HOW TO

PR O G R A M
LOADED
CA R R I E S
contents
5 What You Need To Know

6 #10 Single Arm Farmer Carry

7 #9 Front Rack Carry

8 #8 Crossbody Carry

9 
#7 Sledpull With Heavy Medball Against
Your Stomach

10 #6 Sledpull Farmer Carry

11 
#5 Heavy Medball Carry Against
The Stomach

12 #4 Front Rack + Overhead Carry

13 #3 Trap Bar Farmer Carry

14 
#2 Double Kettlebell Overhead Carry

15 #1 Wheelbarrow

16 Closing
It’s no mystery that loaded carries have a multitude of uses. The
fact that we are able to effectively check off multiple boxes in
terms of benefits is an added bonus.

We know that loaded carries can help us to develop stability in

all three planes of motion, but we often don’t consider the value
from a conditioning standpoint.

On top of being a foundational movement pattern (local

motion), loaded carries can improve the aerobic abilities of the

fast-twitch fibers, which means high power can be maintained
longer.

Loaded carries work by recruiting high-threshold motor units

and increases the oxidative abilities of these fibers by supplying
them with constant oxygen.

We can use a variety of loaded carries that will fit the bill to
help you develop core stability; from a maximal heart-rate
perspective, performing sets of loaded carries will allow us to
hover right on the anaerobic threshold line.

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 If you don’t believe me grab a set of heavy
kettlebells and walk for 20 seconds. You’ll be pretty
winded, but not in the sense that you’re not able to
repeat this effort for multiple bouts.

It’s also important to note that competitive

CrossFitters are constantly asked to lock weight
out isometrically in a variety of tasks
(handstand walking & overhead loaded carry
variations) – loaded carries are a great means of
improving those tasks.

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here’s what you need to know:
These loaded carries can be used in both strength & conditioning scenarios – the former will be used for shorter
distances with heavier loads and the latter will be used for longer distances with lighter loads.
You can constantly change how these are performed by adding things like a pulling sled to the mix

Longer distance carries should be done on a conditioning day whereas as heavier work can be done as a “finisher”
on a strength-emphasis day
Use your imagination and “gamify” these finishers – 1/2 mile farmer carry for time is an example.include 1-2 warm-
up sets beforehand.

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 #10 single arm
farmer carry
It’s hard to NOT include the single-arm farmer
carry since it offers us the ability to train the
frontal core, quadratus lumborum, and the
aerobic system. Perform sets that last around
20s with the heaviest weight you can handle,
alternating between both sides evenly.

Rest roughly 90s or until your heart rate is

around 130-140. The single-arm carries will get
your heart rate up and also develop frontal
core stability.

Strength Programming
4-6 x 30 yards each side. Rest 90s.

Conditioning Programming
2-3 x 100 meters each side. Rest 90s.

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 Barbell

#9 front rack carry

Grab a barbell or two kettlebells and place them in the front
rack position. Your elbows should be in front, not flared out,
and your ribs should be down/anterior core engaged.

Same guidelines as above; perform sets that last around 20s

with the heaviest weight you can handle. Rest roughly 90s
or until your heart rate is around 130-140.

Programming
4-6 x 60 yards. Rest 90s.

Conditioning Programming
Accumulate 200-400 meters. Rest 60s. Sandbag

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 #8 crossbody
carry
With this variation, you’ll carry two kettlebells;
one heavy and one lighter. You’ll hold one by
your side (heavier kettlebell) and one in the
Front Rack.

You’ll carry an equal distance on each side

using the same guidelines as the 1st two
categories we mentioned.

Programming
4-6 x 100 ft. each Rest 90s.

Conditioning Programming
Accumulate 200-400 meters. Rest 60s.

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#7 sledpull with
heavy medball against
your stomach
For this variation, you’ll attach a light sled to your
weight belt and grab a heavy medball (50#s or more). Make sure
you start light with this one. This variation will likely get your heart
rate up a lot higher than the first two variations, so the training
recommendations are going to differ.

You’ll want to perform 4 sets of 60 yards, resting 2 minutes

between sets or for distances up to 800 meters.

