Loaded carry exercise
Suitcase Carry
Build lateral trunk stiffness for one-shouldered contact.
- Equipment
- Dumbbells
- Sides
- One side at a time
- Positions
- All positions
Setup
A single heavy dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand. A clear 20 to 30m.
How to do it
- Walk with the load in one hand while staying perfectly vertical - do not let the loaded hip hike up or drop down, and do not lean away from the weight.
- Walk 20 to 30m, then swap sides.
- Do 3 to 4 sets per side.
- The whole exercise is the resistance to side-bending; if you are leaning, you are not doing it.
Coaching cues
- Stay perfectly vertical
- Don't hike or drop the loaded hip
- The resistance to leaning is the exercise
Common mistakes
- Side-bending towards or away from the load
- Going so heavy that posture is lost immediately
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Load | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 25 to 50% of bodyweight in one hand | 3 to 4 | 20 to 30m per side | 90 sec |
Related exercises
- Farmer's CarryBuild grip, trunk and trap strength with almost no specialist equipment.
- Pallof PressBuild trunk stiffness against rotation, which is how force actually transfers in contact.
- Weighted PlankProgress trunk bracing by adding load rather than adding time.
- Dead BugLearn to brace against extension before you load a hinge.
- Landmine RotationTrain hip-to-torso separation for passing and fending.
- Back SquatBuild maximal bilateral lower-body strength, the foundation of scrum drive and contact.