Exercises / Carry
Suitcase hold
Carry Dumbbell Complexity 1/5
Working position
Setup
Stand tall holding one dumbbell at the side, feet hip width. No walking.
Execution
Hold for time, resisting the pull to one side, then switch hands.
Coaching cues
- Stand square, do not lean away from the weight
- Ribs down, breathe normally
- Even weight through both feet
Common fault
Leaning away from the loaded side
Fix: Reduce the load until the client can stand square for the full hold.
Muscles trained
Primary: Erector spinae (spinal erectors)Transversus abdominis (TVA)
Secondary: Trapezius (traps)Deltoid (delts)
Regression and progression
Easier: This is the entry-level variation.
Harder: No harder variation recorded.
Rule
Never advance complexity and load in the same week. When the variation gets harder, the load comes down.