Farmer's walks are a game-changer for total-body strength and size. However, there's a good chance you don't do them because your gym doesn't have farmer's walk bars or a nice long strip of turf to do them. Enter the trap bar figure-8 farmer's walk.
The Benefits
Great for building your upper back and traps.
Easy to load heavy. Unless your gym has farmer's walk implements, you'll quickly out-grow this exercise using dumbbells or kettlebells.
They make turns easier. Even if you have access to farmer's walk implements, you'll find them very difficult to turn when the weight gets heavy. This can place a lot of extra rotational torque on your lower back. This isn't a big deal if you have a nice long runway. With a trap bar, you can easily do a figure-8 pattern in a relatively small area. This gives you a practical way to lift heavy weight AND extend your time under tension.
Tips
Dig your hands into the handles in the set-up. Don't just hold the weight – crush it! Maintain perfect deadlift technique as you lift the weight.
Resist the urge to rush. A slow, controlled pace makes the turns easier, reduces your risk of tripping, and extends your time under tension.
Keep your chest up even as you get tired.
At the end of your set, stop your body and the weight, then lower under control (again, think proper deadlift form).
Good alternative: Use heavy dumbbells or kettlebells – a temporary fix until you get your gym to buy a trap bar.