The 15 Best Barbell Exercises for Strength, Size, and Power – Fitness Volt

Barbells have been round for tons of of years. Regardless of being so old-school, there isn’t a greater coaching device for constructing measurement and energy.

Sure, dumbbells are useful for creating unilateral energy and stability, and machines make it simpler to isolate and goal your muscle tissues with laser-like precision, however by way of effectiveness, barbells reign supreme.

Mixed with a bench and a squat rack, you possibly can practice your complete physique utilizing nothing however a barbell.

There are dozens, if not tons of, of barbell workouts to select from, and so they’re all fairly efficient. Any of them may also help you attain your final coaching objectives.

However, in our humble opinion, these are the 15 greatest energy and muscle-building workouts you are able to do with a barbell.

The 15 Finest Barbell Workouts

Your coaching time and power are valuable and restricted commodities. Don’t waste them on unproductive workouts! As an alternative, construct your exercises across the 15 greatest barbell workouts.

1. Barbell again squat

Goal muscle tissues: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, hip abductors, hip adductors.

Squats are sometimes known as the king of workouts. Actually, no matter your coaching objective is, squats will make it easier to get there quicker. The again squat is arguably essentially the most broadly carried out decrease physique train round and is a confirmed muscle and energy builder. Nonetheless, for causes of security, be sure to do that train in a squat rack – particularly when you plan on lifting heavy weights or coaching to failure.

Easy methods to do it:

1. Put a barbell in your squat rack at about shoulder peak so that you don’t have to face on tiptoes to unrack it.
2. Duck below the bar so it rests in your traps or throughout your shoulders. Grip the bar along with your fingers simply wider than shoulder-width aside. Pull your shoulders down and again and brace your core.
3. Unrack the bar and take 1-2 steps again. Set your ft between hip and shoulder-width aside. The taller you’re, the broader your stance will in all probability be. Flip your toes out barely if you want.
4. Brace once more, inhale, push your hips again, and bend your knees. Descend so far as you possibly can with out rounding your decrease again.
5. Ideally, your hips needs to be stage along with your knees and thighs parallel to the ground on the midpoint of every rep. i.e., a parallel squat.
6. Hold your knees in line and behind your toes, and don’t enable them to drop out or fall in. Look straight forward and never down.
7. With out bouncing out of the underside, drive your ft into the ground and stand again up.
8. Re-rack the bar and relaxation, or in case you are doing a number of reps, reset your core and repeat.

2. Barbell entrance squat

Goal muscle tissues: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, hip abductors, hip adductors.

Barbell front squats allow you to hold your torso extra upright and contain extra knee than hip flexion. As such, they’re a bit extra quad-dominant than again squats. That doesn’t imply that they’re any higher (or worse) than again squats – just a bit completely different. It might even be simpler to get out from below the bar when you can not full a rep.

Sizzling to do it:

1. Put a barbell in your squat rack at about shoulder peak so that you don’t have to face on tiptoes to unrack it.
2. Stroll ahead and put your anterior (entrance) deltoids in opposition to the bar. Grip the bar along with your fingers simply wider than shoulder-width aside. Relying in your flexibility, this will imply you possibly can solely get your fingertips to the bar and can’t absolutely wrap your fingers round it. That’s okay; the bar ought to sit within the creases of your shoulders and stay in place even when you aren’t gripping it along with your fingers.
3. Push your elbows ahead and below the bar so your higher arms are parallel to the ground. The bar ought to relaxation in opposition to your neck, but it surely shouldn’t press closely in your throat.
4. Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and again. Unrack the bar and take 1-2 steps again.
5. Set your ft between hip and shoulder-width aside. Most individuals use a narrower stance for entrance squats in comparison with again squats.
6. Brace once more, inhale, and bend your knees and hips on the identical time. Descend so far as you possibly can whereas preserving your torso upright, elbows up, and knees consistent with your toes. Don’t enable your knees to drop out or fall in. As an alternative, look straight forward and never down.
7. With out bouncing out of the underside, drive your ft into the ground and stand again up. Pressure your elbows upward as you ascend to cease the bar from rolling off your shoulders.
8. Re-rack the bar and relaxation, or in case you are doing a number of reps, reset your core and repeat.

