Top 25 full body barbell exercises + 2 ready-made workout plans

• July 9, 2018
• Home workouts
• Valieva Olga

An athletic body can be achieved at home without purchasing a gym membership. To do this, you need to regularly perform a set of basic and isolating exercises. Of course, you will have to work on self-discipline: it is much more pleasant to bask in a warm bed than to sweat with a barbell on your shoulders. But in order to achieve the goal you will have to be patient. The principles of creating a training program with barbells and dumbbells are described in this article.

Safety precautions for working with barbells and barbells at home

Fitness neophytes hope that they can increase muscle size through athletics or exercise on an elliptical or treadmill. This is mistake. Muscle tissue hypertrophies only with regular damage, and for this it is necessary to load it with weights. The home workout program with barbells and dumbbells involves working with free weights.

Safety precautions should be observed: an athlete should never attempt to work without support with a weight with which he can only perform one or two repetitions. The optimal weight is the one with which you can perform ten repetitions of any of the basic exercises. At the same time, on the tenth execution, severe pain and burning is felt in the muscle, which indicates its maximum load.

Training at home with a barbell should only take place if the athlete feels well, is not sick, and is full of strength and energy. Otherwise, it is easy to get injured and physically overworked, which provokes catabolism (breakdown of muscle tissue).

Injury Prevention in Powerlifting

Lifting belt
To avoid injuries, you should not try to master the technique of a new exercise on your own, but ask for help from a coach or an experienced athlete in the gym. If the technique is followed, the risk of injury is very small. You shouldn’t try to increase the weight on the barbell too quickly; everything needs to be done correctly and in a timely manner. To protect your lower back, you should use a weightlifting or powerlifting belt. To protect your knees, you can use special or medical knee pads. To protect the hands, there are hand bandages.

Types of exercises with a barbell

There are three main types:

1. Compound exercises are best for building muscle mass. Training at home with a barbell should definitely contain them. These are complex multi-joint exercises that use one muscle group to a greater extent and others to a lesser extent. There are three basic exercises - the deadlift, bench press and squat. Beginners should include each of these exercises in their home workout program with a barbell.
2. Formative exercises are necessary for muscle hypertrophy, highlighting symmetry, trimming the shape and delineating the relief of both specific fibers and their individual areas and bundles. These exercises allow you to refine the load on small muscles that remain little involved in the process of performing the base. As a rule, beginners do not need to include formative exercises in their barbell training program at home, since the main large muscle bundles have not yet formed. After three to four months of regular exercise at home, you can move on to formative and isolating exercises.
3. Isolation exercises exercise only one muscle or a small group of muscle bundles. It makes sense to include them in a training program with barbells and dumbbells only after both the basic and formative ones have been completely mastered. Examples of such exercises: barbell curls, French presses, leg kicks.

Set of exercises

Below is a complete set of exercises performed using a barbell. In total, you need to complete from 3 to 5 approaches, each consisting of 6-12 repetitions of the exercise.

The maximum indicator is aimed at developing endurance and strength in athletes. To simply increase muscle mass throughout the body, 3-4 sets with average repetitions are enough.

Bench press

The bench press is one of the basic exercises with which it is recommended that beginners begin training in order to understand their specifics.

It is performed as follows:

1. Take a lying position on a special bench designed for performing bench presses in this position.
2. Your hands should hold the barbell so that the distance between them is about 55-60 cm.
3. The main support for supporting the barbell should be the palms, so the hands should not be bent, the thumbs should be on top.
4. Remove the barbell and take the starting position, in which your elbows should be at right angles to your back.
5. When performing lowering movements, the barbell must be moved at a slight angle; this minimizes the load on the shoulders and forearms, which reduces the risk of injury.
6. The point of contact when lowering the bar should be several centimeters lower than when it was in its original vertical position.
7. For beginners, 6-12 repetitions of the exercise will be enough, depending on the sensations; changing their number is aimed at developing strength and endurance, but not for building muscle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpZl9vgSdOw

Deadlift

There are a number of different deadlift executions, the classic version is discussed in detail below:

1. Approaching the bar , you need to spread your legs wide.
2. Take the barbell with an overhand grip, this is done while squatting.
3. When your arms are in a vertical position, your forearms should be positioned above the bar.
4. The implementation of traction begins after exhalation; before this, it is necessary to draw the maximum amount of air into the lungs.
5. After the bar is raised above knee level, you will need to straighten up and bring your shoulder blades as close to each other as possible.
6. When lowering the barbell down , the pelvis is retracted and the lower back bends, but you must try not to change the position of the shoulder blades brought together. After the sports equipment is below knee level, you can squat down so that the weights touch the floor.

