Farmer’s Walk Strength Standards Calculator

This page explains the farmer’s walk strength standards used in this calculator, how to interpret your result, and how to track your carry strength over time.

What Is the Farmer’s Walk?

The farmer’s walk (also called a farmer’s carry) is one of the simplest and most honest ways to test strength: pick up heavy weights in each hand and hold or walk with them.

No speed requirements. No conditioning games. No tricks.

This calculator uses a fixed 30-second farmer’s walk strength standard to show where your carry strength stands.

If you can’t keep the weights in your hands with good posture, the attempt doesn’t count.

That’s why the farmer’s walk has been used for decades by strength coaches, strongman athletes, and military programs. It shows how much weight you can actually support with your whole body working together.

This isn’t about how fast you walk or how far you go. It’s about whether you can hold onto heavy weight without your posture falling apart.

What the Farmer’s Walk Tests

A heavy farmer’s walk exposes things other exercises hide.

• how strong your grip really is when it’s stressed
• whether your torso can stay upright under heavy weight
• how well your hips and upper back work together
• whether your strength holds up when nothing is braced for you

If your hands open up or your posture starts to collapse, the attempt doesn’t meet the standard.

That’s why lifters who feel strong on barbell lifts are often surprised by this test. The farmer’s walk doesn’t let weak links hide.

How the Farmer’s Walk Is Used in This Calculator

This calculator looks at one specific, repeatable test:

How much weight you can carry in each hand for 30 seconds.

The time is fixed on purpose. That keeps the test honest and makes results comparable.

The only thing that changes is the weight in your hands.

That number is compared to your bodyweight so the result actually means something. Carrying 150 lb per hand is very different if you weigh 150 lb than if you weigh 250 lb.

Why This Test Matters

If you care about real strength, the farmer’s walk tells you things no single barbell lift can.

• Can you support heavy weight without help from a rack or bench?
• Does your strength hold up when your grip is challenged?
• Can your body stay tight when nothing is locked in place?

That’s why this calculator treats the farmer’s walk as what it is: a strength standard, not a conditioning challenge.

If you want to know where your carry strength actually stands, this is one of the cleanest ways to measure it.

Why the Farmer’s Walk Matters for Strength

The farmer’s walk matters because it shows what your strength looks like when nothing is helping you.

No bench.

No rack.

No bar locked into position.

Just you, the weight in your hands, and whether your body can stay solid under it.

That’s exactly what this fixed 30-second farmer’s walk strength standard is designed to show.

Grip Strength Under Heavy Weight

Most lifters think their grip is fine until they test it this way.

Holding heavy weight in each hand for time is different from pulling a bar for a few reps. There’s no reset and no place to hide. If your hands can’t hold on, the attempt doesn’t meet the standard.

This is why the farmer’s walk often exposes grip issues early, even in lifters who are strong on barbell exercises. Your hands have to support the entire effort from start to finish.

Trunk and Postural Stability

A good farmer’s walk looks boring.

You stand tall.

Your shoulders stay set.

Your torso doesn’t tip or twist.

As the weight gets heavier, that becomes harder to maintain. Any weakness in your trunk shows up fast, usually as a slow loss of posture rather than a sudden failure.

The farmer’s walk doesn’t reward leaning, bracing against equipment, or shifting the weight to one side. You either stay upright under the weight or you don’t.

Strength That Carries Over Outside the Gym

This test looks a lot like real work.

Carrying heavy, awkward weight while staying balanced is something most people run into sooner or later. When your carry strength improves, everyday tasks feel easier and more controlled instead of rushed or sloppy.

That carryover is a big reason coaches trust this test when they want to see how well strength holds up outside of fixed positions.

Why Loaded Carries Are Used in Strength Training

Loaded carries show up in serious strength programs because they answer a simple question:

Can this lifter support heavy weight with good posture and control?

They don’t rely on speed, conditioning, or technique shortcuts. They test grip, posture, and total-body strength at the same time without turning into a conditioning challenge.