Learn additionally: Front Squat vs. Back Squat

3. Barbell deadlift

Goal muscle tissues: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, hip abductors, hip adductors, core, erector spinae, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius, biceps.

The squat is the reigning king of barbell workouts, however the deadlift comes near dethroning it. The deadlift includes all the identical decrease physique muscle tissues as squats and several other extra higher physique muscle tissues, too. Actually, paired with one thing like bench presses, push-ups, or dips, you possibly can practice your complete physique with simply two workouts.

In addition to being an outstanding muscle and energy builder, deadlifts train you easy methods to elevate heavy objects off the ground safely, i.e., utilizing your legs and hips and with out rounding your decrease again.

Easy methods to do it:

1. Set your barbell so it’s 9 inches above the ground. Utilizing bumper plates often does this mechanically.
2. Stand along with your toes below the bar, ft hip to shoulder-width aside.
3. Attain down and grip the bar with an overhand or blended grip.
4. Straighten your arms, pull your shoulders down and again, and brace your abs. Your hips needs to be beneath your shoulders, and your decrease again barely arched.
5. With out bending your arms or rounding your decrease again, drive your ft into the ground and get up.
6. Don’t lean again on the prime or try and bend your elbows, as this will trigger critical damage.
7. Push your hips again, bend your knees, and decrease the bar again to the ground.
8. Let the load accept a second or two, after which repeat. Don’t bounce the bar off the ground.

Learn extra about deadlifting with perfect form here.

4. Barbell Romanian deadlift

Goal muscle tissues: Hamstrings, gluteus maximus, hip abductors, hip adductors, core, erector spinae, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius, biceps.

The Romanian deadlift isn’t really a deadlift in any respect. Deadlifts contain lifting a weight off the ground – it’s a stationary or useless weight. Romanian deadlifts don’t come from Romania, both!

Regardless of these naming points, the Romanian deadlift is an efficient posterior chain train and top-of-the-line methods to beef up and strengthen your hamstrings, glutes, and decrease again. Nonetheless, you will need to take care to not spherical your again throughout this train, as that’s a recipe for catastrophe.

Easy methods to do it:

1. Maintain your barbell with a shoulder-width, overhand or blended grip. If utilizing heavy weights, it might be obligatory to make use of lifting straps so your grip doesn’t fail prematurely.
2. Stand along with your ft about hip-width aside. Pull your shoulders down and again, brace your core, and bend your knees barely.
3. With out bending your legs any additional, push your butt backward and lean ahead out of your hips, taking care to not spherical your decrease again. Decrease the bar down the entrance of your legs.
4. Hold your neck aligned with the remainder of your backbone as you lean over.
5. Descend so far as your flexibility permits. The burden shouldn’t contact the ground.
6. Drive your hips ahead once more and get up straight.
7. Don’t lean again on the prime of the motion.
8. Repeat for the specified variety of repetitions.

5. Barbell good morning

Goal muscle tissues: Hamstrings, gluteus maximus, hip abductors, hip adductors, core, erector spinae.

Barbell good mornings and Romanian deadlifts are very comparable. Nonetheless, with good mornings, the bar rests in your higher again as an alternative of being held in your fingers. This creates an extended lever which implies you will get an efficient exercise from a lighter weight.

If you wish to hammer your posterior chain with out resorting to heavy barbells, that is the train for you. Nonetheless, this train additionally places extra stress in your decrease again, so proceed with warning and by no means let your decrease again turn into rounded.

Easy methods to do it:

1. Place a barbell in a squat or energy rack set to simply beneath shoulder peak. Duck below the bar and relaxation it in your higher traps. Grip the bar with a barely wider than shoulder-width grip. Pull the bar down into your again to verify it received’t transfer.
2. Unrack the barbell and take 1-2 steps again so you may have room to lean ahead. Stand along with your ft hip to shoulder-width aside. Bend your knees barely and brace your core.
3. Hinging out of your hips, push your butt again and lean ahead so far as your hamstring flexibility permits. Do NOT let your decrease again spherical. Your vary of movement will rely in your hamstring flexibility. Don’t decrease the bar beneath the extent of your hips.
4. Drive your hips ahead and stand again up.

