If you, like most modern men, are constantly busy and don’t have a lot of free time, surely interested in having classes in the gym passed as efficiently as possible with minimal time costs. In this case, you should pay attention to the most useful exercises with a barbell and put them at the core of their training sessions.
With the help of a personal trainer and competing athlete Tom Wright, who squats with 220 kg and squeezes 170 kg, we made a set of 7 exercises that can provide quick and impressive results in building strength and muscle mass.
“When it comes to training, barbell exercises are the best.” option. Strength development requires basic multi-joint exercises that involve various muscle groups and stimulate thousands of nerve endings responsible for our strength indicators, “- says Wright.
According to the athlete, since such exercises actively stimulate central nervous system and require great effort, perform them always at the beginning of a workout. As a rule, you should choose 2 exercises for the lower body, such as squats and deadlifts traction, and the same for the upper part, for example, bench press and traction tilt rods.
Alternatively, you can conduct a comprehensive training of the whole body, pumping first its upper, and then the lower part. it will allow you to do more work in a short period of time, and will also increase heart rate, which will make the workout with a barbell for weight loss even more effective.
According to Wright, you need to start with moderate weight, and then increase it every week.
- Basic barbell exercises
- Bench press
- Inclined rod pull
- Grab bottom
- Do dumbbell pulls with one hand
- Deadlift
- Shoulder Squats
- Perform Bulgarian split squats
- Army bench press
- Bench press
- T-bench press
- Barbell Lunges
- Perform back lunges to make progress
- Taking the barbell on the chest
- Hanging chest
- Dumbbell Bench Squats and Box Jumps (stand)
- Barbell Training Program
- Once a week for all muscle groups
- Basic barbell exercises
- Bench press
- Inclined rod pull
- Grab bottom
- Do dumbbell pulls with one hand
- Deadlift
- Shoulder Squats
- Perform Bulgarian split squats
- Army bench press
- Bench press
- T-bench press
- Barbell Lunges
- Perform back lunges to make progress
- Taking the barbell on the chest
- Hanging chest
- Dumbbell Bench Squats and Box Jumps (stand)
- Barbell Training Program
- Once a week for all muscle groups
Basic barbell exercises
So, let’s go directly to the list.
Bench press
Technique of execution: to accept the original position, lie on a bench, put your feet on the floor and hold barbell on outstretched arms at chest level. Press your shoulders to the bench tighten your buttocks, bend your arms and lower the barbell to your chest, and then lift back.
Target muscles: chest, triceps, front deltas
Simultaneous inclusion of the muscles of the chest, shoulders and triceps does this basic exercise, along with deadlift and Squats, one of the best strength tests. On triceps here you can give much more load than push-ups on the bars or extension of arms in the crossover
The bench press also involves the muscles of the upper back. Keep track of so that the shoulder blades remain motionless and are pressed against the bench. This kind of tension will keep you steady when work with large weights. It is to strengthen this situation sometimes powerlifters even lift their hips from the bench to press the scapula into it more strongly.
Eliminate muscle imbalance
If you have strong chest muscles but weak shoulder stabilizers, then it will be difficult for you to lift a lot of weight in the bench press. In such One-handed dumbbell bench press is a great option for you. since this exercise requires a lot of control in the shoulder joint as well as strong bark to balance weight. If if you have an imbalance in muscle development, then devote it elimination 1 day a week, and then he will rather quickly remain in the past.
Additional exercises
The best supplements to the bench press are push-ups or narrow grip presses that work the same muscles, but from a different angle. As soon as you can do 10 reps with your own body weight without breaking techniques, start adding weights to the belt or hold dumbbell between the legs.
Inclined rod pull
Technique: grab the bar grip shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly and bend so that so that the body is at an angle of 45 ° to the floor. Pull the bar on yourself by touching his stomach, and then slowly lower it back. If the upper body moves during the exercise, which means You have chosen too heavy weight.
Target muscles: biceps, latissimus, core
You should spend as much time training your back how much and on the chest. The main exercise here is barbell pull tilting as it is an effective way to develop the strength of the upper body parts and add volume to your back. It requires not only significant traction, but also the ability to hold steady in bent position, which allows you to strengthen the muscle, straightening the spine, which is part of the cortex.
Watch the position of the blades
If you want to lift a lot of weight and effectively train all target muscles, you should pay particular attention to the original position. Starting to pull on a slope, tighten the shoulder blades and pull them back and down and also extend your chest so your elbows can move freely along the sides. You can also try incomplete grip (thumbs on top of the bar), which will allow more active use the latissimus dorsi.
