Overhead Carry primarily works the shoulders, core, and grip. It is categorized as a carry movement and uses Dumbbell.
- Primary muscles
- shoulders and core
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Movement pattern
- carry
- Catalog difficulty
- 2 of 5
How to do Overhead Carry
- Lockout overhead, biceps by ear
- Ribs down — don’t lean back
- Walk smooth, eyes forward
Common mistakes
- Shrugging into ears — reset shoulder position each set
Muscles worked
The primary catalog target is shoulders, with core and grip also involved. Exercise feel varies with setup, range of motion, and individual anatomy.
Related exercises and substitutions
A useful substitute should preserve the job this movement has in the session—not merely train a nearby body part. Explore the related Movviva guides below, then compare pattern, target muscles, available equipment, and difficulty.
Overhead Press (DB) · Push Press · Battle Rope Slam · Landmine Press · Half-Kneeling Landmine Press · Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Put Overhead Carry into a plan that adapts.
Movviva builds strength, mobility, and conditioning around your goal, schedule, equipment, and completed training—then gives you the next workout with guided targets and smart swaps.