Whether you’re trying to increase your muscle gains or get stronger to do the things you love, barbell workouts can help you make major progress toward your fitness goals — from larger, more defined muscles to improved ability to do everyday activities like lugging a suitcase or playing with kids. Let’s talk about:
- The benefits of barbell workouts
- How to incorporate barbell exercises into your gym routine
- The seven best barbell exercises to add to your strength routine
The benefits of barbell workouts
Let’s start with one of the biggest benefits of adding barbell exercises to your workouts: versatility. Barbells are helpful when lifting moderate to heavy weights because they can be racked up with weight plates of various sizes.
Depending on the types of barbell exercises you’re doing, you can plan a full-body barbell workout or focus on one muscle group. For example: Barbells can be used in single-joint exercises like bicep curls or bench press, or in compound exercises like squat to overhead press, which targets multiple muscle groups.
Barbell exercises also help:
- Increase muscle size
- Improve postural stability
- Boost strength
- Increase power
How to add barbell lifts to your strength routine
When you’re ready to lift more weight and challenge your muscles in new ways, it’s time to integrate barbell lifts into your strength routine.
Because barbell exercises typically involve the heaviest loads, we recommend doing them at the start of your workout. For example, during a chest workout, a barbell bench press should come first (after your warm-up, of course). This will ensure that your body and muscles are ready to lift without being fatigued, which will help you maintain form and prevent injury.
How to choose a weight for barbell exercises
The weight you choose for barbell exercises depends on the exercises you’re doing, but traditional barbells are 45 pounds. Some specialized barbells, like curl bars for bicep curls, come in varying weights. You can add plates to increase the weight of any barbell — remember to secure the plates onto the barbell with a clip.
The best weight for the different types of barbell exercises varies from person to person. Choose a weight that challenges you without sacrificing your form, and don’t be afraid to start with just the barbell until you build up the strength and stamina to add weight plates.
3 safety tips for strength training with barbell exercises
Use these tips to safely incorporate barbell lifts into your training routine and get the most out of every workout.
- Before adding barbell exercises to your gym routine, focus on building stability and neuromuscular control — aka coordination — by performing unilateral exercises, compound movements, and isometric exercises. This will make your workouts more effective and reduce your risk of injury.
- Try a similar machine or dumbbell exercise to master each movement before progressing to free weights or the barbell. For example: Start with a stability ball push-up. Next, do a dumbbell bench press to build shoulder stability. Then, move to the chest press machine or a barbell bench press.
Use a spotter! Barbells are the most technical piece of gym equipment for strength training — tap a workout buddy or Anytime Fitness Coach to support you through each rep.
The 7 best barbell exercises to add to your strength routine
With the basics covered, let’s get down to the details. Which exercises should you add to your gym routine? Here are seven of our go-to barbell lifts to build upper- and lower-body strength. For each exercise, perform 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps with one to two minutes of rest between sets — choose the volume that feels challenging to you without over-exhausting your muscles.
Related: 5 Signs You Need a Rest Day
Barbell bench press
Muscles worked: Chest (pectorals), arms (triceps), shoulders (serratus anterior, deltoids, trapezius)
The bench press is a classic barbell exercise, and for good reason. It develops your chest and arms to make lifting and pushing easier.
How to:
- Be sure to raise or lower the barbell to a comfortable height before you begin. Lie on a flat bench, holding the barbell with a grip slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Unrack the barbell and keep your arms in a straight position. Avoid locking your elbows and keep your back flat against the bench throughout the movement.
- Bend your elbows to lower the weight to your mid-chest.
- Press the barbell back up to the straight-arm position.
Complete 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps.
Barbell overhead press
Muscles worked: Chest (pectorals), arms (triceps), shoulders (serratus anterior, deltoids, trapezius)
Ever struggle to get your suitcase into an overhead bin? This one’s for you.
How to:
- Stand upright, holding a barbell in front of you at shoulder height with your elbows bent and palms facing forward.
- Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully. Keep your back flat and remain upright throughout the movement. Avoid swaying or swinging the barbell.
- Slowly return the barbell to the starting position.
Complete 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps.
