Keeping weight at shoulder height is substantially easier on smooth terrain. It’s a biomechanical fact that I also didn’t believe at first. The best way to illustrate this is to think about balancing a stick on end, its significantly easier to balance a yardstick than a ruler, likewise, it is much more difficult for your body to balance weight at your hips than at your neck because you get the advantage of leverage. The higher the weight is, the easier it is to stay “underneath” it.
Keeping weight at shoulder height is substantially easier on smooth terrain. It’s a biomechanical fact that I also didn’t believe at first. The best way to illustrate this is to think about balancing a stick on end, its significantly easier to balance a yardstick than a ruler, likewise, it is much more difficult for your body to balance weight at your hips than at your neck because you get the advantage of leverage. The higher the weight is, the easier it is to stay “underneath” it.