Double Overhead Carry: Strong, Stable Shoulders Under Real Load
Both bells pressed overhead with locked arms. Walk tall with your ribs down until your arms or your posture start to give.
2 min read
Why it works: Chapter 13, Why stretching your hamstrings will not loosen them
How to do it
- 1
Get both overhead
Clean both bells to the rack, then drive them overhead with a push press. Arms locked, biceps by your ears.
- 2
Ribs down
Two bells overhead pull you into an arch. Tighten your trunk and keep your ribs down.
- 3
Stack them
Bells right over your shoulders, shoulders pulled down away from your ears.
- 4
Walk slowly
Short, steady steps, eyes ahead.
- 5
Bring them down
Lower them to the rack, then to the floor.
- 6
The test
When an elbow bends or your back arches, the walk is done.
Watch for
- Arching your lower back to hold the bells up.
- Bells drifting forward of your shoulders.
- An elbow softening. Lock out or stop.
Questions
Is a double overhead carry hard?
Harder than carrying one: two bells at the end of long levers, and no free side to lean on. It builds shoulders that stay stable under load and a trunk that stays tall. Move to it when a one-bell overhead carry feels steady on both sides.
How heavy for a double overhead carry?
Two light bells you can hold locked out for 20 to 30 seconds without arching.