Barbell workout for all over fitness

Working out at home these days has become more mandatory due to restrictions imposed at our local gym. This does not mean that our fitness should be affected by these closures. There is a way to stay fit, and still work out at home without all the apparatus. Working out at home with available barbell and weights is a good way of achieving this, so if you have an old set available, then no need to wait for the gym to reopen, start your routine today.

There are many different routines that can be performed to achieve your goal, whether it be for burning fat, or for strength, the use of the humble barbell can help you achieve this. This blog will cover “Total Body Training with only a barbell” the weight on the barbell is up to you, as you get stronger then add more weight.

The assumption with the workouts mentioned here, is that because you are at home, you may not have access to a workout bench. This means all you have is access to a barbell some weights a little bit of room and not much else, this is as bare bones as it gets to still achieve overall fitness.

 

1. Barbell Squats

Stand up, feet shoulder-width apart; place the barbell straight on your trapezius and posterior part of your shoulders. Flex at the hip and then bend your knees and go all the way down as if sitting on a chair until your thighs are parallel to the floor.

Lean your torso forward if you feel that your heels are unstable on the ground. Then get back to the initial position without locking your knees at the end of the movement. Remember to keep your back straight at all times.

2. Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift

Stand up, feet shoulder-width apart holding the barbell in your lowered arms, in front of you. Bend forward at the waist by flexing the hip. Keep your back flat and your head looking up.

Tighten your buttocks and lock your knees while bending forward. Stop going down the moment you feel your hamstrings fully stretched and go back to the starting position.

3. Barbell Lunges

Place the barbell straight on your trapezius and posterior part of your shoulders. Place one foot in front of the other. Bend your rear knee and direct it toward the floor. Do not force your front knee to go forward. Repeat the movement without moving your legs.

4. Standing Barbell Calf Raises

Put the barbell on the rear part of your shoulders and start lifting up and down with your toes while keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent.

7. Bent-Over Barbell Rows

Stand up, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, bend your torso forward and kept it at a 45-degree angle with the floor. Pull the barbell to the sternum while flexing your elbows and pulling your shoulder blades in toward your spine then get back to the initial position.

You can also perform the exercise in a reverse grip by following the same principles. Another option is to hold the barbell in a reverse close-grip manner so you focus more on the outer parts of your upper back. Make sure your back is kept straight throughout the movement.

8. Standing Military Press

Stand up, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold the barbell in front of your shoulders, palms forward, and slowly push it upward without reaching the end of the motion to prevent lifting your shoulder blades. Then get back to the starting position in a controlled manner.

9. Barbell Front Raise

Stand up, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold the barbell with the hands shoulder-width apart. Lift forward with the arms straight until you reach eye level, than return slowly to the starting position. Do not bounce the barbell up and never use your back to cheat because it's a concentration movement. 

10. Barbell Shrugs

Stand up, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold the barbell shoulder width apart. Lift your shoulders straight upward toward the ears in the frontal plane without bending the elbows then slowly lower down the weight.

11. Upright Barbell Rows

Stand up, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold the barbell shoulder width apart. Lift through your shoulder joint straight upward while bending the elbows and bringing the barbell up to your chin and then slowly lower down the weight.

12. Biceps Barbell Curls

Stand up, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold the barbell shoulder width apart in front of you, palms facing forward. Lift the barbell up by flexing at the elbow joint until you reach a full biceps contraction then lower it down slowly.

13. Standing Overhead Barbell Triceps Extensions

Stand up, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold the barbell shoulder width apart and straight up to your head with your arms extended. Flex at the elbow and lower the barbell behind your neck and then slowly lift it back.

14. Reverse-Grip Barbell Curls

Stand up, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold the barbell with your hands shoulder-width apart in front of you, palms facing backward. Lift the barbell up by flexing at the elbow joint until it reaches your chest then lower it down slowly.

15. Good Morning

Stand up, feet shoulder-width apart; place the barbell straight on your shoulders. Bend forward at the waist until your chest becomes approximately parallel to the floor while keeping your back straight then slowly get back to the starting position.

16. Barbell Crunches

Lie down on your back in a semi-supine position. Hold the barbell on your chest with both hands. Straighten your arms and point with them to the ceiling. Slowly raise your shoulders and upper back, concentrating on your upper abdominals. Then return to the starting position while controlling the movement.