That’s why the farmer’s walk works so well as a strength standard, not just an exercise you throw in at the end of a workout.

How This Farmer’s Walk Calculator Works

This calculator is built around one clear question:

How much weight can you carry in each hand for 30 seconds without your posture falling apart?

Everything in the calculator is designed to answer that question cleanly and consistently.

The 30-Second Test Condition

The farmer’s walk in this calculator uses a fixed 30-second test.

The time is not adjustable, and that’s intentional.

Fixing the time keeps the test consistent. Everyone is measured under the same condition, so the only thing that changes is how much weight they can support.

That’s what allows this to function as a strength standard instead of a conditioning challenge.

Weight Is Measured Per Hand

The calculator looks at the weight in each hand, not the combined total.

Carrying 100 lb in each hand is very different from carrying 200 lb in one hand. Measuring per hand keeps the test honest and avoids inflated numbers that don’t reflect actual carry strength.

When you enter your result, use the weight held in one hand.

Why Bodyweight Is Part of the Calculation

Big numbers don’t always mean strong carries.

Holding 150 lb per hand means something very different for someone who weighs 150 lb than for someone who weighs 250 lb. That’s why this calculator compares the weight you carried to your bodyweight.

This gives you a clearer picture of where your carry strength stands instead of relying on raw weight alone.

Why the Time Is Fixed

Letting the time change would turn this into a different test.

Longer carries start to reward endurance. Shorter carries don’t show whether your strength actually holds up. Fixing the test at 30 seconds keeps the focus on supporting heavy weight with good posture.

When you retest, the calculator compares the weight you carried under the same fixed 30-second condition so progress is measured fairly.

What If You Can’t Finish 30 Seconds?

If you can’t hold the weight for the full 30 seconds, that attempt doesn’t meet the standard.

That doesn’t mean anything is wrong. It just means the weight is above what you can currently support under this test.

The fix is simple:

• lower the weight
• retest
• use that result as your baseline

As your strength improves, the amount of weight you can hold for the full 30 seconds will change. That’s the number this calculator is built to track.

Farmer’s Walk Strength Standards Explained

This section lays out the actual standards used by this calculator and how to read them correctly.

The goal isn’t to impress you with big numbers. It’s to show where your carry strength stands under the same test conditions everyone else is using.

Strength Tiers by Bodyweight

(Per Hand, 30 Seconds)

These numbers are based on weight in each hand, held for the full 30 seconds.

If you weigh 200 lb:

• 100 lb per hand puts you around Intermediate
• 150 lb per hand puts you around Advanced
• 200 lb per hand puts you at Elite

Why Bodyweight Is Used

Looking at raw weight alone doesn’t tell the full story.

Carrying 150 lb per hand means something very different if you weigh 150 lb than if you weigh 250 lb. Using bodyweight keeps the standard fair and makes comparisons meaningful across different lifters.

This is why the calculator doesn’t just say “you carried X pounds.” It shows how that weight compares to what your body has to support.

Why These Standards Are Based on Weight, Not Distance

Distance-based carries turn into a different test.

Once distance becomes the goal, pace, stride length, and conditioning start to matter more than strength. That makes comparisons messy and easy to game.

By fixing the time and judging the weight instead, this test stays focused on one thing:

How much weight you can support without your posture falling apart.

That’s what carry strength actually is.

Where These Standards Come From

These tiers reflect what shows up consistently in real training environments, especially in strongman carry events, grip-focused strength training, and long-term coaching practice where loaded carries are used to judge real-world strength.

They weren’t pulled from a spreadsheet or adjusted to make anyone feel better. They line up with what experienced coaches see when lifters test heavy carries side by side.

When coaches talk about “bodyweight per hand for 30 seconds,” they’re describing a level of strength that stands out immediately in the gym.

That’s why these standards work. They match what shows up under the weights, not just on paper.

