Barbell workouts are not only suitable for the gym, but also for building muscle, strength, and power at home with a single barbell. These five exercises are great for building muscle throughout the body and are suitable for beginners and practicing exercisers.

Barbells can add more weight than having a pair of dumbbells, which are best adjustable, and may help you develop more strength and muscle mass than free weights. As with dumbbells, learning how to hold a heavy barbell can also help improve grip strength while putting more effort into various muscle groups.

At the gym, I swear by these five barbell exercises if you want to develop a full-body workout without having to move between equipment or spend hours exercising. Before your workout, also include mobility exercises with the best resistance bands.

If you need to check for proper form, especially if you are a beginner using barbells for the first time, consult a medical professional or qualified personal trainer for assistance. If you experience back pain, stop immediately and consult your physician.

The barbell vs. dumbbell debate is popular in the fitness community. Dumbbells are more accessible and suitable for beginners because they allow for unilateral (one-sided) training and can target muscle imbalances and weaknesses. However, barbells are better suited for lifting heavier weights and are great for muscle growth, but both can help you develop functional movement patterns.

I call these the "Big 5" because they are the best exercises for building strength, muscle mass, power, increasing bone density, and protecting the body from injury. If you've checked out the core five dumbbell exercises for building muscle mass, strength, and power, you're probably already familiar with these movements, but barbells require a different technique.

For a full-body functional workout that targets the back, chest, shoulders, arms, core, glutes, and legs, we recommend performing all five barbell exercises in a single exercise session. This barbell strength program consists of only five compound lifts and should take 45 minutes to an hour to complete.

When lifting heavier weights and building strength and muscle mass, the program should consist of five sets of three to five reps with a few minutes of rest. If you want to work on metabolic conditioning, increase to 10-15 reps, reduce rest to 30-60 seconds, and perform exercises as a circuit. Pay attention to movement and strengthen the core.

It's time to build a leaner, stronger, more muscular and powerful body. Here's how. [The barbell back squat places weights on the upper back and targets the back, glutes, hamstrings, and other posterior chain muscles, along with the core muscles, hip flexors, and quads, which are the muscles worked by the squat.

Barbell deadlifts target the posterior chain, including the spinal erectors, glutes, hamstrings, and trunk muscles that support the spine. They also strengthen the quadriceps and help develop grip strength. Learn how to deadlift with proper form here, but remember to squeeze your glutes when extending the hips and avoid over-extending the hips when standing. Engage your core and psoas muscles and drop your shoulders back before lifting. [21] [22] The bench press is a great way to introduce variation and a variety of techniques. The bench press supports the pectoralis major, anterior deltoids, and triceps. Track the barbell over your chest and do not bounce the bar back against your body. Exhale and forcefully drive the bar upward, relaxing the bar above eye level.

The barbell bent-over row works the back muscles and improves posture and core strength. The bent-over posture primarily targets the glutes, rhomboids, lower back, and posterior deltoids (behind the shoulders) while switching on the hamstrings and hip flexors. A wider grip will move the dorsal muscles farther from the spine, while a narrower grip will move the dorsal muscles closer to the spine.

Keep your chest flat, spine neutral, and row toward your navel, not your chest. Depending on your grip, you can also target your biceps and forearms. Click here for a comparison of barbell rowing and good mornings. [Like the bench press, it works the pectoralis major, triceps, trapezius (upper back), and anterior deltoids. Variations of the overhead press include the Arnold press and the Z press (Arnie's movement requires dumbbells).

Try variations on these exercises to see how strength training can boost your metabolism and the six exercises that are essential for building full-body strength. Once you've worked up a sweat on the overhead press, cool down with these five shoulder stretches to ease soreness and build strength.