If you’ve recently purchased a barbell, and barbell plates, but are unsure what to do with it or have just joined a gym and want an effective beginner barbell workout, this article is for you.

In it, I will describe a dozen super effective barbell exercises to work your entire body. I’ll then combine them into a 45-minute program that will stimulate every muscle group and burn calories to get you super lean in the process.

Barbell Benefits

The barbell is the most iconic weightlifting tool that exists. Here are three reasons that it has stood the test of time:

Strength Development

No other weight training tool allows you to load as much weight as barbell training. It is the tool of choice for every compound exercise, including squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. These exercises, which involve movement through more than one joint, are the best movements for developing functional strength.

Weight Control

Olympic barbells are designed to handle a lot of weight safely and effectively. They can support a heavy load without bending or flexing and are made from high-tensile strength that will last a lifetime. 

When you use a barbell, you exert greater balance control over a weight compared with using dumbbells. This keeps you safer and allows you to lift more weight. 

Olympic barbells are also fitted with rotating sleeves that minimize elbow and wrist torque when performing exercises like the Snatch or Clean and Jerk.

Explosive Power

Barbell exercises such as the push press, snatch, and clean and jerk are the movements of choice for developing explosive power. Nothing generates rapid contractile force better than barbell exercises, which can help you run faster, jump higher, and throw further. 

The Exercises

There are literally hundreds of barbell exercises that you could be doing. The following dozen movements have proven themselves to be the most effective for developing strength and building muscle.

Barbell Bench Press

Muscles worked

• Pectorals
• Triceps
• Front Deltoids

How To Do It

1. Lie on a bench with your feet firmly on the floor and a barbell resting on the bench rack,
2. Grab the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder width and unrack it.
3. Slowly lower the bar to your nipple line, breathing in as you do so.
4. Exhale as you press the bar upward to full arm extension.

Training Tips

• Maintain a 90-degree elbow bend in the bottom pushing position. Angle the forearm inward to emphasize the biceps, while angling outward emphasizes the triceps.
• Do not bounce the weights off your chest.
• You can make this exercise more challenging by slowing down the movement's lowering (eccentric) phase. Take three seconds to bring the weight down, then power it back up in 1-2 seconds.

Barbell Deadlift

Muscles worked

• Upper Back
• Glutes
• Hamstrings

How To Do It

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell on the floor before you. Bend your knees and hinge at the hips to grip the bar with hands just outside your knees, using a mixed grip (one hand forward, with the other facing backward).
2. Keep your back straight, chest up, and shoulders slightly in front of the bar. Engage your core and keep your hips lower than your shoulders.
3. Drive your heels into the floor to lift the bar, extending your knees and hips simultaneously while keeping the bar close to your body.
4. Stand fully upright with your shoulders back and chest out, then lower the bar back to the ground with control by hinging at the hips and bending your knees.

Training Tips

• Position your feet under your hips with toes slightly out, keeping the bar over your shoelaces for a vertical bar path.
• Start with hips slightly higher than your knees to engage your hamstrings and avoid inefficient lifting.

Focus on pushing your heels into the ground to maximize leg drive and muscle engagement.

Barbell Squat

Muscles Worked

• Quadriceps
• Glutes
• Hamstrings

How To Do It

1. Stand before a squat rack with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
2. Position yourself under the back so it rests across your upper trapezius and shoulders.
3. Step back to unrack the bar.
4. Lower into a squat, bending your hips and knees. Keep your chest up and back straight.
5. Go down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, ensuring your knees track over your toes.
6. Press through your heels to return to the starting position, engaging your glutes and quads.

Training Tips

• Maintain an upright torso throughout the exercise (no back rounding).
• Keep your core rigid by pulling your belly button toward your spine. 
• Ensure our knees track over your toes to avoid them caving inward.
• Look up throughout the exercise. 
• Breathe in on the descent and exhale as you drive back up. 

Barbell Bent Over Row

Muscles Worked

• Upper Back
• Deltoids

How To Do It

1. Stand with feet parallel and hip-width apart, your knees slightly bent, and your midfoot under the bar.
2. Hinge at the hip to grasp the bar with a shoulder-width grip and your palms facing inward.
3. Keeping your torso stationary, lift the bar toward your chest. At the top of the movement, squeeze your back muscles and hold for a slight all.
4. Lower the barbell under control back to the starting position.

