Benefits of Overhead KB Walks

Question

Can someone explain to me cumulative benefits of the following:

Friend and I went for a Saturday walk at a park. We each had a kettle bells and they weighed 35lbs and 55lbs respectively.

The track was 1 mile. The workout was as follows:

Kettle Bell A - 35lb Kettle Bell B - 55lb

Each person gets a Kettle Bell. Walking at the same time. We went

• 25 steps One hand overhead press holds
• 25 steps one hand rest on shoulder holds
• Switch hands
• 25 steps One hand overhead press holds
• 25 steps one hand rest on shoulder holds

Switch From KB A to KB B and repeat.

We did this for 0.5 miles or roughly 10 times with each KB. I would consider this Lower intensity, as we weren't running. (Correct me if I'm wrong)

We stopped and did

• 200 swings 100 with A 100 with B each.

Walked 100 ft. with Both KBs overhead Switched Hands Walked 100 ft. with Both KBs overhead

So I think the above were stabilizing each shoulder because of the different weights..?

Then farmers walk the rest of the mile, minimal to no rest the entire time.

At the end I felt utterly destroyed, and I'm curious was this CNS work? Core is probably an obvious one, shoulders, what else was affected? Is this actual Low Intensity or High Intensity?

Answer 1

Congratulations, you found the secret muscle group, technically known as the "everything".

Being slightly more serious, loaded carries are one of the best exercises you can do to improve strength, muscle mass and general athleticism (according to Dan John)

You're right in that your core will be worked, but probably a lot more than you'd imagine. If you think about waiters walks (walking with a weight held overhead in one hand) with every step the muscles of your body, from your feet right up to your hand, are having to fire to keep the weight from coming crashing down on your head.

You're having to keep everything tight to keep going.

The benefit of training tightness is, in my opinion, overlooked quite frequently by casual lifters. Even if you get tight on sets of an exercise, walking for a prolonged period while having to keep your body tight is probably something your body is unfamiliar with.

So, the reason you felt so wrecked afterwards is it's probably an unfamiliar exercise (or a series of unfamiliar exercises), so you'll have CNS fatigue and attempted adaptation, as well as a serious whole body workout.

Answer 2

There is likely some CNS benefit to the number of repetitions (so be sure you are using proper form)

Since intensity is relative low from a strength standpoint is seems like a strength/cardio hybrid workout

My personal primary purpose for the farmers walk is to improve my grip strength for deadlifts. If that is your goal too then consider increasing weight for than portion (decreasing distance substantially to compensate)