Suck at Carries. Any Tips?

Hey guys, I’m open to any and all advice on this. I’m absolutely terrible at carries, and I’m excellent at static events. I competed on Saturday, and hit a 400 deadlift for 18 reps, a 395 front squat with ease, both of which won my class. I took 2nd in log with 250, and nearly tied for 1st with 260. Meanwhile, I took last in conan’s wheel, and close to last in Hussafel stone. If my grip wasn’t as good as it was, Hussafel would have been even worse, but I managed to carry it for the full minute. My biggest issue is absolutely foot speed. I don’t have it, at all. It’s like I’m walking through mud on most carries. Front carries are probably slightly better than other ones, but none are very good. Are there cues that I should be focusing on? Or if there are no ‘quick fixes’, how should I start training carries to improve them? Low weight with as much speed as I can get, or heavy and just try to get faster? How often should I train them, and how much variety should I incorporate?

Also I’m in the 200 class, if that matters.

Just shootin’ some ideas.

My friend told me a cue years back “chop your feet.” Now, we were playing football or volleyball or something, but for some reason, when I carry I think about chopping my feet, which in essence is staying very light on your feet via shallow, rapid foot movements.

What you’re doing in applying this to carries is trading some of your stability for more foot speed. I pretty much ran with a 365# trap bar (which is light for you, pretty heavy for me) by allowing myself to sacrifice some stability for the sake of the next step, which basically felt a controlled fall forward where I caught myself every step. Order in the chaos sort of thing. Now this felt sketchy, real sketchy, and I probably wouldn’t do it with much more than 90%. But it gets you moving.

This is a great point. A good carry is basically falling for time. You want the implements to carry YOU, rather than the other way around.

Best tip I have is learn to move fast with light weight before heavy. Lots of heavy slow training just teaches you to be slow.

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I feel like this specific thing is what I need to work towards. I’ve never felt like that was happening at all. I feel like my body is constantly adjusting to maintain stability, and it’s resulting in me being slow as fuck.

Awesome for first meet, try to carry implement so when you run knee doesn’t hit. Also breathing when you have 300 lb on chest hard to breath, try running wirh the most awkward shit you can think of . Conans wheel rare event you obviously have great pch strength try zercher yoke walk. Chop feet and breathing should be practiced.

it would really help if you posted a few videos

I have been training for strongman for about 6 months so take with an appropriate grain of salt (I did compete the yoke and farmers and did well but got creamed on the DL and log)…

I struggle once I get to above 90% of what I can do but I feel that I can out pace guys much stronger than me even though the have lots left in the tank strength wise (which is what you’re saying happened with you).

Speed work as mentioned but I have had really good results with the rope, ladder work and cones.

This has some really good stuff (vid quality not the best)

Hey guys thanks for the advice so far. I’m having trouble getting the videos from my show but as soon as I do I’ll post them.

I cant remember where I picked it up but one tip I liked is to get the time the latest winner achieved in a carry.

Choose a weight which allows you to complete the distance in the winner’s time.

Work that until you get a 5-10% better time then bump the weight so you are doing the distance in the winner’s time.

Work some other intensities into it as well.

I like this one! thanks!