Example: How Strong Is a 200 lb Person?

Using a real example makes these standards easier to understand.

Let’s look at what the farmer’s walk numbers mean for someone who weighs 200 lb, using the same fixed 30-second test this calculator is built around.

You can use this calculator to see how your own carry strength compares using the same standard.

Carrying 100 lb Per Hand

If a 200 lb lifter carries 100 lb in each hand for 30 seconds, that’s half their bodyweight per hand.

That result falls into the Intermediate tier.

This shows solid general strength. Most recreational lifters who train consistently can reach this level, but it’s not something untrained people usually handle well.

Carrying 150 lb Per Hand

If that same lifter carries 150 lb in each hand for 30 seconds, that’s three-quarters of their bodyweight per hand.

That places them in the Advanced tier.

At this level, carry strength stands out immediately in the gym. Grip, posture, and upper-back strength all have to be in place for the weight to stay under control.

Carrying 200 lb Per Hand

If a 200 lb lifter carries 200 lb in each hand for the full 30 seconds, that’s bodyweight per hand.

That’s an Elite result.

Very few lifters ever reach this level, even among people who train seriously. When someone hits this, it’s obvious they can support heavy weight without their posture breaking down.

Why Bodyweight Context Matters

Looking at raw numbers without context can be misleading.

Carrying 150 lb per hand might sound impressive, but it means something very different for a 150 lb lifter than it does for a 250 lb lifter. The same number can represent a completely different level of strength.

That’s why this calculator uses bodyweight to frame the result. It keeps the comparison fair and makes the tiers meaningful instead of just showing big numbers.

Age & Gender Context (Interpretation, Not Adjustment)

Strength standards don’t change just because someone is older or because they’re male or female.

What does change is how common a result is and how it should be interpreted.

This calculator keeps the standard fixed so your result stays comparable over time.

Why the Standards Don’t Change

The test stays the same for everyone:

• the time is fixed
• the weight is measured per hand
• the result is compared to bodyweight

Lowering the standard based on age or sex would turn this into a moving target. It would make results harder to compare and easier to explain away.

A 30-second farmer’s walk with a given weight either holds together or it doesn’t. That part doesn’t change.

How Age Affects Interpretation

As people get older, grip strength and recovery tend to change. That’s normal.

What matters here is context, not adjustment.

If a 50-year-old hits the same carry strength as a 25-year-old, that result usually stands out more, not less. The standard didn’t change—the meaning of the result did.

That’s why this calculator keeps the test the same and lets you interpret the outcome honestly.

How Gender Affects Interpretation

Men and women tend to show different grip strength patterns across the population.

That doesn’t mean the standard should be lowered or raised. It means the rarity of a given result changes.

When a woman hits a carry strength that’s uncommon among men, that result deserves more credit, not a different scale.

The calculator reflects this by keeping the standard fixed and letting interpretation do the work.

Grip Strength as Context (Not a Standard)

These are general population trends, not targets or requirements.

Grip strength often limits how heavy a farmer’s walk can be.

The table below gives rough context for how grip strength trends change with age and sex. This does not change your score or adjust the standard. It simply helps explain why results may stand out differently across groups.

This is why two people can test under the same standard and still have very different takeaways.

Why Bodyweight Keeps the Test Fair

Using bodyweight keeps the comparison grounded.

It avoids favoring heavier lifters by default and avoids penalizing lighter lifters for having smaller frames. Everyone is measured against what their body has to support.

That’s why carry strength can be compared across age and sex without changing the rules.

How to Use This Section Correctly

Use this section to understand what your result means, not to explain it away.

If your carry strength is high, it’s high. If it’s average, it’s average. If it stands out for your age or sex, that’s worth recognizing.

The standard stays fixed so the interpretation stays honest.

Differences by Implement

Not all farmer’s walks feel the same, even when the weight is identical.

