How long should you do the loaded carry march for when you are new to the exercise?

Start with 2 to 3 sets of 20 to 30 total steps, or about 30 to 40 seconds, using a weight light enough to keep both hips level. Add time or steps before you add weight, since more load first tends to show up as a lean rather than a stronger march.

What can I use instead of dumbbells or kettlebells for the loaded carry march?

Filled water jugs, a loaded backpack worn on the chest, or a couple of gallon containers work as well as gym weights for this. Any object with a solid, evenly balanced handle or strap will do.

What is the loaded carry march good for and when is it a poor fit?

It combines loaded core bracing with single-leg balance, making it useful for anyone building trunk stability for lifting, running, or everyday carrying. It is a poor fit as a first core exercise for someone who cannot yet march in place with good posture unloaded, since adding weight to a shaky pattern only grooves the sway.

Intermediate

Loaded Carry March

Marching in place or slowly forward under load turns a carry into a rhythmic single-leg stability drill, because every knee drive briefly takes a foot off the floor and challenges the trunk to stay upright. The hip flexors work to raise each knee while the obliques and lateral hip fight the sway, making it a compact core builder that also teaches braced, tall posture. Load it with dumbbells, kettlebells, or a front rack.

Equipment: Dumbbell, Kettlebells
Body part: Abs
Type: Functional, Strength
Browse by muscle: Abdominal External Oblique, Lower Rectus Abdominals
Browse by movement: Carry

How to do it

1
Hold a weight in each hand at your sides, or one weight racked at your chest.
2
Stand tall, pull your ribs down, and brace your abs.
3
Drive one knee up to hip height while keeping your torso upright.
4
Plant that foot and immediately drive the opposite knee up.
5
Continue marching with a slow, controlled tempo, either in place or stepping forward.
6
Keep your shoulders level and avoid leaning as you switch legs.

Tips

March slowly; a deliberate pause at the top of each knee drive is harder and more honest than a fast shuffle.
Do not let the load pull you into a side lean between steps.
Keep your chest tall and eyes forward so the spine stays stacked.

Variations

Common mistakes

The knee drive stops short of hip height as the set drags on, so the hip flexor and core get a shrinking range instead of the full demand the march is supposed to deliver.
The standing leg's knee softens and the hip drops on that side with every step, a smaller version of the same sway the exercise is meant to train out of you.
With a loose grip, the weight swings forward and back with each stride instead of staying still, adding momentum that hides real trunk work.
The breath gets shallow and rushed as the load and pace add up, when steady breathing is what keeps the brace honest through the whole set.

Frequently asked

How long should you do the loaded carry march for when you are new to the exercise?: Start with 2 to 3 sets of 20 to 30 total steps, or about 30 to 40 seconds, using a weight light enough to keep both hips level. Add time or steps before you add weight, since more load first tends to show up as a lean rather than a stronger march.
What can I use instead of dumbbells or kettlebells for the loaded carry march?: Filled water jugs, a loaded backpack worn on the chest, or a couple of gallon containers work as well as gym weights for this. Any object with a solid, evenly balanced handle or strap will do.
What is the loaded carry march good for and when is it a poor fit?: It combines loaded core bracing with single-leg balance, making it useful for anyone building trunk stability for lifting, running, or everyday carrying. It is a poor fit as a first core exercise for someone who cannot yet march in place with good posture unloaded, since adding weight to a shaky pattern only grooves the sway.

Related exercises

Other movements among FitRay's 2,000+ exercises that load the same target muscle — same equipment and level first.

All Abs exercises