Suitcase Carry

Technique

How to perform Suitcase Carry

1. Stand upright with your feet hip‑width apart and place a heavy dumbbell next to your right foot. Hinge at the hips and grip the weight with your right hand, keeping your back flat as you lift it to your side.
2. Engage your core, squeeze your glutes, and draw your shoulder blades down and back. Let the weight hang at arm’s length while your left arm remains relaxed at your side. This is your starting position.
3. Begin walking forward in a slow, controlled manner, maintaining an upright torso and level hips. Avoid leaning toward or away from the weight - use your obliques to keep your spine neutral.
4. Continue for the prescribed distance or time, breathing steadily and taking purposeful steps.
5. Keep your gaze forward and avoid letting the weight bump against your leg. When you reach the target distance, set the weight down safely by hinging at the hips, then switch hands and repeat the carry back to your starting point or for the same distance on the opposite side.

Programming relevance

Muscles involved

Primary targets: External Oblique, Internal Oblique.