17. Side Crunches

Lie down on your back in a semi-supine position. Hold the barbell on your chest with both hands. Straighten your arms toward the ceiling. Slowly raise one side of your shoulders and upper back, concentrating on your obliques and slowly return to the starting position. Then switch sides.

The Program

Reps & Sets

Rest time between sets and exercises must be 30-90 seconds depending on your conditioning level.

If you are a beginner, how can you progress to a more advanced level? It's simple; you need to increase the intensity of training by doing one of the following:

·        Increase the number of repetitions.

·        Add sets.

·        Increase or extensively decrease the speed of the movement.

·        Decrease time of rest between sets and exercises.

·        Add weights to the barbell.

·        Use advanced training techniques such as:

·        Drop Sets: place many plates on each side of the barbell (as much as you can lift for 6-10 repetitions). Perform repetitions till concentric failure then immediately remove one plate from each side and without rest continue the exercise to failure and again remove one more plate from each side.

Continue this procedure till you're out of plates.

·        Exhaustion-Set System: perform as many repetitions as possible with good technique until concentric failure occurs.

·        Burn System: perform a set till concentric failure, then proceed with half or partial repetitions.

·        Pyramids: start with a set of 10-to-12 repetitions with a light resistance, which is increased over several sets so fewer and fewer repetitions can be performed, until reaching 1 repetition maximum. Then repeat the same sets and resistances in reverse order, with the last set consisting of 10-to-12 repetitions.

·        Super Slow System: perform very slow repetitions ranging from 20-to-60 seconds per repetition.

·        Super Setting Systems: in the first type, you use several sets of two exercises for the agonist and antagonist muscles of the body part. In the second type use one set of several exercises in rapid succession for the same muscle group or body part.

 

Training Program

Once-A-Week Total Body Training Program:

·        Squat - 4 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Stiff-Leg Deadlift - 4 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Bent-over Rows - 4 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Military Press - 4 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Shrugs - 4 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Biceps Curls - 4 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Good Morning - 3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Twists - 3 sets, 8-12 reps

 

Twice-A-Week Total Body Training Program (Take Two-Three Days Rest After Each Session):

Day 1:

·        Squat - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Stiff-Leg Deadlift - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Bent-over Rows - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Military Press - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Shrugs - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Biceps Curls - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Twists - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Crunches - 2-3 sets, 12-15 reps

 

Day 2:

·        Lunges - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Calf Raise - 2-3 sets, 12-15 reps

·        Pullovers - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Reverse Close Grip Bent-over Rows - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Front Raise - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Upright Rows - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Reverse Grip Curls - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Good Morning - 2-3 sets, 12-15 reps

 

Three-Times-A-Week Total Body Training Program (Take One Day Rest After Each Session):

 

Day 1:

·        Squat

·        Military Press

·        Bent-over Rows

·        Biceps Curls

·        Good Morning

·        Crunches

 

Day 2:

·        Lunges - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Calf Raise - 2-3 sets, 12-15 reps

·        Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Front Raise - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Shrugs - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Reverse Grip Curls - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Twists - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

 

Day 3:

·        Stiff-Leg Deadlift - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Pullovers - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Reverse Close Grip Bent-over Rows - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Upright Rows - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Standing Overhead Extensions - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Bent-over Concentration Curls - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Wrist Curls - 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Side Crunches - 2-3 sets, 12-15 reps

 

 

Advanced Barbell Training Program:

Program 1:

Superset 1: 3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Squat

·        Stiff-Leg Deadlift

Superset 2: 3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Military Press

·        Shrugs

Superset 4: 3 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Good Morning

·        Crunches

 

Program 2:

Superset 1: 2 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Squat

·        Stiff-Leg Deadlift

·        Lunges

·        Calf Raise

Superset 2: 2 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Wide Grip Bent-Over Rows

·        Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows

·        Narrow Grip Bent-Over Rows

Superset 4: 2 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Military Press

·        Front Raise

·        Upright Rows

Superset 5: 2 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Biceps Curls

·        Overhead Extensions

·        Bent Over Curls

·        Wrist Curls

Superset 6: 2 sets, 8-12 reps

·        Good Morning

·        Crunches

·        Twists

 

Stretching:

·        Upper Body Stretch

·        Abdominals Stretch

·        Quadriceps Stretch

·        Hamstrings Stretch