You can alter the

positioning of the
medball as well as
throughout your sets
– against stomach,
high on the chest, or
low on the hips.
Programming
4-6 x 60 yards. Rest 90s.
Conditioning Programming
Accumulate 400 meters. Rest 60s.

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 #6 sledpull
farmer carry
For this variation, you’ll want to use the sled
the same way you did for #4, except this
time you’ll use two light kettlebells. For this
variation, you’re going to go for max distance
in 10 minutes, alternating between overhead
carry, front rack carry, and farmer carry.

You can rest as much as you need to between

intervals in order to repeat your output for
the duration. This can be used as a “fun”
finisher after just about any training session.

Programming
4-6 x 60 yards. Rest 90s.

Conditioning Programming
1 Mile For Time. Rest as needed.

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#5 heavy medball
carry against
the stomach
If you have access to heavy medballs (at least 100 lbs) or
stones this is a great variation to challenge your breathing
ability not to mention is quite demanding on both the
anterior and posterior chain.

Sets of 40-60 yards are that all that’s needed or going for
longer distances with a lighter medball is another option
for those that are looking to improve aerobic function.

Programming
4 x 60 yards. Rest 90s.

Conditioning Programming
3 x 100 meters. Rest 90s.

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 #4 front rack +
overhead carry
I love this variation for CrossFitters that are
looking to improve higher-skill components such
as overhead isometric strength with things like
handstands all while trying to maintain anterior core
integrity – critical to a successful CrossFitter.

Sets of 20-40 yards per side fit the bill. Or for an

added strength-endurance challenge use light
kettlebells, attach a pulling sled to your waist, and
go for 400 meters stopping as few times as possible.

Programming
4 x 30 yards each. Rest 90s.

Conditioning Programming
Accumulate 200-400 meters. Rest as needed.

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#3 trap bar
farmer carry
The trap bar allows us to load the farmer’s
carry to really test our grip capacity.

For programming, 100% of Bodyweight

for distances of 30 yards works well. Rest
intervals should be longer, around 90s – 2:00.

Programming
4 x 30 yards. Rest 2:00

Conditioning Programming
3 x 100 meters. Rest 2:00

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 #2 double kettlebell
overhead carry
A staple for CF Competitors which a huge carryover to

things like overhead walking lunges variations and

handstand walking. This particular variation can be done

in a number of ways (with a barbell or bamboo bar) for an
increased level of difficulty, but I prefer the kettlebells for
simplicity and the unilateral component. Kettlebells also
tend to be more user-friendly for variations like this vs. a
standard set of dumbbells.

For strength work perform 4-5 rounds of 90 ft. Rest 60-

Programming
90s between rounds. For strength-endurance work – 400
4 x 30 yards. Rest 2:00 meters for time.

Conditioning Programming
We also favor using these in a mixed-modality setting
3 x 100 meters. Rest 2:00 regularly similar to what a CF competitor could see in
Extra credit attach a light sled to your waist competition with a variety of moving parts.

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#1 wheelbarrow
There is no doubt in my mind that the wheelbarrow is one of the
most effective conditioning tools known to man!

The biggest downside? Most people don’t have access to one,

but the good news is that there are companies like Titan Fitness
making this at a fair price.

My advice to you is you really take your training serious, invest in

one of these.

Programming:
8-10 x 60 yards, 1 x 400 meters, 1 mile for time at a
AHAP moderate load light load

Programming Conditioning Programming

4 x 60 yards. 4 x 100 meters or 1 mile for time. Rest 2:00
Rest 2:00 Extra credit attach a light sled to
your waist

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 closing
Loaded carries are so effective that you won’t find one program that we offer that

does not include them on the regular.

Adding these loaded carries to your repertoire and you’ll notice the carryover to other
aspects of your performance almost right away, especially if you don’t already perform
loaded carries on the regular.

Loaded carries are in an integral part of any intelligent training plan so make sure
to devote some time to include them in your programming. There is a long list of
variations too so don’t just perform the same variations each week. Get creative and
have fun with it!

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