farmers walk

[Steve Kaspar]

i want to do a few farmers walks per week, and was wondering what a good starting weight should be. i weigh 145#. i looked on the internet, and it shows pretty big guys carrying around some heavy weight, but they only walk a few hundred feet it looks like. is this the way to do this? super heavy weights and a short distance, or is it like the sandbag carry, where you go a mile ? just wanting to try something new.
i plan on using 2 dumbells, maybe 75# each, which is walking with my bodyweight.
not really sure how to go about this exercise.heavier weights, or walking a greater distance.
thanks steve kaspar

[Don Stevenson]

It depends on what you want to get out of it.

Light farmers walk for longer intervals trains grip endurance (particularly with dumbells) and CV endurance while heavier farmers walk over short distances builds grip strength, core strength and power.

Heavy farmers walk is pretty taxing so I wouldn't do it more than 1-2 times a week.

A good goal to start with would be to work up to bodyweight in each hand although you'll need proper farmers walk bars for that as grip would be a big issue on dumbells.

[Dave Van Skike]

i think he grip thing is overratted, i've got candy hands but can farmers holds at 305 in pretty easily,

where farmers will smoke you is upper/lower back and hips. but I suck at farmers so FWIW etc.

I would bet a lot of bang for the buck is medium to heavy walks for distance, BW or thereabouts for someone under 200 is a good start.

[Brandon Oto]

I think these are super functional in their own right, but has anyone seen carryover from farmer's walks to anything else?

[Dave Van Skike]

deadlift lockout.