The quick answer: Overhead Carry saves your Grip, yet is much tougher on the Core Stabilizers!
The traditional farm carry has the athlete hold heavy weights (in one/both hands), as they walk as far as they can without setting the weights down. Imagine carrying (2) five gallon buckets of water, from the pond to the horse stalls, to water the horses.
Thus the term “farmers carry.”
All the load that is (farm) carried relies 100% on your grip strength. When your grip fails the weight will fall to the ground. Farm carry’s do wonders for the trapizius muscles as well as the core muscles used to keep the human body erect. But again, this exercise completely hinges on how strong your grip is.
Contrast that with the overhead carry.
https://youtu.be/odRJHjicXhk
The overhead carry relies on you balancing the weight above your head. Your hands act like shelves to hold the weight up, thus saving your grip. However, the overhead exercise comes with a cost. Your shoulders must stay in the press position (locked out) and your leverage is now at a disadvantage because the weight is now high overhead.
Your core will scream as the weight moves back and forward with each step. And your triceps will beg for forgiveness as they burn from lactic acid buildup.
So which exercise is better?
Neither. They are just tools in the toolbox for great core and strength conditioning.
Doug Holland Jr – CPT
