Farmer's Walk
An intermediate compound strongman exercise that works the forearms.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Farmer's Walk
- There are various implements that can be used for the farmers walk. These can also be performed with heavy dumbbells or short bars if these implements aren't available. Begin by standing between the implements.
- After gripping the handles, lift them up by driving through your heels, keeping your back straight and your head up.
- Walk taking short, quick steps, and don't forget to breathe. Move for a given distance, typically 50-100 feet, as fast as possible.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Farmer's Walk
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Rickshaw Carry
An intermediate compound strongman exercise that works the forearms.
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2
Bottoms-Up Clean From The Hang Position
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the forearms, using a kettlebell.
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3
Dumbbell Lying Pronation
An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using dumbbells.
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4
Dumbbell Lying Supination
An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using dumbbells.
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5
Seated One-Arm Dumbbell Palms-Down Wrist Curl
An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using dumbbells.
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6
Plate Pinch
An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the forearms.
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7
Cable Wrist Curl
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using a cable machine.
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8
Finger Curls
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using a barbell.
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9
Palms-Down Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using dumbbells.
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10
Palms-Down Wrist Curl Over A Bench
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the forearms, using a barbell.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do farmer's walk work?
Farmer's Walk primarily works the forearms. The abs, glutes, hamstrings, lower back, quads and traps assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for farmer's walk?
The source dataset does not record equipment for farmer's walk. Check the instructions above before you set up.
Farmer's Walk: is it suitable for beginners?
Farmer's Walk is rated intermediate. Movements that assume you already own the basic pattern and are ready to load it.
What can I do instead of farmer's walk?
Rickshaw Carry, Bottoms-Up Clean From The Hang Position, Dumbbell Lying Pronation train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my farmer's walk reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; farmer's walk can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Farmer's Walk with AI
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