Dave Draper’s Musclebuilding Q&A

The reason for this e-mail is to ask you to give me a little help with one of your exercises, the Farmer’s Walk. I cannot find this anywhere in my small library on fitness and training. I guess just walking holding heavy dumbbells is good, but are there any thoughts you could give me before I try it out, please?

It’s a quick-learn. Go to a pair of 50-pounders (more or less as you estimate) and scope out at reasonably clear path to walk the dumbbells considering where you stand as the starting block. I choose a path that follows a wide oval around the equipment and returns to the starting point — approximately 100 feet. You might need to shift a few movable benches and inform nearby trainees of your intentions to ease the way.

Grasping the dumbbells fully is the most important bit of advice, dry hands or with chalk. The grip goes first, then traps and shoulders, then legs and wind. Be precise in the start, focus on the whole event and go till you are a moment from dropping the DBs or have completed the circuit. Your mental resilience is tested and gives out before the muscles do. Push it.

Three to five sets are good. Depending on you and your performance, go up in five-pound increments each successive set.

You can analyze the effects and determine the worth of the farmer walks. I do them once a week at the end of my workout on any day but shoulder, back and chest days.

I like them.

Go… DD