Bent-over barbell row

This exercise is one of the most effective for working the muscles of the dorsal region and increasing their total mass; it is performed as follows:

1. The barbell is grabbed from above; your palms should be wider than your shoulders at this moment.
2. Bending your knees , make a significant lean forward so that your body is in a position parallel to the floor surface; your arms must be kept as straight as possible.
3. As you exhale, you need to lift the barbell with a powerful jerk and pull it until it touches the lower abdomen.
4. Try to bring your shoulder blades together as much as possible without leaving the indicated position.
5. Take a deep breath and return to the starting position.

Squats

There are various modifications of barbell squats designed for experienced athletes; below we consider the classic version, designed for people with any level of training:

1. The barbell is taken with a wide grip, the lower back bends, after which the bar is placed on the shoulders.
2. The legs should be wide apart, the elbows should be pulled back to bring the shoulder blades together as much as possible.
3. Take a deep breath and squat so that your thighs are parallel to the floor. If physical fitness and preparation allow, then you can bend them even more.
4. After exhaling , take the starting position.

French press

The French press is one of the most specific exercises, which is primarily aimed at complex and high-quality development of the triceps.

It is performed as follows:

1. Take a lying position , the bar should be taken with a narrow grip. At the same time, you need to try to slightly tilt your arms vertically, this will create additional stress on the triceps for better and more effective development.
2. Take a deep breath , then you need to bend both arms at the elbow joints to lower the bar to head level.
3. Exhale , straighten both arms, which will allow you to return to the original position.

Biceps curl

This is one of the most effective exercises, which during its implementation allows you to maximize the use and work out of the biceps, it is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. The bar must be taken from the bottom side, while the arms should not bend at the elbows or shoulders.
2. The legs need to be spread wide apart, the knees can be slightly bent.
3. Exhale the air from your lungs , bend your arms at the elbow joints to lift the barbell.
4. Take a deep breath , lower the sports equipment and return to the starting position.

Press up

The chest press is another effective basic course exercise that can be performed while standing.

It is carried out as follows:

1. Straighten your back as much as possible grab the bar with your hands and lift the sports equipment high up, your legs should be wide apart while performing.
2. Inhale and begin to smoothly lower the bar until it is near your upper chest.
3. The upward press is performed while exhaling.

However, this exercise can be performed not only standing, but also from a sitting position:

1. Take a sitting position on a bench, while using your legs to firmly rest on the floor surface.
2. Bend your lower back as much as possible , grab the bar with your hands and remove the sports equipment from the holders, placing it high above your head.
3. As you inhale , gently lower the barbell at an angle so that it reaches the upper chest area, and as you exhale, return it to its original position above your head.

Chin pull

The chin pull is also included in the basic course; the exercise is designed to develop the deltoid muscle group, it is carried out as follows:

1. The bar is taken with a medium grip , while the arms should be slightly bent at the elbow joints.
2. After exhaling the air from your lungs, lift the barbell up, while keeping your elbows apart in different directions. You must try to pull the projectile towards the chin as much as possible.
3. Take a short pause , freezing in this position, then take a deep breath and return to the starting position.

Lunges

Performing lunges works the muscles of the buttocks the most, but the hamstrings and quadriceps also receive a load.

These exercises must be performed according to the following algorithm:

1. Take one foot back and place it on your toes; it should remain in this position in the future.
2. Place the bar on your shoulders.
3. Taking a deep breath , begin to make downward movements - squats.
4. to the starting position while exhaling.

There are modified variations of the exercise, for example, performing lunges to the side or additionally using a special platform. This allows you to increase the number of muscle groups that are involved in the workout.

Forward bends

Forward bending is an extremely effective exercise because it targets the lower back muscles, but also involves a number of other muscle groups, including the glutes.

Similar tilts are performed as follows:

1. The bar must be placed on the back of the shoulders.
2. Try to bring your shoulder blades together as much as possible, bend your knees slightly.
3. While inhaling , begin to bend your hips and at the same time try to move them back, while the body should begin to lower until it reaches a position that is parallel to the floor surface.
4. After exhaling all the air from your lungs, take your starting position.

Barbell squats at home

Squats are a basic exercise that are quite difficult to perform. Despite its complexity, every beginning athlete should master it perfectly. Without regular squats, it is impossible to achieve muscular legs and rounded buttocks. By the way, this is also a favorite exercise for girls: it is with its help that you can “pump up” your Brazilian shape.

