This is one of those exercises that is exactly what it sounds like — if you’ve ever grabbed your suitcase and power walked to catch a plane, train, or bus, you’ve done the suitcase carry. The good news is practicing the exercise in the gym has loads of benefits, without the stress of nearly missing your departure. Ready to find out more? Grab a kettlebell or one of the best adjustable dumbbells, and give this a go. Plus, find out what happened when I did the suitcase carry exercise every day for a week.
The suitcase carry is a versatile exercise that works your upper body, lower body, and midsection. It’s a compound exercise used in functional training workouts like CrossFit and Hyrox, and it can help you build muscle, improve your grip strength, and develop lower body power. Like a farmer’s walk, where you hold a weight on both sides, the suitcase carry is considered an isometric and isotonic exercise; isometric refers to a static exercise that places your muscles under stress without the muscle lengthening or shortening (in this case, your shoulder and core muscles), whereas isotonic includes dynamic movement like walking. If you’re a beginner, the suitcase carry can help you work on your technique, before your progress to a farmer’s walk.
