You won’t see many people doing the farmer’s walk at your local gym, but that shouldn’t stop you from giving it a try.
The exercise is simple: basically, it just involves you picking up a relatively heavy weight and walking. It’s one of the finest total-body moves out there: it works out your core and improves your posture, all while testing your grip and leaving your legs burning. Do it for long enough, and it’ll test yourheavy lunge cardio too.
Need help integrating it into your workout? Try this 6-part session, which finishes with a challenging farmer’s walk benchmark.
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MOBILITY
Perform 2 rounds of the circuit below for lower-body mobility. Rest 10 to 15 seconds between each move and 30 seconds between rounds. Still not loose? Do a third round.
Reverse Lunge with Reachback
Stand tall, arms at your sides. Lunge back with your right leg and lower your body until your left knee is bent 90 degrees. As you do, swing both arms overhead and to the left. Return to the starting position. Repeat with your left leg, swinging your arms to the right. That’s 1 rep; do 12 to 15.
Inchworm to Runner’s Stretch
Bend at the waist and touch the floor; then walk your hands to a pushup position. Step your right foot forward, outside your right hand. Lift your right hand and reach up, arm straight. Return to the pushup position and reverse the move. Repeat on the left side. That’s 1 rep; do 10 to 12.
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STRENGTH
Do the circuit below, rest 60 to 90 seconds, and then do another circuit. Choose dumbbells that are heavy enough to make the last few reps of each set a challenge.
Dumbbell Clean to Shoulder Press
Set two dumbbells on the floor just beyond shoulder-width apart; squat and grab them. Explosively pull the dumbbells off the floor to your shoulders and squat beneath them. Stand, and then press the weights up above your head. That’s 1 rep; do 10 to 12.
Renegade Row to Plank Dumbbell Raise
Assume a pushup position, hands on dumbbells. Pull the right dumbbell to your right hip, lower it, and repeat with the left. Now lift the right dumbbell, rotating your hips to the right until you’re in a side plank, your right arm straight up. Repeat on the left side. That’s 1 rep; do 10 to 12.
THE BENCHMARK
With your strength rounds done, rest 90 seconds and begin this test. Your final score is the minutes of your farmer’s walk plus your pushup tally. Check it against the scorecard below.
Farmer’s Walk
Grasping a pair of 50-pound dumbbells, let your arms hang naturally by your sides. Keep your shoulders back as you walk back and forth until you can no longer hold the dumbbells. See how many minutes you last; round up if you pass 30 seconds. Aim for at least 1:30.
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Pushup
Immediately after completing your farmer’s walk, set the two dumbbells on the floor slightly beyond shoulder-width apart. Grasp them and perform as many pushups as you can. Stop when you’re no longer able to maintain good form.
HOW MUCH CAN YOUR BODY TAKE?
- 22 or less: A fine start
- 23-30: Damn good
- 31 or more: That’s MH fit!
This article originally appeared on Men’s Health
