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A suitcase carry is a simple one-sided loaded walk: hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand and walk while keeping your torso upright. It challenges the trunk in a different way from sit-ups, but a week of feeling your core work is not proof of visible abs or lasting strength gains. The strongest direct evidence here is a small 2024 study of short-term muscle activation—not a trial comparing carries with sit-ups over time.
What a suitcase carry is—and why it feels different
Hold a weight at one side and walk. Because the load is in only one hand, your trunk and hips have to control posture as you move. That unilateral setup distinguishes a suitcase carry from a farmer’s carry, where you hold weights on both sides.
Walking also makes it different from a suitcase hold: the carry adds locomotion rather than asking you to stand still with the weight. The exercise can be done with a dumbbell or kettlebell; the available evidence does not establish a need for a particular brand or model.
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Ellestad and colleagues’ 2024 study measured muscle activity with surface electromyography (EMG) in 18 healthy, college-aged participants—12 women and six men. The researchers compared several loaded-carry and core-exercise conditions. They reported greater activation in both sides of the longissimus and multifidus during suitcase carries than during suitcase holds. On the side holding the weight, rectus abdominis and external oblique activation was also greater during the carry than the hold; the study did not report that difference on the opposite side. Read the 2024 study in the International Journal of Exercise Science.
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These findings describe muscle activation during the tested exercises. They do not show that suitcase carries build visible abs, produce lasting changes, or outperform sit-ups for a particular training goal. The study’s sample was small and specific, and its experimental loads are not suggested starting weights: participants used an average combined farmer’s-carry/hold load of 50.7±1.9 kg and an average single-dumbbell suitcase-carry/hold load of 25.3±0.95 kg.
Carry versus hold
The study’s carry-versus-hold results support a narrow conclusion: adding walking was associated with greater activation in some measured muscles under its test conditions. They do not establish that walking carries are best for every core muscle or outcome.
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Carry versus plank or sit-ups
Among the conditions studied, the plank was the exercise to choose for rectus abdominis activation. That is a muscle-specific result, not proof that planks are universally better than carries. The study did not directly test sit-ups as a long-term alternative, nor did it measure abdominal appearance or lasting strength gains. Treat “suit-ups versus suitcase carries” as a choice between different exercises, not a contest settled by this EMG study.
How to do a suitcase carry with control
- Choose a manageable weight. Use one dumbbell or kettlebell that lets you walk without leaning or losing control. The study’s test weights were experimental conditions, not beginner prescriptions.
- Hold it at your side and stand tall. Keep your torso upright and brace your trunk as you walk.
- Watch for form changes. Reduce the weight if your torso leans or the weight brushes your leg. The coaching cues come from the first-person article; they are not a quantified injury-prevention finding from the EMG study.
A burning sensation can mean the muscles are working, but it does not by itself show that the workout is more effective or that a lasting adaptation has occurred. Keep the load and distance within what you can control rather than choosing a dramatic weight for the story.
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- Versatility & Fitness: The Elite Sports sand bag is suited for workouts, gym days, fitness training, and full-body exercises; this workout sandbag is highly adjustable and flexible with multiple strategically-placed handle positions suited for both intense and casual training; this weight sandbag can be used by athletes at any skill level, from beginners to experienced athletes; these sandbags are sold separately, however, they can be combined to increase weight by following the instructions.
- Tightly Sealed: The Elite Sports sand bag is built with a leak-proof design due to its tight zipper closure, reinforced stitching, and double-sealed shell; the flexible walls allow the training sandbag to expand around the sand poured inside without tearing at the seams; the aluminum zipper, double hooks, loop fasteners, and folded opening help block gaps and catch sand before it pours out onto the floor; when fully closed, you can carry this training sandbag without fear of any sand leakage.
What a one-week trial can—and cannot—tell you
The title describes one author’s experience over a week, not a controlled experiment. It can illustrate how a suitcase carry feels, but it cannot establish what will happen for every reader. The 2024 study adds measured, immediate muscle-activation data, but it was not a week-long training program.
A separate 2021 study examined unilateral dumbbell carries in 18 resistance-trained participants across suitcase, front-racked, and overhead positions and light, moderate, and heavy loads. Its available record does not provide enough outcome detail to rank those positions or loads here. See the PubMed record. Another 2021 paper examined hip and trunk activity and mechanics during walking with and without a unilateral weight; its rationale about possible hip-abductor training should not be mistaken for proof of a rehabilitation benefit. Read the study on unilateral loaded walking.
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- ⚠️ THIS PRODUCT IS SHIPPED EMPTY – SAND NOT INCLUDED
- Muscle Strength: The Elite workout sand bag can improve your athletic potential since they are suited for intense core muscle workouts and strength-building; with a single training sandbag, you can do multiple workouts and target several muscle groups.
- High-Quality Material: The Elite Sports training sandbag is made from ballistic nylon fabric, a highly durable, long-lasting, tear-resistant, and stretchable material that can handle heavy punishment; to further reinforce the exterior, the surface is interwoven with heavy-duty and cross-stitched threads; the ballistic nylon fabric is also waterproof, making it possible to set up the sand bag both indoors and outdoors without worrying about the sand inside getting soaked due to rain or sweat.
- Versatility & Fitness: The Elite Sports sand bag is suited for workouts, gym days, fitness training, and full-body exercises; this workout sandbag is highly adjustable and flexible with multiple strategically-placed handle positions suited for both intense and casual training; this weight sandbag can be used by athletes at any skill level, from beginners to experienced athletes; these sandbags are sold separately, however, they can be combined to increase weight by following the instructions.
- Tightly Sealed: The Elite Sports sand bag is built with a leak-proof design due to its tight zipper closure, reinforced stitching, and double-sealed shell; the flexible walls allow the training sandbag to expand around the sand poured inside without tearing at the seams; the aluminum zipper, double hooks, loop fasteners, and folded opening help block gaps and catch sand before it pours out onto the floor; when fully closed, you can carry this training sandbag without fear of any sand leakage.
Do suitcase carries replace sit-ups?
Not as a universal rule. A suitcase carry trains posture control during a one-sided walk; sit-ups are a different movement. The evidence described here does not establish that carries replace sit-ups for all goals, or that sit-ups are necessary for everyone. Choose based on the movement and training outcome you want, and treat carries as one option rather than a complete core program.
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