The Power of Heavy Carries: Grip, Core, and Conditioning with Doug Larson, Travis Mash & Dr. Mike Lane #836
Barbell Shrugged
Doug Larson
4.7 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 18 February 2026
⏱️ 58 minutes
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Summary
In this episode, Doug Larson sits down with Dr. Mike Lane and Coach Travis Mash to break down one of the most effective tools in strength and conditioning: heavy carries. From farmer's walks and yoke carries to unilateral overhead and bottoms-up kettlebell variations, they explore why these simple movements deliver massive returns. The group discusses programming strategies, including time and load progressions, limiting overhead carries for sport specificity, and using tools like the trap bar for heavy work. They also explain how carries are self-instructive for bracing, build spinal and scapular stability, and develop grip strength that transfers directly to sport and daily life.
The conversation expands into conditioning, youth training, and coaching philosophy. They unpack rucking versus running for sustainable cardio, strongman medleys for high-intensity conditioning, and how suitcase carries target often-neglected stabilizers like the quadratus lumborum and glute medius. The episode also tackles the controversial topic of thoracic flexion under load and the broader risk-versus-reward discussion in high-performance training. Ultimately, the message is clear: heavy carries are simple, scalable, and effective.
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| 0:00.0 | Shrug family. Doug Watson here and today on Barbell Strug we break down one of the simplest and most effective tools in all strength and heavy carries |
| 0:07.6 | We dive into why heavy carries build real world core and grip strength hip and pelvic stability as well as an aerobic conditioning better than almost anything else |
| 0:15.2 | We cover heavy farmers walks suitcase carries overhead variations programming progressions |
| 0:19.8 | Therastic flexion and spinal |
| 0:21.8 | safety, youth training, and strong man medleys. |
| 0:24.3 | So if you want to get brutally strong with minimal complexity, this episode is for you. |
| 0:28.2 | Enjoy the show. |
| 0:30.5 | Welcome to Barbell Strug. |
| 0:31.6 | I'm Doug Larson here with Dr. Mike Lane and coach Travis Mash. |
| 0:35.2 | Today we're talking about heavy carries, which I've been doing a lot of lately for many reasons for myself and also been training with my boys more and more over the last few months. And I feel like heavy carries are such an easy thing for kids to do that just pick up some heavy kettlebells and walk around. So I've been thinking about those a lot more lately. But I want to get your guys's take on kind of all the pros and cons of heavy carries, all different variations, benefits for different populations, et cetera. |
| 1:00.3 | I'm going to kick it to you, Dr. Mike Lane first, since you have a bit of strong man experience. |
| 1:04.6 | What's your, what's your background with heavy carries? |
| 1:07.5 | So aside from my prolific emotional baggage, definitely a solid amount built in over the years of both, should we say, punishment of having to do piggyback rides, farmers, sorry, firemen's carries and things along those lines. And then, of course, yes, competing in Strongman, which is usually like Yoke farmers. |
| 1:28.7 | And I was never fast in the sport, but I was pretty strong. |
| 1:34.3 | So I could carry heavy loads, decent distances, but it was definitely never that first step quickness. |
| 1:39.8 | So that was kind of, yes, I will, the first time I ever did true farmer's handles, I believe they were called grenade handles, but we also called them devil's handles because within a 50 foot run with 225 per hand, I was bleeding from four spots between my two hands because of the angry neural, yes, on Matt Reynolds Reynolds um yeah on his farmer's handles and |
| 2:04.7 | that was definitely a moment of being humbled in a variety of ways and I have |
| 2:10.9 | since you know still incorporate loaded carries just I'm not willing to bleed for |
| 2:14.8 | it get the same amount of enthusiasm as I once did. |
| 2:18.6 | Right. |
| 2:18.8 | Do that? |
| 2:19.6 | Yeah, what about you, Mash? |
... |
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