Training Tips

• Engage the lats in the start position and pull your shoulder blades down.
• Keep a neutral spine throughout; do not round your back!
• Squeeze the lats in the top contracted position.
• Control the lowering phase of the exercise. 

Barbell Overhead Press

Muscles worked

• Deltoids

How To Do It

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, grasping a barbell with your hands positioned a little wider than shoulder width and using an overhead grip. Position the bar near your upper chest.
2. Press the bar upward until your arms are just short of lockout. Maintain a neutral spine position throughout.
3. Lower the bar to your upper chest to return to the starting position.

Training Tips

• Do not buck your hips or use momentum to assist the lift.
• You may wish to perform this exercise inside a power rack. This will avoid having to lift the bar from the floor as you can set it in the rack at shoulder level. 

Clean and Jerk

Muscles worked

• Quadriceps
• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Upper Back
• Core
•  Deltoids
• Triceps

How To Do It

1. Stand in front of a loaded barbell with your feet shoulder-width apart, your knees slightly bent,  and your midfoot under the bar.
2. Squat down to grab the bar with your hands about shoulder-width apart in a wide overhand grip.
3. Pull the bar up to return to a standing position, flipping the barbell until it is nearly touching your upper chest.
4. Push the barbell overhead with your arms fully extended.
5. Bring the barbell back to your upper chest, reverse the flip, and return it to the floor. 

Training Tips

• Start with an unloaded bar until you master the hip hinge movement. This is the key to explosive lower body power.
• Drive your heels into the floor as you lift the bar from the floor.
• During the clean, forcefully extend your hips forward to propel the bar upward.
• Keep the bar close to your body as you pull it upward.
• Aim to catch the bar with your elbows pointing forward and high when flipping the bar to your upper chest.

• Maintain a tight core while squeezing your glutes to create a stable base.

Barbell Thruster

Muscles Worked

• Quadriceps
• Glutes
• Shoulders
• Core

How To Do It

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a barbell in what is called the front rack position (resting on your shoulders with elbows pointing forward).
• Lower into a squat position, keeping your back straight and chest up.
• As you rise from the squat, press the barbell overhead in one continuous motion, fully extending your arms.
• Lower the bar back to your shoulders as you descend into the next squat.

Training Tips

• Use momentum from the squat to drive the bar upward.
• Keep your core rigid by pulling your belly button toward your spine to protect your lower back.
• Focus on smooth coordination between the squat and press movements.

Barbell Lunges

Muscles Worked

• Quadriceps
• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Calves

How To Do It

1. Stand with a barbell placed across your upper back, resting on the trapezius and shoulders. Hold the barbell with both hands, palms facing forward, and elbows pointing down. Feet should be hip-width distance away from each other. 
2. Take a step forward with your right foot, placing it about two to three feet in front of you. Your right knee should be sitting over your ankle, with your left knee hovering just above the ground.
3. Lower your body by bending your front knee and hip, keeping your back straight and your chest lifted. Your left knee should almost touch the ground.
4. Push back up through your right foot to come back to the start position, keeping your core engaged and your upper body stable.
5. Repeat the lunge on the same side for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides and repeat on the opposite leg.

Training Tips

• Keep your front knee in line with your toes, and avoid letting it cave inwards.
• Keep your chest up and your back straight throughout the exercise.
• Engage your core to help stabilize your upper body.
• Begin with a lighter weight and gradually increase as you become more comfortable with the exercise.
• Breathe deeply throughout the movement, inhaling as you lower your body and exhaling as you push back up to the starting position.

Barbell Hip Thrust

Muscles Worked

• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Lower Back

How To Do It

• Sit on the floor with your upper back against a weight bench and a loaded barbell over your hips (tip: use our barbell pad to lift heavier weights in comfort).
• Roll the bar over your hips and bend your knees so your feet are flat on the ground.
• Drive your hips upward by squeezing your glutes until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Lower your hips back to the starting position with control.

Training Tips

• Tuck in your chin and look directly ahead to avoid hyperextending your back.
• Concentrate on squeezing the glutes at the top of the movement.
• Keep your feet hip-width apart to optimize balance and stability.

Barbell Romanian Deadlift

Muscles Worked

• Hamstrings
• Glutes
• Lower Back

How To Do It

1. Load your barbell in a power rack. Set the pins on your power rack at mid-thigh level. Load the bar and then grab it with a double overhand grip slightly wider than your hips.
2. Stand upright and take a step back to clear the bar from the power rack pins. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, and the bar should be resting against your thighs.
3. To initiate the movement, unlock your knees slightly. Begin to lower the bar down your thighs, keeping the bar in contact with your thighs as you go down. Keep going until you get to the end of your range of motion. 
4. From this bottom position, forcefully pull the bar back to the start position.