Common mistakes
“Firstly, many athletes are pulling weight, including mainly biceps, not the widest, ”says Wright. – Secondly, choose too heavy weight, which leads to a violation of technology and reduce range of motion. Too fast repetition also may impede progress. Remember that for muscle growth need to be energized for about 40 seconds. ”
Grab bottom
Once you learn how to perform movements correctly, you can start experimenting with different variations of the exercise. For example, if you want to pump large latitudes and strengthen lower back, try using the bottom grip with a narrow arrangement hands. It also allows for more active use of the biceps. By the way tilt rod traction is more effective for building the widest back muscles than the pull of the upper block to the chest.
Do dumbbell pulls with one hand
“This is my favorite add-on to tilt bar pull exercise, says Wright. – Take a dumbbell in one hand, the other put on a bench and spread your legs wide. Pull the dumbbell back and up so that it moves along a curved path to lower chest. This exercise allows you to move in a wider range of motion and is great for developing cortex and oblique muscles of the abdomen. ”
Deadlift
Technique of execution: spread your legs on shoulder width and grasp the bar so that your arms are from the outside sides of the legs. Keeping your back straight, move your pelvis forward and lift the barbell. Lower the barbell slowly, although as soon as you start work with heavy weights, you can at the end of the last repetition tossing her to the floor.
Target muscles: to all muscle groups of the body
Deadlift is the best exercise for developing strength. It will allow you to lift more weight than any other exercise with barbell, and works out all the muscles of the back chain.
More about the technique
Although at first glance the deadlift may seem simple exercise, when it is performed, many mistakes are made. “Bad technology fails most average athletes, and can serious injury, says Wright. – When lifting weight take your shoulders back, chest forward, and shoulder blades together. This creates tension in the back, which helps prevent rounding the lower back or feeding the pelvis forward too early. Also tighten your buttocks and push your heels off the floor. ”
Progress
Even if you are a beginner athlete, you will progress rapidly. and soon in working weight you will reach 100 kg. And then the question of proper technique will become especially important. If you will have it limp, then do deadlift in the power frame, installing the bar at a height of about 30cm from the floor. So you You will develop strength in a shorter range of motion. how only you will begin to perform each repetition correctly, you can increase the speed of lifting the bar.
To improve speed performance perform heavy swing weight. So you can strengthen the buttocks and hips, which is positive will affect the results in deadlift.
Shoulder Squats
Technique: Place the barbell on stand and stand under it so that the bar is on your shoulders. Take 2 big steps back and spread your legs shoulder width apart turning your socks out a little. Keeping your back straight, lower yourself into squat as if you were sitting on a chair until your hips will be below the knees. Stand up, pushing off the floor heels.
Target muscles: quadriceps, buttocks, back thigh surface
“Whether you like it or not, strength will always be determined squat results, says Wright. – The reason for this is the fact that this exercise involves both lower and upper body parts at the same time. ”
Avoid Incomplete Repetitions
You must have seen people in the gyms set huge weights on the bar and do partial repetitions. In fact, they are wasting their time. To squat correct, the hips should fall at least to the level of the knees. If partial repetitions are done, the muscles will not get what they need. stimulus to growth. Warm up for 5-10 minutes before start doing squats to move in full amplitude with proper depth, improve results and avoid injuries.
Benefits for all parts of the body.
Although squats are primarily an exercise for the legs, the upper body also participates in them and plays an increasingly important role in building working weight. “An easy way to make sure correct execution, make sure that the back is straight and the chest looking forward, says Wright. – You can also lower the bar just below the shoulders and put your elbows forward to reduce the load on legs and core. You will be surprised at how the character changes. exercises”.
Perform Bulgarian split squats
Power imbalance between the left and right sides of the body, rather total, lead to a deterioration in technology and, ultimately, injury. To avoid such negative consequences, follow one-sided exercises. “After the classic squats go to the Bulgarian split squat, ”Wright advises. – holding in hands dumbbells, take one leg back and put it on a bench. Get down in the squat, keeping the shin of the front leg upright. Exercise develops leg muscles as well as balance to help you. when doing squats with a barbell on your shoulders. ”
Army bench press
Technique: stand straight, place your feet shoulder width apart, position the barbell on top chest, arms spread slightly wider than shoulders. Tighten the press, buttocks muscles and quadriceps. Lift the barbell above your head, pause, and then lower it back. You may find that you are raising more weight if you grab the bar with an open grip (thumbs on top of the bar).
Target muscles: shoulders, triceps
Army bench press requires strength and balance, as well as good mobility in the shoulders. Exercise strengthens the deltoid muscles and back muscles, which positively affects the results in the bench press lying down.