Improper squatting technique can lead to knee and joint injuries. To avoid this, at first the exercise should be performed only under the supervision of an experienced trainer. The main rule: when squatting, the knees should not “peek” over the toes, this leads to a shift in the center of gravity. As a result, the balance of the axial load on the spine is disrupted. Incorrect squatting technique and extremely heavy weights are guaranteed to lead not only to knee injuries, but also to problems with the spine.

Recommendations and tips

• Nutrition plays a vital role in both weight gain and weight loss, so it cannot be ignored. In order to lose weight, it is necessary to reduce the amount of simple carbohydrates - sugar, flour and sweets, pasta, cereals and fruits with a high glycemic index. The emphasis in nutrition is on low-fat protein foods, unsaturated fatty acids, complex carbohydrates - fiber, which is found in large quantities in cereals and vegetables. Meals when losing weight do not exceed four meals, one of which can be a snack if necessary.
• In addition to the high load, it is also important for weight gain to eat properly and fully recover. An athlete's diet should include a large amount of protein - 2-3 grams per 1 kilogram of body weight, carbohydrates - 3-4 grams per 1 kg of body weight, and fat - 1-2 g. Food should be divided into 5-6 meals per day. during the day.
• Adequate sleep is necessary to maintain normal levels of testosterone, an anabolic steroid, as well as to prevent the production of the stress hormone cortisol, the main muscle destroyer. You need to sleep 7-9 hours, and you should fall asleep no later than 23.00. This recommendation is relevant for both mass gain and weight loss.

Description of the technique of classic squats with a barbell at home

Classic squats: feet shoulder-width apart, the barbell held in the hands behind the head at the level of the fifth cervical vertebra or slightly lower. You should not place the bar on your neck - this is a common mistake for beginners. Lean back with your pelvis, as if the person is about to sit down on a chair standing behind you. Perform a squat parallel to the floor, then return to the starting position with a perfectly straight back.

The optimal number of repetitions per approach is from eight to twelve. The exercise involves working with a weight with which the athlete does not have the strength to perform the exercise more than twelve times. The last execution should be difficult - this is evidence of a conscientious approach.

EZ-barbell biceps curl. Execution technique

Let's now look at the technique of performing the EZ-barbell biceps curl exercise, although I repeat, it will not differ in any way from the classic version with a straight bar.

So, let's talk about the technique of performing this exercise.

1. Starting position: Hang a weight on a barbell that you can lift for 6-12 repetitions (8-15 for girls), take the barbell at shoulder width, place your legs about the same, you can slightly bend your knees. The palms are facing forward, the hands are EXTENSION, and the elbows are pressed tightly to the body (the elbows are either pushed forward (the inner head works) or pushed back (the outer head works), but, nevertheless, pressed to the body). The abdominal muscles are tense.
2. We draw air into the lungs (inhale), after which, fixing the shoulders and pressing the elbows, we begin UNDER CONTROL, feeling the biceps at each point of the amplitude, and begin to bend the arm using the biceps. At the same time, our hands are still in an extended state (we are not trying to help ourselves with our hands). Continue curling your arm until you feel a peak biceps contraction (your arm can no longer bend) and the barbell is just below shoulder level. Stay in this position for 1 second. Bending your arm, gradually exhale the air from your lungs.
3. We exhale completely at the top point of the amplitude (the point of maximum tension).
4. Slowly, under control, lower the barbell back towards your hips, almost fully straightening your elbow joint, but KEEPING TENSION in your biceps. As you lower the barbell, gradually inhale air until your chest is completely filled.
5. We do the required number of repetitions.

Useful tips:

• The back is FIXED! There should be no swaying of the body, no throwing of the barbell, movement should be carried out only with the help of the elbow joint.
• We lift the barbell in a wide arc, rather than trying to quickly bend the joint.
• At the top point of the amplitude we perform a PEAK CONTRACTION, i.e. We additionally strain the biceps to give it additional load.
• We lift faster than we lower. 1-1.5 s to rise, 2-2.5 s to lower.
• There is no need to throw the barbell; always lower it down under control and smoothly.
• At the bottom of the movement, you should straighten your elbows until you lose tension in your biceps. Where the tension starts to go away, stop. Biceps are always tense!
• Perform a fascia stretch after performing biceps curls (biceps stretch).
• This is the best exercise to train your biceps, start your arm workout with it.
• Additionally, use a weightlifting belt to avoid unnecessary tension in the lumbar spine.

Look at the detailed diagram of how to perform the EZ-barbell biceps curl:

As you can see, in the picture above I am performing the barbell curl in its classic form (with the elbows slightly pushed forward) and lifting the barbell in a large arc, and not in a shortened version.

Now I'll show you what I mean.

