The Best Barbell Exercises

Exercise Guides and Videos

Top Exercises

Barbell Push Press
Barbell Push Press
Beginner
Shoulder
Barbell
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Hold a barbell at shoulder height with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 3. Bend your knees slightly to create a dip, then quickly extend your legs and press the barbell overhead. 4. Fully extend your arms with elbows slightly in front of your ears. 5. Lower the barbell back to shoulder height with control.
Barbell High Pulls
Barbell High Pulls
Beginner
Shoulder
Barbell
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, keeping the barbell against your thighs. 2. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. 3. Lift the barbell by driving your elbows up and out, pulling the bar close to your body. 4. Keep your elbows higher than your wrists as you lift the bar to chest height. 5. Lower the barbell back down with control to the starting position.
Burpees over Barbell
Burpees over Barbell
Beginner
Full Body
Barbell
1. Place the barbell on the floor. Stand beside it with your feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Lower into a squat, place your hands on the floor, and jump your feet back into a plank position. 3. Perform a push-up, keeping your core engaged and body straight. 4. Jump your feet back towards your hands, then explosively jump over the barbell. 5. Land softly on the other side and immediately lower into another burpee.
Barbell Glute Bridges
Barbell Glute Bridges
Beginner
Glute
Barbell
1. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. 2. Place a barbell across your hips, holding it in place with your hands. 3. Push through your heels to lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees. 4. Slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position.
Barbell Shrugs
Barbell Shrugs
Beginner
Shoulder
Barbell
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Hold a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip. 3. Raise your shoulders towards your ears, squeezing your traps at the top. 4. Slowly lower your shoulders back to the starting position.
Barbell Floor Press
Barbell Floor Press
Beginner
Chest
Barbell
1. Lie on your back on the floor, feet flat. 2. Hold a barbell with a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width, arms extended above your chest. 3. Lower the barbell slowly until your upper arms touch the floor. 4. Keep your elbows at about 45° angle from your body. 5. Press the barbell back up to the starting position.
Barbell Romanian Deadlifts
Barbell Romanian Deadlifts
Beginner
Hamstring
Barbell
1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and hold a barbell with an overhand grip in front of your thighs. 2. Push your hips back while keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent. 3. Lower the barbell slowly along your legs, keeping it close to your body. 4. Continue lowering the barbell until it reaches just below your knees. 5. Push your hips forward to return to the starting position.
Barbell Thrusters
Barbell Thrusters
Beginner
Full Body
Barbell
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Hold a barbell across your shoulders with a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width. 3. Lower into a squat by bending your knees and hips. 4. Push through your heels to stand, press the barbell overhead, and extend your arms. 5. Bring the barbell back to your shoulders and lower your body into the squat.
Barbell Biceps Curls
Barbell Biceps Curls
Beginner
Biceps
Barbell
1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. 2. Hold the barbell with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart. 3. Bend your elbows to lift the barbell towards your shoulders. 4. Slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
Barbell Single Leg Romanian Deadlifts
Barbell Single Leg Romanian Deadlifts
Beginner
Hamstring
Barbell
1. Stand on your right leg with a slight bend in the knee. 2. Rest your left toes lightly on the ground behind you for balance. 3. Hold a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip. 4. Hinge at your hips, lowering the barbell close to your body. 5. When your torso is parallel to the floor, push your hips forward to return to the starting position.
Barbell Calf Raises
Barbell Calf Raises
Beginner
Barbell
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Place a barbell across your upper back, resting on your traps. 3. Push through the balls of your feet to lift your heels as high as possible. 4. Slowly lower your heels back down on the floor.
Barbell Zercher Squats
Barbell Zercher Squats
Beginner
Quadriceps
Barbell
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and place the barbell in the crooks of your elbows. 2. Lower into a squat by bending your knees and hips, and keep your back straight. 3. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly lower. 4. Push through your heels to return to the starting position.
Barbell Floor Wipers
Barbell Floor Wipers
Beginner
Core
Barbell
1. Lie on your back on the floor with your legs extended. 2. Hold the barbell above your chest with arms fully extended, your grip slightly wider than shoulder-width. 3. Engage your core and lift your legs straight toward the ceiling perpendicular to the floor. 4. Slowly lower your legs to one side while keeping them straight. 5. Return your legs to the starting position and repeat the movement on the other side.
Sumo Deadlift
Sumo Deadlift
Intermediate
Hamstring
Barbell
Barbell Deadlift
Barbell Deadlift
Intermediate
Hamstring
Barbell
Barbell Bent-Over Row
Barbell Bent-Over Row
Beginner
Back
Barbell
Barbell Hip Thrusts
Barbell Hip Thrusts
Intermediate
Glute
Barbell
