01Foundation
30 seconds · 2 × 8 kg / 18 lb
The eleven tests / Loaded carry
Test 06 of 11 · Strength
The loaded carry test, and why grip is the thing that fails
The rule. Stand tall, ribs down, shoulders back. Walk, do not shuffle, do not lean away from the weight. Clock runs until you set the bells down.
The carry looks like the simplest test on the list and it exposes more than most. Grip goes first, posture goes second, and both of them track closely with how well the next twenty years go.
The four rungs
Find yourself on one of these.
Your level on this test is the highest rung you can hold cleanly today. Not the one you could hit on a good day five years ago.
02Working
60 seconds · 2 × 16 kg / 35 lb
03Strong
60 seconds · 2 × 24 kg / 53 lb
04Standard
60 seconds · 2 × 32 kg / 70 lb
Where it goes wrong
The two that cost people a rung.
Mistake 01
Leaning away from the weight
Bells this heavy pull the shoulders down and forward. The body compensates by leaning back. Ribs down, tall spine, and if that is impossible, the weight is too heavy for the test.
Mistake 02
Shuffling instead of walking
Short scraping steps make the clock easier and the test meaningless. Normal walking stride, heel to toe, or the number does not stand.
Moving up
How to earn the next rung.
- 01
Hold before you walk
Static holds at the same weight build the grip without the balance demand. Three sets of thirty seconds standing still.
- 02
Train the grip on its own
Five minutes a day with a hand gripper while the coffee brews. Grip responds fast and it is the ceiling on this test for most men.
- 03
Add time before weight
Get to a clean sixty seconds at the weight you have before you reach for the heavier pair.
What this test needs
The kit that helps with this one.
Links go to Amazon and a purchase through one pays me a small commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what gets recommended. The full list, with what each piece is actually for, is on the gear page.
Before you ask
Two questions that come up every time.
Why does grip strength matter after 50?
Grip is the easiest thing to measure and one of the most closely watched markers of how people age. It is also trainable at any age, which is the useful part.
Can I use dumbbells instead of kettlebells for carries?
Yes. Anything with a handle works. Kettlebells sit slightly differently against the leg, but nothing in this test depends on which one you own.
Going deeper on this one: One Bell, Three Lifts
Read about itOn the channel
Watch the loaded carry tested at every rung.
What Foundation looks like next to Standard, filmed from the side so the form is actually visible. Every one of the eleven gets its own video.