Interesting analysis, but a controversial conclusion that farmer’s carries could be used to fulfill the foundational hip hinge movement pattern. Are we giving loaded carries short shrift by relegating them as (albeit valued) assistance exercises?
“The farmers lift may be an effective lifting alternative to the deadlift, to generating more anterior-propulsive and vertical force with less stress to the lumbar spine due to the more vertical trunk position.”
Obviously, the farmer’s carry begins with a deadlift, but without an eccentric and maximum effective reps, the notion that carries can replace a traditional hinge exercise seems implausible.
That’s the one problem with the effective reps theory: what constitutes a “rep”?
Even Chris Beardsley (the originator of the effective rep theory) posted something about isometrics being able to stimulate growth… without what we would qualify as “reps”. BUT there is tension. And that is the key factor in growth.
The effective rep theory is more a way to attempt to objectively quantifyas well as possible the effect of a set on growth. But it is not meant to be seen as “the cause” for hypertrophy. It’s the measure of the magnitude of the elements that cause hypertrophy during one type of muscle action.
The cause or driver of hypertrophy is the high level of intramuscular tension that reaches a fatiguing/difficult level. Which can be achieved without doing “reps”. But since most people train dynamically (doing reps) rather than isometrically, the concept of effective reps has been used to describe what stimulates growth, but that is not exactly correct.
That having been said, I wouldn’t say that the farmer’s walk is a good exercise to build the muscles involved in the hinge pattern, it would be more effective to build the traps, upper back, core and even deltoids.