6. Barbell hip thrust

Goal muscle tissues: Hamstrings, gluteus maximus, hip abductors, hip adductors, core, erector spinae.

If there’s a draw back to most barbell decrease physique workouts, it’s that they are often arduous in your decrease again. That could be an issue for some lifters, particularly these affected by lower back pain. Barbell hip thrusts are an efficient glute and hamstring train, however they’re additionally very decrease back-friendly.

Easy methods to do it:

1. Sit on the ground, so your higher again rests in opposition to a sturdy train bench. Bend your legs and place your ft flat. Relaxation and maintain a barbell throughout your hips.
2. Contract your glutes and push your hips up towards the ceiling. On the prime of the rep, your knees, hips, and shoulders ought to kind a straight line.
3. Decrease your butt again right down to the ground and repeat.
4. Add a booty band to make this train extra glute-centric.

7. Barbell lunge

Goal muscle tissues: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, hip abductors, hip adductors.

As potent as squats, deadlifts, and good mornings, and many others., are, they’ve one main downside – they work each of your legs on the identical time. This implies you possibly can develop (or have already got) a left-to-right energy imbalance. This might have an effect on your physique and efficiency and even be a supply of damage.

Lunges work one leg at a time, which implies you need to use them to establish and repair imbalances. Lunges are additionally good for enhancing hip mobility, coordination, and common stability.

Easy methods to do it:

1. Rack and maintain your barbell throughout your higher again, identical to you’re about to do again squats.
2. Stand tall along with your ft collectively and look straight forward and never down on the flooring. Brace your abs.
3. Take a big step ahead and right into a break up stance.
4. Bend your legs and decrease your rearmost knee down inside about an inch of the ground. Don’t let it contact down.
5. Your entrance shin needs to be vertical or very near it. Do NOT let it transfer ahead previous your toes, as doing so places lots of stress on the knee joint.
6. Your rear thigh also needs to be near vertical.
7. About 60-70% of your weight needs to be in your entrance leg.
8. Push off your entrance leg and return to the beginning place.
9. Do all of your reps main with the identical leg or alternate legs as most popular.

8. Barbell bench press

Goal muscle tissues: Pectoralis main, deltoids, triceps.

The bench press might be the most well-liked barbell train on the planet. Even non-exercisers, after studying that you just elevate, will need to know the way a lot weight you possibly can bench press.

Together with the squat and deadlift, bench presses are a part of the game of powerlifting, and bodybuilders do them to construct larger, extra muscular chests. So, if squats are the king of decrease physique workouts, the bench press holds the identical title to your higher physique.

Easy methods to do it:

1. Lie on the bench along with your eyes instantly beneath the bar. Attain up and maintain the bar with an overhand, barely wider than shoulder-width grip. For many bench press variations, your forearms needs to be vertical on the backside of every rep.
2. Brace your abs, pull your shoulders again and down, arch your decrease again barely, elevate your chest up towards the bar, and push your ft into the ground. This can assist stabilize your physique.
3. Unrack the bar and maintain it instantly over your chest.
4. Bend your arms and decrease the bar with management till it evenly touches your sternum. Because the bar descends, tuck your elbows down and barely inward towards your sides. Don’t bounce the bar off your chest. As an alternative, think about you may have a pane of glass in your chest and contact the bar down very evenly.
5. Push your bar up, flaring your elbows because the bar nears the highest of your rep. Prolong your arms absolutely with out locking your elbows.

Associated: 8 Ways to Boost Your Bench Press

9. Barbell flooring press

Goal muscle tissues: Pectoralis main, deltoids, triceps.

No bench? No downside! You possibly can nonetheless practice your pecs and triceps with floor presses. Actually, flooring presses are how old-time bodybuilders used to coach their higher our bodies earlier than the bench press was invented.

