I’m doing Farmers Carries all the time and my upper body feels stiff. Fortunately, they don’t hurt my hip (see last blog post) and they definitely provide me the opportunity to strengthen my grip, arms, upper back, shoulders and core. Unfortunately, my upper body feels super tight afterwards.

I find that I can lock my shoulders in an excellent position during the exercise but as soon as I put the weight down I return to carrying myself with poor posture. There’s no question they are making me aware that no matter how much I exercise, I have to mind how I carry myself the rest of the time. Now I find myself checking my posture constantly.

The problem with this, is that I’m a trainer and even I have a hard time figuring out which muscles to activate in order to maintain the proper posture. The average person has no chance if they do not educate themselves or see a professional on a regular basis. Failing to do so means joint pain and frequent visits to your neighborhood chiropractor, massage clinic, etc. Not that these things are bad but why not address the source of the problem (posture) instead of the symptoms (pain).

The irony is that Farmers Carries, when loaded appropriately, are one of the best ways to learn proper posture. The neutral grip allows for external rotation of the arms so that the shoulder blades can slide into proper positioning. A brisk walk under load is enough to stimulate your core which helps you stay upright. Lastly, most of this exercise is performed on one foot which makes it easier to maintain a neutral spine.

I find it’s easier to teach someone proper positioning by first showing them how to pack their shoulder. To find the optimal shoulder position to generate maximum tension, stand in front of a squat rack or pole. Gauge proper standing distance by grabbing the pole with a straight elbow and moving your shoulder from protraction to retraction. Your heels should be directly beneath your shoulders while your shoulder is in retraction. In the video I’m using a water bottle. Your scapula should be “glued” to your ribcage, not sticking out.

Now that you are in the proper position, repeat the steps for Pavel’s Hardstyle Breathing Technique (follow the link to above) only this time, you are going to engage the muscles surrounding your shoulder blade simultaneously. Keep your arm stiff with the inside of your elbow turned out towards the sky. Now, retract and depress your shoulder forcefully while squeezing the bar and hissing as hard as possible.

Once you have figured out the packed shoulder position it’s easier to learn how to set your upper body during the Farmers Carry. Here’s what it should look like.

Be sure to take the lessons you learn while doing Farmers Carries and apply them to your daily living. You may feel tight the next day, just remember that this exercise will make you more aware of your bad habits so simply address your posture throughout the day and not just while training. Also remember that the load you use has an effect on how you perform the exercise, so play it conservative for the first couple months while you figure it out.