Here are two options for performing the EZ barbell curl:

1. The first (classic version): more difficult in terms of lifting, because a large load is additionally created at point “B”. This option will allow you to take less weight, but the time the muscle is under load is longer, all other things being equal.
2. Second option (reduced amplitude): I will give it to you not to make your life easier, but so that you can take more weight, but at the same time the movement (bending) must be carried out more slowly to compensate for the shorter time under load due to the smaller amplitude of movement.

For example, if you are already stuck with one working weight and cannot progress the load even by 2.5 kg, then it will be useful to perform the exercise in the second version, which will give you further progression and help you take on a new weight.

Although, I repeat, due to the EZ bar, you will initially be able to carry more weight due to the more comfortable position of the hands.

Varieties of deadlift

The deadlift is a basic multi-joint exercise. Allows you to pump your back: the latissimus and trapezius muscles, as well as the biceps of the thigh (the back of the leg). Indirectly includes the gluteus maximus muscle, calves, triceps, and rectus peritoneum muscle.

Training at home with a barbell must include this exercise, and it is better to perform it in front of a mirror to learn the correct technique.

Basic Principles of Strength Training

Deadlifts
In powerlifting, training is of a strength nature. This means that the athlete must gradually increase the intensity of the training and increase the tonnage of weights lifted. As for the work regime, unlike bodybuilding, where an athlete tries to work one or several muscle groups during a workout and performs 3-4 working approaches in 10-12 repetitions, a lifter trains one or two competitive movements in 4-5 approaches in each lesson 3-6 repetitions each.

Ways to perform deadlifts at home

Experienced trainers advise mastering both methods and alternating them:

1. The classic stiff-legged deadlift is the ideal exercise for building an athletic back. If you alternate it with pull-ups with a narrow and wide grip, you can achieve an ideal back in six months. When performing the classic version of the exercise, the legs do not bend at the knees - the entire load when lifting the weight falls on the back muscles. You cannot round the spine during exercise: this leads to the development of scoliosis, chondrosis, and over time can provoke the appearance of a hernia.
2. The Romanian deadlift differs from the classic one in that when lifting the weight, the legs are bent at the knees almost parallel to the floor. This style of execution provides stress on the hamstrings and gluteus maximus muscles.

Bench press

It must be performed with a narrow grip. This exercise has a good effect on the development of triceps and increases the level of endurance. Experts advise performing three sets of five or six exercises with heavy loads. Of course, novice athletes need to start with smaller standards, but over time they need to quickly increase the mass so that the muscle groups feel it.

The process will involve three fascicles of triceps, the pectoralis major muscle and deltoids. The exercise should be performed on a bench or lying on the floor. Pancakes can be placed on a support. Bend your legs and rest them on the floor, lean your chest forward a little, but not too much, so that your body feels supported. Technique for performing an exercise with a curved bar:

• you need to take a narrow grip;
• press the triceps upward as much as possible;
• lower, touching the chest with the bar, but do not squeeze it; your hands should feel the load in the lower position.

The lowering phase should be different from the lifting phase. Its duration in this case doubles. For greater comfort, you need to take a short rest between lifting and lowering.

Barbell or dumbbells: which is better for a beginner?

A basic weight training program involves using a barbell; if a girl is training, then at least an empty barbell. Only such a design can provide the proper load. But isolation exercises can be performed with dumbbells or even just barbell discs.

The barbell eliminates the work of small muscle bundles. The rigid fixation of the projectile itself prevents the joints from “walking” from side to side. Dumbbells make it necessary to control the weight throughout the entire trajectory of movement. As a result, a better relationship is established between brain commands and muscle contractions. This process helps to hone the technique of each exercise.

Ideally, you should try doing the entire base—squats, deadlifts, bench presses—with dumbbells first to better understand which muscles are involved and what the trajectory of the movement is. And then move on to training at home with a barbell. Before each lesson, it is necessary to warm up the joints to avoid injuries.

A little bit of history

When we hear the word “barbell,” we immediately imagine a long iron stick with weights hanging on the edges.

But once upon a time this word did not exist at all. Today, a barbell means a sports power projectile of variable weight, consisting of a steel axle (bar) and metal plates screwed onto the edges of the axle.

The barbell is different. They differ in the thickness of the neck, the size of the plates, and the fastenings.

The first mention of the similarity of a barbell was noticed in the chronicles of the 16th century AD.

Starting from the 16th century, descriptions of solid and hollow weighting materials began to appear in historical chronicles. The word “solid cast” speaks for itself, but sand or something else (for example, shot) was poured into the hollow ones. The length of the neck at that time was no more than 1 meter.