In addition to being a low-tech bench press various, the ground press can also be simpler in your shoulders and stops you from bouncing the bar off your chest. All in all, the barbell flooring press is a wonderful addition to your barbell higher physique exercise.

Easy methods to do it:

1. Arrange a squat rack in order that the J-hooks are set to about knee peak, and place a barbell on the hooks.
2. Lie down on the ground in order that your eyes are instantly beneath the bar. Bend your legs and place your ft on the ground or straighten your legs as most popular.
3. Grip the bar with an overhand, barely wider than shoulder-width grip. Pull your shoulders again and down and press your higher again into the ground. This can improve shoulder stability.
4. Unrack the bar and maintain the load along with your arms straight. Inhale, bend your arms, and decrease the bar down till the again of your higher arms evenly contact the ground.
5. With out bouncing, forcefully lengthen your arms and push the load again as much as arms’ size. Proceed till you may have accomplished all of the required reps. Then, on completion, rigorously re-rack the bar.

10. Barbell overhead press

Muscle mass labored: Deltoids, triceps.

The overhead press, also referred to as the strict or navy press, includes lifting a weight overhead with out help out of your legs. This train is among the greatest methods to construct larger, extra muscular shoulders and a extra highly effective higher physique.

With the overhead/strict press, you sometimes stand along with your ft about shoulder-width aside, knees barely bent however inflexible. Nonetheless, your ft are along with the navy press, and your legs are straight like you’re standing to consideration.

Easy methods to do it:

1. Stand along with your ft between shoulder and hip-width aside. Your knees needs to be barely bent however inflexible. Or, if doing navy presses, stand along with your ft collectively and legs straight.
2. Utilizing an overhand grip, rack and maintain your barbell throughout the entrance of your shoulders. Your fingers needs to be simply exterior shoulder-width aside. Increase your elbows barely so they’re in entrance of the bar.
3. Brace your core, pull your shoulders down and again, and elevate your chest.
4. With out utilizing your legs, press the load up and overhead to arms’ size.
5. Decrease the bar again to the entrance of your shoulders and repeat.

11. Barbell energy clear

Goal muscle tissues: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, hip abductors, hip adductors, core, erector spinae, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius, biceps.

Energy cleans are a simplified model of the Olympic squat clear. As its identify implies, the power clean is an explosive energy train. Energy is your capability to generate power shortly and is a important a part of virtually each sport. So, if you wish to run quicker, soar greater, punch tougher, or throw additional, that is the barbell train for you!

Easy methods to do it:

1. Place your barbell on the ground. Use light-weight coaching plates to lift the bar to the identical peak as if the bar was loaded with full-size 45-pound Olympic weightlifting plates. Alternatively, place the bar on blocks at round mid-shin peak. Elevating the bar this manner will assist cease you from rounding your decrease again, as you may do if the bar was resting on the ground.
2. Stand along with your ft about hip-width aside, toes below the bar. Squat down and seize the bar with a shoulder-width, overhand grip. Along with your arms straight, elevate your chest and arch your decrease again barely. That is your beginning place.
3. Along with your abs braced, drive your ft explosively into the bottom and pull the bar straight up. Hold it near your legs. Consider this as a quick deadlift.
4. Subsequent, and because the bar strikes previous your knees, drive your hips ahead, and pull the bar up the entrance of your physique.
5. Because the bar nears your chest, bend your knees and drop right into a quarter-depth squat. Snap your elbows ahead and below the bar. Catch the bar on the entrance of your shoulders. Your palms needs to be going through the ceiling, and the elbows pointed straight forward.
6. Full your repetition by straightening your legs and standing absolutely upright.
7. Decrease the bar again to the ground or, in case you are coaching on a correct lifting platform and are utilizing bumper plates, enable the bar to drop to the ground.

12. Bent-over row

Goal muscle tissues: Latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, deltoids, biceps.

The bent-over row is a basic barbell again train. It not solely works the latissimus dorsi, referred to as the lats for brief, that are the muscle tissues on the aspect of your again however the muscle tissues throughout and between your shoulder blades, too. As well as, bent-over rows practice the decrease again, making bent-over rows an actual back-all rounder.

