March 6, 2019.
 
Peterson has the athlete demonstrating the workout use sophisticated gym equipment but suggests carrying dumbbell weights on an incline treadmill rather than this fitness machine. 
Interspersed with taking forward walk steps the Beverly Hills trainer has his subject perform shoulder shrugs that are used to time the exercise:

• Perform 1 shrug every 4 steps
• Walk until 8-10 shrugs have been repeated (32-40 forward steps)
• Repeat 2-3 times

 
It seems reasonable to assume the treadmill incline can also be adjusted down from the 11% used in the demonstration.
 
WHY THIS EXERCISE? According to a Livestrong.com article written by Sara Lindberg and reviewed by Aubrey Bailey, this exercise “targets the muscles in your upper body” and also “strengthens your lower body”. The list includes muscles of the shoulders and upper back, the biceps, triceps, and forearms, as well as the quadriceps, abductor, adductor and posterior chain (gluteals, hamstrings, and calf) muscles.  In my experience it works on hand grip and core strength, and benefits balance too.
 
Beginners may wish to learn more about the specific muscles worked in the Farmer’s Walk and be educated about correct performance by first reading their article.

Injury prevention should always be a concern when attempting new exercises, especially in novices or older/younger individuals. A search of the medical literature did not produce much information on the topic of safe performance of the farmer’s walk. An article discussing methods of strengthening the gluteus medius muscle incorporated this move in an exercise program.

Physical therapist, Richard Haynes, published a blog item discussing recommendations for its use in patients wishing to recover strength after surgery. As with any exercise program, obtaining medical clearance prior to attempting this move is a good idea.

The European Institute of Sports Physiotherapy published an item from Alex Bell Moratto in the Pierre Louis Denaro blog, “Clinical Spotlight”, which recommended the Farmer’s Walk for a variety of strength building purposes.

 
More complicated and difficult variations of this one simple exercise, also called a LOADED CARRY, which involves walking while toting heavy objects like barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, rocks, and logs, etc., are demonstrated in a MensHealth.com article by Lou Schuler.
 

 
[Half gallon or gallon plastic jugs filled with water or sand might work too].
 
Utilizing proper form, this single functional exercise promises strength gains that may encourage additional training.  Give it a try if you’d like an introduction.
 
RUN & MOVE HAPPY!

https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a26678062/gunnar-peterson-celebrity-trainer/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4890828/

https://www.eisphysiotherapy.com/post/2017/10/09/clinical-spotlight-the-farmers-walk#!
 
https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19548559/best-loaded-carries/
 
https://www.livestrong.com/article/533901-the-muscles-used-in-the-farmers-walk-exercise/
 
https://totaljointfitness.com/2018/07/14/functional-exercise-for-the-older-adult-the-farmers-walk/
 
NOTE: A few of the other exercise in Peterson's workout can be easily performed without the equipment demonstrated, by substituting more commonly available items
 
Lateral lunge with chop

• Use a barbell or a pole

 
Interactive plank
Use a Swiss ball or a Bosu instead, move arms to introduce side-to-side movement

• 1 minute, 3 repetitions

 
HIIT cardio any aerobic activity

• 30 seconds ‘on’, 30 seconds ‘off’, for 6-8 minutes