Farmers Carry Test With Half Your Bodyweight In Each Hand (60 Seconds Is Longer Than You Think)
Dan's Protocol
1,511 views
Farmers carry test: half your bodyweight in each hand, 60 seconds, one take. I'm 165 lbs, so that's around 80 lbs per hand, and I found out on camera whether I could hold it.
Your bench, your deadlift, your leg press all measure one thing each, and all of them are supported. A loaded carry isn't. Your grip holds the entire load while your core, traps, and legs fight to keep everything stacked. It's the test that shows whether the strength you built actually holds together.
The 60-second standard comes from Peter Attia's work...half bodyweight per hand for a minute is the entry bar, two minutes is the next tier, and double bodyweight for 30 seconds is exceptional. Roughly 75% of bodyweight for women. It's a rule of thumb, not a peer-reviewed cutoff, but it's the only version of this test anyone has put a real number on.
TEST YOURSELF: bodyweight ÷ 2 = each hand. Round to what you own. Pick them up, start the clock, and WALK — 20 feet out, 20 feet back. Standing still is a different, easier exercise. Post your bodyweight, your load, and your time in the comments. I want to see the spread.
Under 20 seconds — grip is your limiter, and it's the fastest thing here to fix
20-45 — normal if you lift but have never carried heavy
45-60 — the gap is technique and pain tolerance more than strength
Past 60 — you're at the standard, add weight or add time
Past 90 — find heavier dumbbells
The 30-day protocol I'm running is in the video. Retest in 30 days, same
conditions, cold, no warmup. I'll put the number up whether it moved or not.
SAFETY: if your hands open, drop the weight — don't try to catch it. Clear the floor before you start. If your inner elbow starts talking to you, back off.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Farmers carry
1:28 Gym vs. loaded carry
3:30 Farmers carry weight & time
6:45 3 challenges to farmers carry
8:20 How often to farmers carry
Grip strength and mortality association (PURE study, 139,691 participants across 17 countries): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25982...
Not medical advice. I'm testing this on myself, not prescribing it.
Bench press - exercise demonstration video by FitnessScape - CC-BY - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Dumb Bell 10 by SAgbley - CC-BY-SA - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
How To Properly Dumbbell Shoulder Press by Colossus Fitness - CC-BY - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Kettlebell Farmer Walks by Taco fleur - CC-BY-SA - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Attributions: Kettlebell Farmer Walks by Taco fleur - CC-BY-SA - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
3 Comments
Farmers Carry Test With Half Your Bodyweight In Each Hand (60 Seconds Is Longer Than You Think)
Dan's Protocol
1,511 views
Farmers carry test: half your bodyweight in each hand, 60 seconds, one take. I'm 165 lbs, so that's around 80 lbs per hand, and I found out on camera whether I could hold it.
Your bench, your deadlift, your leg press all measure one thing each, and all of them are supported. A loaded carry isn't. Your grip holds the entire load while your core, traps, and legs fight to keep everything stacked. It's the test that shows whether the strength you built actually holds together.
The 60-second standard comes from Peter Attia's work...half bodyweight per hand for a minute is the entry bar, two minutes is the next tier, and double bodyweight for 30 seconds is exceptional. Roughly 75% of bodyweight for women. It's a rule of thumb, not a peer-reviewed cutoff, but it's the only version of this test anyone has put a real number on.
TEST YOURSELF: bodyweight ÷ 2 = each hand. Round to what you own. Pick them up, start the clock, and WALK — 20 feet out, 20 feet back. Standing still is a different, easier exercise. Post your bodyweight, your load, and your time in the comments. I want to see the spread.
Under 20 seconds — grip is your limiter, and it's the fastest thing here to fix
20-45 — normal if you lift but have never carried heavy
45-60 — the gap is technique and pain tolerance more than strength
Past 60 — you're at the standard, add weight or add time
Past 90 — find heavier dumbbells
The 30-day protocol I'm running is in the video. Retest in 30 days, same
conditions, cold, no warmup. I'll put the number up whether it moved or not.
SAFETY: if your hands open, drop the weight — don't try to catch it. Clear the floor before you start. If your inner elbow starts talking to you, back off.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Farmers carry
1:28 Gym vs. loaded carry
3:30 Farmers carry weight & time
6:45 3 challenges to farmers carry
8:20 How often to farmers carry
Grip strength and mortality association (PURE study, 139,691 participants across 17 countries): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25982...
Not medical advice. I'm testing this on myself, not prescribing it.
Bench press - exercise demonstration video by FitnessScape - CC-BY - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Dumb Bell 10 by SAgbley - CC-BY-SA - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
How To Properly Dumbbell Shoulder Press by Colossus Fitness - CC-BY - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Kettlebell Farmer Walks by Taco fleur - CC-BY-SA - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Attributions: Kettlebell Farmer Walks by Taco fleur - CC-BY-SA - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Post your result: bodyweight, load per hand, time.
Mine: 165 lbs, 80 per hand, just over a minute, but sloppy! This was my very first heavy carry in years.
Bodyweight ÷ 2 = each hand. And WALK.