Suitcase Carry
One-sided loading forces the obliques to keep you upright.
Setup
- One dumbbell in one hand at the side, arm straight, shoulders level.
- Stand tall, brace hard.
How To Do It
- Walk in a straight line, resisting the sideways pull.
- Do not lean away from the weight — stay square.
- Set it down, then repeat on the other side.
Breathing
Breathe steadily throughout.
Common Mistakes
- Leaning away from the load.
- Letting the loaded shoulder sag toward the floor.
Programming It
Three to five carries of 20-40m per side.
Why This Exercise Works
Carrying weight on one side loads the opposite obliques for the whole walk. It is the simplest anti-side-bend exercise there is, and the one that transfers most obviously — every bag you have ever carried was a suitcase carry.
Where You Should Feel It
The obliques on the opposite side to the weight, working the entire walk. It is the simplest anti-side-bend exercise there is and the most obviously transferable.
Where It Fits in a Program
One-sided loading forces the obliques to keep you upright. Cheap to recover from, so you can run it often without stealing from the lifts.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the suitcase carry: add load while the shoulders stay level. To regress it: reduce the load until you stop leaning away from it.
Who It's For
Everyone — every bag you have ever carried was a suitcase carry. Keep the shoulders level or reduce the weight.
Equipment and Substitutions
What you need for this one: a single dumbbell. Kettlebells substitute directly here. So does a cable, if you would rather have constant tension than a free weight.
Related Exercises
- Single-Arm Farmer's Carry — Core, Obliques, Grip, Traps
- Front Rack Carry — Core, Upper Back, Shoulders
- Suitcase Deadlift — Core, Obliques, Grip, Legs
- Zercher Carry — Core, Upper Back, Biceps
- Heavy Farmer's Walk — Grip, Traps, Core
- Farmer's Carry — Grip, Core, Traps, Conditioning
- Pallof Press — Core, Obliques
- Around The World — Core, Shoulders, Grip
Common Questions
What muscles does the suitcase carry work?
The suitcase carry primarily trains the core, obliques, grip.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Three to five carries of 20-40m per side.
What are the most common suitcase carry mistakes?
Most often: leaning away from the load; letting the loaded shoulder sag toward the floor.
Do I need a single dumbbell to do this?
This version uses a single dumbbell, and it trains the core, obliques, grip. No dumbbells? A kettlebell of similar weight works for almost all of this, and the cable and machine versions below cover the rest.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
The suitcase carry asks the shoulders, wrists and lower back to hold position at once, so the weakest of the three decides your tolerance. Stop for pain you recognise, not for effort. Not medical advice.