The implement you use changes how hard the carry feels and what usually gives out first. Grip, balance, and posture all respond differently depending on what’s in your hands.

This matters when you interpret your result.

Dumbbells

Dumbbells are the most common way people test farmer’s walks, and they make a solid baseline.

The handles are smaller and fixed, which usually makes the carry more grip-limited. For many lifters, their hands start to open up before their upper back or hips are truly challenged.

Dumbbells also tend to swing and bump into the legs if you’re not careful. That extra movement makes it harder to stay tight as the weight gets heavier.

Because of this, most lifters carry less weight per hand with dumbbells than with other implements.

• expect slightly lower numbers
• keep your posture steady
• compare results only to other dumbbell carries

Used this way, dumbbells provide an honest reference point for carry strength.

Farmer’s Walk Bars (Thick Handles)

Farmer’s walk bars are often considered the strictest way to test carries.

The thicker handles place a much higher demand on your grip, even when the weight is the same. There’s less room to cheat the hold, and once your hands start to slip, the carry ends quickly.

At the same time, the load path is more stable. The weight doesn’t swing or bump your legs the way dumbbells do, so posture becomes easier to maintain.

• grip usually fails first
• numbers may be similar to or slightly higher than dumbbells
• the carry still feels brutally honest

When people talk about “real” farmer’s walk strength, this is often what they’re referring to.

Kettlebells

Kettlebells change the carry in a different way.

The offset shape pulls slightly away from the body, which challenges the shoulder and trunk more than straight-hanging weights. Even at lighter numbers, kettlebell carries can feel awkward and demanding.

Most lifters carry less weight per hand with kettlebells than with farmer’s bars or a trap bar. The difficulty comes from balance and control, not just grip.

Kettlebells are useful for training and assessment, but the numbers don’t always line up cleanly with other implements.

Trap Bar Carries

Trap bars are the most forgiving way to carry heavy weight.

The handles are easy to grip, the weight stays centered, and there’s very little swing. Because everything feels stable, many lifters can carry more weight per hand with a trap bar than with any other option.

That doesn’t make trap bar carries bad. It just means the numbers can look better than they would with stricter implements.

If you compare a trap bar carry to a dumbbell or farmer’s bar carry, you’re not comparing the same test.

How to Use This Calculator With Different Implements

This calculator assumes standard handles and straightforward carries.

• test with the same implement each time
• avoid comparing numbers across different setups
• focus on weight per hand under the same conditions

If you change the implement, treat that as a different test. The standard stays the same, but how the carry feels — and what gives out first — can change a lot.

Use the calculator to track progress with the same equipment each time.

What the Snapshot Compares

The snapshot compares weight per hand.

That’s it.

Because the time is fixed at 30 seconds, the only meaningful change from one test to the next is how much weight you can support without your posture falling apart.

When you retest, the calculator looks at:

• the last weight you carried per hand
• the current weight you carried per hand
• the difference between the two

That keeps progress easy to understand and hard to misread.

Why the Fixed 30-Second Test Matters Here

Snapshots only work if the test stays the same.

If the time changed from one test to the next, you wouldn’t be comparing strength anymore. You’d be comparing different challenges.

By keeping the test fixed at 30 seconds, the snapshot can show real changes instead of noise. Heavier weight means stronger support. Lighter weight means something didn’t hold together that day.

That consistency is what makes the snapshot useful.

Why Regressions Can Happen

Not every snapshot will go up.

Carry strength can change day to day based on:

• how recovered you are
• how fresh your grip feels
• whether your posture holds together as well as usual

A small drop doesn’t mean you’re losing strength. It usually means that day wasn’t your best test day.

The snapshot is there to show patterns over time, not to judge any single result.

Keep Test Conditions the Same

For snapshot tracking to mean anything, the setup has to stay consistent.

That means:

• use the same implement
• use the same handle type
• test under similar conditions

If you change the setup, treat that as a new baseline. The standard stays the same, but how the carry feels can change a lot depending on the equipment.

