What equipment do you need for the kettlebell suitcase carry?

You need kettlebell to do the kettlebell suitcase carry.

What is a good kettlebell suitcase carry?

For men, a good kettlebell suitcase carry is about a 34 lb estimated one-rep max, the Gold (intermediate) standard in Kovo. Beginners start near 10 lb and elite lifters pass 124 lb. For women, the standards run from about 10 lb to 124 lb. The tier table above lists every rank from Bronze to Champion.

Arms · Kettlebell

Kettlebell Suitcase Carry

How to do the kettlebell suitcase carry, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.

Equipment: Kettlebell
Difficulty: Advanced
Logged as: Weighted reps
Movement: Carry
Mechanic: Compound

Find more:Forearms exercises Kettlebell exercises

How to do it

Pick up the weight with a secure grip and stand tall with your shoulders back. Walk forward for the prescribed distance or time while keeping your core engaged and posture upright.

1Hold a kettlebell in one hand by your side and walk, feeling your core resist side bending and your grip and forearm working
2Keep your shoulders level and your posture upright as you move
3You should feel a constant challenge on the side holding the weight while maintaining balance

Common mistakes

Don't lean away from or toward the kettlebell; stay upright
Avoid letting the kettlebell bang against your leg or swing wildly
Don't hold your breath; breathe naturally as you walk

Muscles worked

The kettlebell suitcase carry mainly works the forearms, upper traps, and obliques, with the upper abs, lower back, lower abs, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves assisting.

ForearmsPrimary
Upper TrapsPrimary
ObliquesPrimary
Upper AbsSupport
Lower BackSupport
Lower AbsSupport
QuadsSupport
GlutesSupport
HamstringsSupport
CalvesSupport

Kettlebell Suitcase Carry strength standards

See how your kettlebell suitcase carry ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.

Bronzee1RM10 lb
Silvere1RM22 lb
Golde1RM34 lb
Platinume1RM58 lb
Diamonde1RM95 lb
Champione1RM124 lb

Find your rank

Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.

Weight (lb)Reps

Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.

Kovo programs the kettlebell suitcase carry for you and tracks it every session.

We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.

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More forearms exercises

See all forearms exercises →

Last reviewed April 2026.