Barbell row
Muscles worked: Back (latissimus dorsi), shoulders (rhomboids, trapezius, rear deltoids)
From picking up kids to lifting heavy boxes, barbell rows help build the strength you need for everyday life.
How to:
- Hold a barbell with your arms straight and bend forward at your waist with your knees slightly bent and your back flat.
- Lift the barbell to your chest, bending at your elbows.
- Lower the barbell back to a straight arm position, keeping your back flat throughout the movement.
Complete 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps.
Barbell deadlift
Muscles worked: Legs (hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps), back (latissimus dorsi), shoulders (trapezius)
Ever heard the phrase, “Lift with your legs?” Deadlifts are the perfect way to practice.
How to:
- Begin in a shoulder-width stance with the bar lined up over your feet.
- Hinge your hips back and flex your knees.
- Grab the barbell with a flat back and straight arms.
- Drive your hips forward, lifting the weight off the floor with your shoulders back.
- Come to an upright position.
- Hinge your hips back to lower the weight back to the starting position.
Complete 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps.
Barbell back squat
Muscles worked: Legs (hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps)
This type of squat targets your glutes and hamstrings more than a front squat and promotes stability for heavier lifts. (Not to mention: glute growth!)
How to:
- Stand upright with the barbell on the back of your shoulders. Keep your feet flat and shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body toward the floor, sending your hips back and down while bending your knees.
- Push through your heels to return to the starting position. Keep your back flat and head up throughout the movement.
Complete 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps.
Barbell front squat
Muscles worked: Hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps
The front squat targets your quads and upper back more than the back squat.
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How to:
- Stand upright with the barbell at the front of your shoulders. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart, elbows bent, and palms facing forward.
- Lower your body toward the floor, sending your hips back and down while bending your knees.
- Push through your heels to return to the starting position. Keep your back flat and head up throughout the movement.
Complete 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps.
Barbell clean
Muscles worked: Hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps, transverse abdominis
Make lifting and carrying easier by incorporating barbell cleans into your routine.
How to:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly outward, so your knees track directly over your feet.
- Squat down with your hips lower than your shoulders, and hold the bar with a shoulder-width grip.
- In one explosive motion, extend your hips and knees to pull the weight off the floor, keeping your arms straight.
- As your body extends, drop under the weight and drive your elbows forward.
- Catch the weight in a front squat position.
- Stand upright with the weight across your shoulders.
Complete 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps.
Can you build muscle with just a barbell?
While you can build muscle with just barbells in a workout, a training program that includes a variety of exercises and modalities (equipment used) is more effective and safer for your body. Bodyweight exercises, dumbbells, stability/BOSU balls, cable equipment, TRX straps, medicine balls, and strength machines can help you build well-rounded strength and work your way up to barbell exercises.
In addition to strength training, it’s important to support your body and training routine with proper nutrition and recovery. Check out these related articles for more tips on how to build an effective strength routine:
- Bulk Better: Here's How Much Protein You Need For Muscle Growth
- Maintain Strength: Take Rest Days for Muscle Growth
Make the most of the barbell in your workouts
As you add more barbell workouts to your training routine, get stronger, and increase sets, reps, or weights, remember to listen to your body and adjust your schedule accordingly. Not feeling challenged? Perform a few more reps in each set or try a new exercise. Feeling exhausted? Lower your weights or take a rest day!
Lastly, keep in mind that an Anytime Fitness Coach could be the partner you need to take your strength routine to the next level. A Coach can help you master moves like the bench press or introduce you to strength training concepts like periodization training to help you get bigger gains without the burnout. Let’s get to work!
More strength training tips for you
- Bench Press: 6 Tips to Burn Fat and Build Muscle
- What Is Functional Training? How to Make Everyday Tasks Easier
- The Beginner’s Guide to Barbell Squats: Build a Strong Foundation
- The Best Lower Chest Workout for Shape and Strength
- The Proper Lunge Form to Build Lower-Body Strength
From offering bench press tips to recommending the ideal sets and reps for barbell workouts, an Anytime Fitness Coach can help you maximize your time in the gym. Find a Coach to get started with a customized training, nutrition, and recovery plan built just for you.
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