Easy methods to do it:

1. Maintain a barbell with a shoulder-width underhand grip or a barely wider overhand grip. Stand along with your ft about shoulder-width aside, knees barely bent.
2. Bend over till your torso is simply above parallel to the ground. Don’t spherical your decrease again.
3. Protecting your wrists straight, bend your arms, and pull the bar up and into your stomach. Retract your shoulder blades and squeeze your again muscle tissues as you accomplish that.
4. Slowly decrease the barbell again down till your arms are prolonged, after which repeat for the specified variety of reps.

13. Barbell biceps curl

Goal muscle tissues: Biceps brachii

Whether or not you’re a bodybuilder or simply elevate weights to look good, it’s a protected wager that you just’ve bought at the least a passing curiosity within the measurement and form of your biceps. Positioned on the entrance of your higher arm, the biceps are arguably essentially the most well-known muscle within the human physique. Everybody who lifts in all probability throws up an arm often and flexes their biceps!

The barbell curl is THE basic biceps train, and if you’d like larger arms, that is the train you must do.

Easy methods to do it:

1. Maintain a barbell with an underhand, shoulder-width grip. Stand along with your chest up and shoulders again, ft about shoulder-width aside. Brace your abs.
2. Protecting your torso stationary, bend your elbows, and curl the bar as much as your shoulders.
3. Decrease the load again down so your arms are straight, and repeat.

14. Barbell triceps cranium crusher

Goal muscle tissues: Triceps brachii

Whereas the triceps will not be as well-known or well-loved because the biceps, if you’d like great-looking arms, they’re arguably extra necessary. That’s as a result of your triceps make up about two-thirds of your higher arm mass, along with your biceps making up the remaining.

Skull crushers are so-called as a result of when you make a mistake, that’s precisely what may occur. However, don’t let this scary identify put you off top-of-the-line triceps workouts round. Nonetheless, please take care to not hit your self on the pinnacle!

Easy methods to do it:

1. Maintain a barbell with an overhand, shoulder-width grip. Lie on a bench and press the bar up, so it’s over your shoulders.
2. Protecting your higher arms perpendicular to the ground, bend your elbows and decrease the bar right down to your brow.
3. Prolong your elbows, push the load again up and repeat.

15. Barbell suitcase deadlift

Goal muscle: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, abductors, adductors, rectus abdominus, obliques, transverse abdominis.

The suitcase deadlift is among the few barbell workouts to instantly work your abdominals. Often known as the single-arm deadlift, your complete core should work very arduous to maintain your torso upright and resist the load because it tries to drag you sideways. That is an isometric or static train, which is how your abs typically work in nature.

Easy methods to do it:

1. Place a barbell on the ground and stand subsequent to it along with your ft about hip-width aside.
2. Squat down and grip the middle bar with an overhand grip, so your thumb is pointing ahead. Straighten your arm.
3. Drop your hips, elevate your chest, and barely arch your decrease again. Look straight forward and brace your abs.
4. With out rounding your again or leaning to the aspect, drive your ft into the ground and get up. Hold your abs braced, working arduous to maintain your torso completely upright.
5. Push your hips again, bend your knees, and decrease the load easily again to the ground. Reset your core and repeat.
6. Relaxation a second on the finish of your set, after which swap sides. Attempt to do the identical variety of reps on all sides.

Finest Barbell Workouts – Wrapping Up

Barbell workouts are perfect for anybody who desires to construct muscle measurement, energy, or energy. The common-or-garden barbell IS a really low-tech coaching device, and but it’s probably the most useful and versatile items of apparatus.

Armed with nothing greater than a barbell, a bench, and a few weights, you possibly can practice each muscle in your physique. There isn’t a want for high-tech machines or difficult coaching strategies. Simply load up your barbell and elevate – easy!

That stated, there are tons of of workouts you are able to do with a barbell, and a few are higher than others.

Make the very best use of your coaching time by constructing your exercises across the 15 workouts on this article. Rep for rep, these workouts will give you the largest bang to your exercise buck.