The first collapsible rod appeared in the 19th century in Germany. And since 1896, the collapsible barbell has become the standard of the Olympic Games. The peculiarity of that rod was that its axis did not rotate.

In the 20th century, they figured out, again in Germany, how to give the bar axial mobility. Now the axis could rotate, and this was invented by a German engineer named Berg.

At that time, discs or pancakes, as they are now commonly called, were exclusively metal and without an external rubber coating.

After 1929, rubber plates appeared, and the barbell became similar to what we know today.

Barbell training at home: trainer's advice

Fitness neophytes often begin their workouts with excessive zeal and end up with injuries to their knees, joints, and spine. As a result, rarely does anyone return to training. To prevent this from happening, you need to increase the load gradually and learn the technique of basic exercises in front of a mirror.

Three workouts a week is enough. Only after a year or a year and a half of regular training can you radically increase the load and move on to four to five workouts per week. Otherwise, it is easy to provoke the so-called overtrain - chronic fatigue of the nervous system due to constant physical fatigue.

About the importance of rest

"Everything should be in moderation". This expression is suitable for people training at home. There are many cases where, in pursuit of quick results, men gave themselves heavy loads. And they achieved the opposite result.

It must be remembered that muscles do not grow during training (the increase is short-term), but during rest.

It is important to give your body a break, eat right so that it receives all the necessary elements for gaining weight . Without proper alternation, such training is worthless.

Principles of creating a training plan

Training at home with a barbell should be based on the main principle: “do no harm.” First you need to master the basic exercises perfectly. This takes on average two to three months. Then you can move on to a more serious load.

You should keep a training diary in which the load will be outlined by day - the number of approaches, exercises performed, working weight. Don't try to lift heavy weights: this will inevitably lead to injuries.

A set of exercises with a barbell at home should combine the load by muscle group. For example, on Monday - back and triceps, Wednesday - pectoral and deltoid muscles, abs, Friday - legs and buttocks. This approach to creating a program allows you to give some muscle groups time to rest while others are being stressed. Thus, the main condition for the growth of muscle fibers is achieved - they have time to recover.

What exercises are performed with a curved bar?

All types of curved bars are used in bodybuilding mainly for training the arms - biceps and triceps.

Read also: Training of hockey players on the ground

Below we list the main exercises with a curved bar for biceps:

1. Biceps curl with EZ bar
2. Scott Bench Curl with EZ Bar
3. Reverse grip barbell lift

The grip width can be narrow, medium or wide.

A bar with parallel handles is used to train the shoulder (brachialis) and brachioradialis (brachioradialis) muscles. Similar movements are performed with it.

All three bars are used to pump up the triceps and perform various versions of the French press - lying, sitting or standing.

Can a girl train at home with dumbbells and barbells?

Every year, competitions like fitness bikini are gaining popularity all over the world. Their meaning is that the participants develop the muscles of the whole body, “dry out” for the competition, as a result of which the winner is determined with the most harmoniously developed, muscular, lean body.

Women's strength fitness is now at the height of fashion. Representatives of the fair sex have long ceased to be afraid of barbells and dumbbells. Exercises for gaining muscle mass for girls are no different from those for men. Of course, due to natural weakness, lighter weights and a less intense tempo are most often used.

Muscle mass after 50 years

Before we dive into the topic of exercise, we must first understand how muscle mass begins to decrease after fifty and how to gain weight in old age.

As you get older, you may notice a gradual decrease in muscle mass. Over time, muscles lose both volume and elasticity.

There are two main reasons for the loss of muscle mass with age.

The first is that the body cannot restore muscles at the same speed as before. Therefore, wounds heal more slowly than at twenty years old. The second reason is that you don’t spend much time in the gym, you have other things to do that simply don’t leave time for training.

These two reasons are related to each other: the body recovers more slowly precisely because you do not exercise.

You have a job, children and grandchildren, not to mention the fact that besides this you have many other things to do and you have no time to go to the gym and work out.

Since you are not doing any sports or other physical activity, your heart rate begins to slow down. When the heart rate slows, blood moves more slowly, making it more difficult for nutrients and oxygen to reach the body's cells.

And if you return to an active lifestyle, you will literally turn back the passage of time, become stronger and notice that your body heals wounds faster.

Besides all this, you will feel much better and younger.

Principles of Women's Strength Training

How to properly train girls at home with a barbell? The principles are the same as for men. Strictly monitor your diet. Ideally, purchase a kitchen scale, weigh each portion and keep a food diary. This meticulous approach will help you avoid gaining weight from fat.

You should start by learning the technique of basic exercises. If the weight of the empty bar is too heavy, you can try using dumbbells. Before starting the workout, do a light joint warm-up, and then stretch.