The center of gravity
To handle the heaviest possible weight, lift the barbell right above your head. “The center of gravity must go through the head, the upper spine, thighs and ankles, says Wright. – Keep them in line, straining the muscles of the abdomen and buttocks. it’s the same will allow you to increase your working weight by about 10%. ”
Bench press
To properly perform the army bench press, you must be able to retract the shoulder blades and extend your arms so that your elbows are right under the bar. To develop this ability, try perform bench press from behind the head. This variation will work better back deltas and backs, however you need to reduce weight by about 30% and use a little more wide grip.
T-bench press
The shoulder joints are quite vulnerable because they are very mobile and include a group of small stabilizing muscles that called a rotational cuff. “To strengthen them, after army bench press do t-bar bench press, – Wright advises. For this Place one end of the neck in the corner of the room, and take the other in your hand and bend it over your head. Do not forget to keep your abdominal muscles tense. ”
Barbell Lunges
Technique: place the barbell on shoulders, stand straight, retract the shoulder blades and tighten the muscles of the cortex. Take a big step forward and lower your torso until both legs will not bend at an angle of 90 degrees, and then, pushing off front foot, return to starting position.
Target muscles: quadriceps, buttocks, back thigh surface
“Lunges have many variations and can work through everything muscle groups in the lower body, says Wright. – This is one of the most underrated exercises for athletic development abilities. ”
Torso
Although lunges are primarily directed on the lower body, in fact, the load also falls on everything torso. The harder you strain your torso muscles, the more stable will be your position. Try to tighten your muscles as much as possible abdomen and take your shoulders back before you lunge. Shallow lunges will give more load to the quadriceps, and deep – on the hips and buttocks. If the shin protrudes forward, then the emphasis done on the front of the leg, if not, then on the back chain.
Perform back lunges to make progress
Back lunges have many benefits, including development balance and coordination of movements. “If ordinary lunges are given to you with difficulty, this may be due to stiffness in the hip flexors or ankles, so back lunges can be real for you salvation, “says Wright.
The benefits of long lunges
“To develop strength and speed, I perform long lunges and I push my heels off the floor, straining my buttocks, ”says Wright. – Without stopping in the upper phase of the exercise, I immediately move on to the next lunge. It is more like slow motion run. This approach helps maintain core tension and build up strength and power. ”
Taking the barbell on the chest
Technique: Put the barbell on the floor and grab the bar with your arms wide apart. Pushing off heels off the floor, start lifting the bar, and when it turns out at knee level, jerk (using inertia of movement) take it on chest. Pause and then lower the bar to the original position. position.
Target muscles: whole body
Exercise aims to develop power and speed. “Taking the barbell to the chest was used athletes for many years to improve performance, says Wright. – It allows you to develop everything body, because it combines deadlift and chest lift with hanging. ”
Warm up
It is necessary to carry out a barbell on the chest at the beginning of the training, but that doesn’t mean that you should immediately put 80 kg on the bar and go into all seriousness. “Be sure to warm up properly, – Wright advises. – Pay particular attention to the shoulders and the widest muscles of the back. Hip mobility is the key because when lifting the barbell with explosive force you must quickly forward the pelvis. ”
Hanging chest
If you do not set the goal to build your legs, then you can perform taking on the chest from the hang (when the rod is in the initial position held in lowered hands at hips, not on the floor). This variation of exercise improves grip strength, which in turn will have a positive effect on the results in other exercises. “Hanging on your chest is ideal for when you want to focus exclusively on your upper body, “- says Wright.
Dumbbell Bench Squats and Box Jumps (stand)
“I like to do these two exercises right after taking barbell on the chest, – says Wright. – Jumps to the box will improve speed and strength, and squats with a dumbbell press up allow simultaneously work on the lower and upper parts of the body. ”
Barbell Training Program
Please note: before starting classes you must do warm-up for muscles, ligaments and joints, then several warm-ups approaches with light weight, it is possible with an empty neck for 15-20 repetitions and only then move on to the main scheme.
For each exercise, choose a weight on the bar so that you could without fail to fulfill all approaches with the specified number of repetitions.
Once a week for all muscle groups
- Squats – 4 x 8-12 pvtors
- Deadlift on straight legs – 4 for 8-12 reps
- Narrow Grip Bench – 4 x 8-12
- Inclined barbell pull – 4 x 8-12
- Army Bench Press – 4 x 8-12
- Shrugs – 4 x 8-12
- Biceps Curls – 4 x 8-12
- French bench press – 3 x 8-12
- Torso – 3 x 8-12
- Torso Turns with Barbell on Shoulders – 3 x 8-12