Training Tips

• Roll your shoulders slightly back and isometrically push the bar down to the floor in the start position. There will be no movement, but this downward arm push will help create the flat, slightly arched back position you need to maintain throughout the entire exercise. 
• Maintain a natural arch in your lumbar spine. You can achieve this position by thrusting your chest up, squeezing your glutes, and contracting your abs. 

Barbell Upright Row

Muscles Worked

• Deltoids
• Trapezius
• Biceps

How To Do It

• Stand upright with a barbell in front of your thighs with a close overhand grip.
• Pull the bar up along your body to chest height, elbows pointing upward.
• Lower the bar back to the starting position under control.

Training Tips

• Keep the bar close to your body throughout the movement.
• Avoid jerking the weight; use a smooth, controlled motion.
• Focus on lifting with your elbows, not your wrists.

Barbell Bicep Curl

Muscles Worked

• Biceps
• Forearms

How To Do It

• Stand upright, holding a barbell with an underhand grip, arms fully extended, and elbows at your side.
• Curl the barbell up toward your chest by flexing your elbows.
• Lower the barbell back to the starting position with control.

Training Tips

• Keep your elbows close to your sides, and avoid swinging the bar.
• Concentrate on squeezing your biceps at the top of the movement.
• Use a controlled pace to maximize muscle engagement and minimize injury risk.

10 Beginner Barbell Tips

1. Always secure both ends of the barbell with reliable collars.
2. Make sure that the same amount of weight is on both ends of the barbell.
3. Wear a pair of gloves to prevent calluses and to ensure that you have a sweat-free, secure grip on the bar.
4. Start with a light weight. When learning exercise form, start with just an unloaded barbell. When you are comfortable with your technique, begin loading plates on the bar.
5. Take a firm stand. Your stance determines how solid and secure you will be during the exercise. Most exercises should be done with your feet hip-width apart, and toes pointed out slightly. 
6. Use a mirror for feedback. This will allow you to correct your form in real-time. Check your back alignment, knee and elbow position, and bar path.
7. When performing any barbell exercise, keep your back in a neutral position. Avoid rounding or excessively arching your back. A neutral spine protects against injury and ensures efficient force transfer during lifts.
8. Exhale during the exertion phase of the exercise and breathe in during the lowering or return phase. For example, on the squat, you should breathe in on the descent and out as you push out of the bottom squat position. 
9. Keep your core muscles tight throughout each exercise to protect your lower back and improve overall stability. Imagine bracing as if you were about to take a punch to the stomach.
10.  To build strength, gradually increase the weight or the number of repetitions over time. Aim to add 5-10% more weight every 2-4 weeks, according to your progress and comfort level.

FAQs

Q: Can you build muscle with a barbell only?
A: Yes, you can definitely build muscle with just a barbell. Focus on performing compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses and progressively increase the weight being used. You should also follow a high-protein diet to build muscle

Q: What is the big five barbell workout?
A: The Big Five barbell workout is a popular program that focuses on the following five foundational exercises:

1. Squat
2. Deadlift
3. Bench Press
4. Overhead Press
5. Bent-Over Row

Each exercise is performed for 3-4 sets of 5-8 reps. 

Q: What are barbell exercises good for?
A: Barbell exercises are good for building strength and muscle mass. They allow you to load more weight than any other free weight training tool, making them ideal for progressive overload, which is the key to strength and muscle gains.

Many barbell exercises mimic natural movements, making them excellent for developing functional strength. 

Q: What are the big four barbell lifts?
A: The big four barbell exercises are the squat, bench press, deadlift and overhead press. 

Conclusion

The dozen barbell exercises we’ve covered in this article have equipped you with everything you need to optimize your barbell investment. Use them as the basis for your strength and muscle-building program. 

We recommend dividing the 12 exercises into two six-exercise workouts as follows:

Workout A	Workout B
Deadlift	Squat
Bent-over Row	Lunge
Bench Press	Romanian Deadlift
Barbell Thruster	Clean and Jerk
Upright Row	Hip Thrust
Bicep curl	Overhead Press

Perform three sets of 6-12 reps on each exercise, and do each workout twice weekly. Do this consistently, focusing on progressive overload, and you will be on track to achieve your muscle and strength goals.