Heavy Suitcase Hold
The trunk resisting a sideways pull, held — the shape of every one-sided carry, collision and pull in sport
How to do it well
The set-up and the rep in full, then the cues the app shows on the exercise card — the short version, for the moment you are standing in front of the bar.
Set-up
Stand tall with a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand at your side, the other hand free. Feet hip width, shoulders level, ribs down.
The rep
Hold for the set time without letting the loaded side dip or the trunk lean away from it. Breathe in short breaths behind a held brace. Swap sides, and treat the weaker side as the one that sets the load.
On the exercise card
- Do not let the loaded side dip
- Shoulders level, ribs down
- Grip stays hard for the whole hold
- Tempo
- stand tall
What goes wrong, and the fix
| What goes wrong | The fix |
|---|---|
| Leaning away from the weight | The trunk muscles on the opposite side are meant to stop that. Stand straight, even if the load has to come down. |
| The loaded shoulder drops | Shrug it to level, then hold it there. |
| Holding the breath for the whole set | Brace, then breathe shallowly behind the brace. |
Make it easier, or harder
- Easier
- A lighter bell, or a shorter hold.
- Harder
- A heavier bell, a longer hold, or walk it as a suitcase carry.
How Train Smart prescribes it
The sets and reps below are the authored starting point. The actual weight you see is calculated from your own last top set and the week you are in within your four-week block.
In cricket, the trunk has to resist being pulled sideways in every delivery stride and every one-sided action. This trains that strength directly, in a session that keeps it alongside speed work.
| Program | Session | Sets × reps | Load |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cricket | Speed & Strength | 2 × 30s/side | Heavy DB / KB |
This exercise, in a program that knows why it is there
Train Smart puts this movement in the right session, at the right point in your block, at a weight calculated for you — and swaps it automatically if you do not have the kit.
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