This Kettlebell Exercise Is Hands Down the Best Way to Reverse Aging and Undo Years of Slouching for Men Over 50, According to a Physical Therapist
Certain exercises look simple on paper and seem even simpler in practice. But once you actually grab the weights and do it yourself, those exact same exercises have a way of humbling you. One of the most notorious is the farmer’s carry, which also happens to be one of the most effective exercises for helping offset the physical effects of aging. And if you’re a sloucher like so many of us in this tech-heavy world, it can benefit you there, too. Farmer's carries are simple, scalable, and incredibly effective because they train the body the way it was built to function: upright, aligned, and under load.
At its core, the farmer’s carry is all about postural strength and endurance. Holding weight at your sides with your chest tall and ribs stacked over your pelvis while walking with control allows you to train multiple systems at once. The postural muscles of the upper back, deep core stabilizers that support the spine, and the hip and trunk control needed for gait and balance are all targeted. It also encourages thoracic extension, helping counteract rounded shoulders and forward head posture.
"Aging and desk-based lifestyles often lead to rounded shoulders, forward head posture, and weakened upper back and core muscles," says Brandon Trachman, PT, DPT, OCS of Physical Therapy Central. "Farmer's carries directly opposes those patterns by reinforcing upright posture under real-world load. Instead of isolating muscles, it integrates them, teaching the body to maintain alignment while moving, which is exactly what daily life demands."
If you’re familiar with the farmer’s carry, you also know just how demanding it is on your grip strength, which is closely linked to longevity and overall health. Research consistently shows grip strength to be a strong predictor of overall health, disability, and mortality in middle-aged and older adults. The only way to improve grip strength is to train it, and few exercises challenge and improve it as effectively as the farmer’s carry.
To implement farmer's carries into your training routine, Trachman suggests starting with moderate weights to ensure you can manage the load with upright posture. Walk for 20 to 40 seconds during your working sets, staying focused on slow, controlled steps and tall posture. Perform the exercise two to three times a week. Progress by increasing walking time first, then up the weights.
How to Do Farmer's Carry
- Grab a pair of kettlebells or dumbbells, standing tall with your chest up and core engaged.
- Walk forward with slow, controlled steps while keeping an upright posture.
- Continue walking for 20 to 40 seconds.
- Perform 2 to 4 sets.
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