Used this way, the snapshot becomes a simple tool for seeing whether your carry strength is actually moving in the right direction.

When to Recheck Your Farmer’s Walk Strength

This test is meant to show meaningful changes in strength, not day-to-day swings.

How and when you retest matters.

Recheck When You Can Carry More Weight Per Hand

The simplest rule is the best one.

Retest when you believe you can carry more weight in each hand for the full 30 seconds with the same posture and control.

If the weight hasn’t changed, retesting usually won’t tell you anything new.

Keep the 30-Second Test the Same

Every retest should use the same fixed 30-second duration.

Changing the time turns it into a different test and makes comparisons harder to trust. The calculator assumes the time stays the same so results stay comparable.

Use the Same Equipment and Setup

Carry strength can feel very different depending on what you’re holding.

For clean results:

• use the same implement
• use the same handle type
• set up the carry the same way each time

If you switch equipment, treat that as a new baseline rather than a continuation of the same test.

Don’t Test Heavy Too Often

Heavy carries are demanding, especially on the hands and upper back.

Testing too frequently can leave your grip and posture tired, which makes results look worse than they should.

Give yourself enough time between tests so each result reflects your actual strength, not how beat up you feel that day.

Used this way, the farmer’s walk becomes a reliable check-in on your carry strength instead of a number you chase every session.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Farmer’s Walk Benchmark?

The benchmark used in this calculator is simple:

How much weight you can carry in each hand for a fixed 30 seconds.

That’s the test.

The time stays the same. The weight changes. Your result is compared to your bodyweight so it actually means something.

This keeps the standard clear and repeatable instead of turning it into a guessing game.

How Much Weight Should I Carry While Walking?

That depends on what you’re testing.

If you’re using this calculator, you’re testing carry strength, not conditioning. Start with a weight you believe you can hold for the full 30 seconds with good posture.

If you finish easily, increase the weight next time. If you can’t finish the time, lower the weight and retest.

The right weight is the heaviest one you can support for the full 30 seconds without your posture falling apart.

Can I Do Farmer’s Walk Every Day?

You can, but heavy carries don’t recover the same way lighter work does.

Holding heavy weight stresses your hands, upper back, and posture. Doing that hard every day usually makes grip and posture worse, not better.

Most people get better results by:

• training carries regularly
• testing heavy carries less often
• giving their hands and upper back time to recover

Use the calculator as a check-in, not something you chase every session.

What If I Can’t Hold the Weight for 30 Seconds?

That attempt doesn’t meet the standard.

That’s not a failure—it just means the weight is above what you can currently support under this test condition.

The fix is straightforward:

• lower the weight
• retest
• use that result as your baseline

As your strength improves, the amount of weight you can hold for the full 30 seconds will change. That’s the progress this calculator is designed to track.

Does Distance Matter More Than Time?

Not for this test.

Distance-based carries turn into a different challenge. Pace, stride length, and conditioning start to influence the result.

This calculator fixes the time at 30 seconds so the focus stays on supporting heavy weight with good posture, not how far or how fast you move.

Distance matters in other tests. For carry strength standards, time keeps things clean.

Related Strength Standards Tools

Carry strength is one piece of overall strength. Looking at it alongside other tests can help you understand where you’re strong and where something might be holding you back.

If you want more context, these strength standards pair well with the farmer’s walk:

Kettlebell Strength Standards

Kettlebell Strength Standards

Kettlebell strength gives insight into total body strength, power, and endurance. If your farmer’s walk feels limited by your hands or posture, this is a useful comparison.

Weighted Pull-Ups Strength Standards

Weighted Pull-Ups Strength Standards

Weighted pull-ups help show how your grip and upper body strength hold up when your bodyweight is part of the challenge. Comparing these results with your carry strength can highlight whether grip or upper-back strength is the common thread.

Used together, these tools give a clearer picture of how your strength holds together across different demands, not just in one test.