1. Sit on the ground with a padded bench behind you, barbell directly over your hips. 2. Lean back so shoulders are on the bench, plant your feet, and hold the barbell securely. 3. Driving through your heels to extend your hips and thrust your hips and the barbell up. 4. Form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees, and pause, squeezing your glutes. 5. Lower your hips back with control to return to the starting position.
Hanging Power Cleans
Hanging Power Cleans
Intermediate
Full Body
Barbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width, holding a barbell in an overhand grip at thigh level. 2. Hinge forward slightly at the hips, letting the barbell lower to just above knee level. 3. Extend your hips, knees, and ankles to power the bar upward. 4. Bend elbows and rotate wrists to catch the bar at shoulder height in a partial squat position. 5. Lower the barbell back to the starting position and repeat.
Sumo Deadlifts
Sumo Deadlifts
Intermediate
Hamstring
Barbell
1. Start in a wide stance, bar in front of your shins, bend your knees and hinge your hips back to lower your torso. 2. Grasp the bar in an overhand grip, take a breath and brace your core. 3. Drive through your heels and extend your hips to lift the bar with a straight back and chest. 4. Lockout fully, driving your shoulders back and squeezing your glutes for a moment. 5. Reverse the movement to lower the bar back to the ground slowly with the same form.
Barbell Deadlifts
Barbell Deadlifts
Intermediate
Hamstring
Barbell
1. Stand shoulder-width, barbell in front of you, and hinge your hips back to lower your torso. 2. Grip the bar and breathe into your stomach and brace your core. 3. Extend your hips and raise your chest to lift the bar. 4. Stand straight, bar in front of your thighs, and squeeze glutes to fully extend hips. 5. Hinge your hips back to lower the bar to the ground, slowly and with control.
Barbell Overhead Squats
Barbell Overhead Squats
Advanced
Quadriceps
Barbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width, barbell extended overhead, grip wider than shoulders. 2. Inhale and engage your core, stabilizing the bar over your mid-foot. 3. Lower into a squat by pushing your hips back and bending your knees. 4. Drop your glutes to the ground, aiming for thighs at least parallel to the ground. 5. Drive through your heels to return to the starting position.
Barbell Back Squats
Barbell Back Squats
Beginner
Quadriceps
Barbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, bar on your upper back. 2. Bend the knees and hips to squat, keeping the chest up and elbows close to your torso. 3. Drive through your heels to return to the starting position.
Barbell Front Squats
Barbell Front Squats
Intermediate
Quadriceps
Barbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width, heels in-line with shoulders, toes slightly out. 2. Place the barbell across the front of your shoulders, elbows lifted. 3. Inhale and engage your abs and lower back to brace your core and support your spine. 4. Squat with heels in line with shoulders, elbows high and back straight. 5. Drive the heels and fully extend your legs and hips to stand, keeping the barbell steady.
Reverse Grip Barbell Rows
Reverse Grip Barbell Rows
Beginner
Back
Barbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. 2. Bend over slightly with a straight back. 3. Hold the barbell with an underhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. 4. Pull the bar towards your waist. 5. Lower the barbell slowly back to the starting position, and repeat.
Barbell Bent-Over Rows
Barbell Bent-Over Rows
Beginner
Back
Barbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell. 2. Bend knees slightly, hinge at the waist, keep back straight. 3. Exhale to pull the barbell up and towards your lower ribs. 4. Lower the barbell with control, returning to the starting position.
Military Barbell Press
Military Barbell Press
Intermediate
Shoulder
Barbell
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and your arms relaxed by your sides. 2. Hold the bar just above your chest, grip slightly wider than shoulder-width, palms forward. 3. Exhale and press the bar overhead to fully extend arms. 4. Lower the bar back to your chest slowly and with control.
Barbell Incline Bench Press
Barbell Incline Bench Press
Beginner
Chest
Barbell
1. Set an incline bench at a 15-45° angle. 2. Lie with a barbell held just above your upper chest, grip wider than shoulder-width. 3. Plant your feet flat on the floor, and fully extend your elbows to lift the bar. 4. Take a breath at the top of the movement to brace the core. 5. Lower the barbell to your chest, slowly and with control.
Barbell Bench Narrow Press
Barbell Bench Narrow Press
Intermediate
Triceps
Barbell
1. Lie on a bench, grip the barbell narrower than shoulder-width apart. 2. Lower the bar to your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body. 3. Press the bar up until your arms are fully extended. 4. Lower the bar slowly and with control to return to your starting position.
Barbell Bench Press
Barbell Bench Press
Beginner
Chest
Barbell
1. Lie on a fully-lowered bench, barbell held just above the chest at shoulder-width apart. 2. Press the bar up until your arms are fully extended. 3. Lower the bar with control bending your elbows at about 45° to your body. 4. Keep your feet flat, head on the bench, and a slight arch in your back throughout.
Australian Rows
Australian Rows
Beginner
Back
Barbell
1. Sit down under the bar set at hip height, with your feet out in front of you. 2. Grip the bar with hands at shoulder-width apart, and lift your hips off the ground. 3. Pull your chest up to the bar, achieving a 45° angle between your body and the bar. 4. Slowly lower your body back to the starting position, keeping your core tight.

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