Dhe gym offers a variety of ways to train your own body. This is especially true for strength training, since there are a variety of training options available. The selection usually starts with a generously equipped machine park, continues with functional fitness equipment and ends with classic barbells and dumbbells in various designs. With this sheer endless range of training options, it is hard to believe that even minimally equipped home gyms can train effectively. But appearances are deceptive! Barbell exercises in particular, which can be carried out excellently within your own four walls, promise high effectiveness when it comes to building strength and muscle mass!
Overview
- What barbell bars exist?
- Why is barbell training so effective?
- Which muscle groups can be trained with barbell exercises?
- Does barbell training involve dangers?
- What barbell exercises can be done easily at home
- How could a training plan with barbell exercises look like?
What barbell bars exist?
If the term barbell is used, pretty much every strength athlete should think of a typical barbell, which is characterized by its straight shape. In fact, this is the classic that has been used in strength training for several decades. The classic barbell is available in different lengths, with different characteristics and with different closures.
In addition to the straight barbell bar, there are also other variants that offer further advantages for effective strength training. This includes above all the SZ bar, which is mainly used in arm training. The SZ bar got its name from the special shape, which can be described as wavy. Thanks to this special concept, training with SZ bars is easy on the wrists, which can be heavily loaded during heavy barbell training. For example, some athletes find barbell curls with a straight bar uncomfortable, which is why the SZ bar is often used as an alternative. In addition, this grip enables a different muscle stimulation, which leads to more variety in training.
Why is barbell training so effective?
Almost all barbell exercises are basic exercises. These basic exercises are the pillars of strength training because they form an excellent basis for building strength and muscle mass. Basic exercises are all exercises in which several joints and muscle groups are involved. The classic and well-known basic exercises include bench presses, squats and deadlifts, all of which are typically performed with barbells.
Using the bench press as an example, the effectiveness of free barbell exercises can be impressively illustrated. In a study, scientists compared the free bench press with a barbell to the bench press in a multipress with regard to muscle stimulation. The result was clearly in favor of the free exercise variant, in which stronger muscle stimulation could be determined using electrodes. (1) This confirms the recommendation of many experts to increasingly use free barbell exercises. Training with free weights requires more strength, coordination and concentration, since you have to ensure a stable movement independently. Training on machines, on the other hand, generally does not allow any deviation from the intended movement sequence,
Which muscle groups can be trained with barbell exercises?
In principle, all muscle groups can be trained with barbell exercises! In addition, training with barbells enables a huge variety of exercises, so that the training never gets boring. Barbell training therefore offers the athlete an incredible number of advantages. The following list provides an (incomplete!) Overview of the exercises that can be performed with barbells.
Barbell exercises for the legs & buttocks:
- Classic squats
- Front squats
- Hip thrust
- Deadlifts with straight legs
- Romanian deadlift
- lunges
- calf Raises
Exercises with the barbell for the back & neck:
- Barbell rows
- deadlift
- Shrugs
- Upright rowing
Barbell exercises for chest & shoulder:
- bench Press
- Incline Bench Press
- Negative bench press
- shoulder Press
- front Raise
Barbell training for the arms:
- barbell
- preacher curl
- French Press
- Tight bench press
- wrist curl
Does barbell training involve dangers?
Since barbell training is carried out freely, depending on the exercise, there is a significantly higher risk potential than training with machines. This is especially true for exercises like bench presses, which in the worst case can even be fatal. Here there is a great risk of overestimating yourself during the exercise and of not being able to push the training weight back into the starting position. Since the weight is directly on the chest and thus near the throat, there have unfortunately been some fatal accidents here. Therefore, when using the barbell free bench press, it is highly recommended to train with a so-called spotter. The term spotter is understood to mean a training partner or another person who can intervene in an emergency to put the weight back on the shelf. If such a spotter is not available (e.g. in the home gym), a rack or a weight bench with emergency racks provides valuable services. Here it is possible to store the weight below the regular shelf in an emergency if necessary.
Recommendation: Perform barbell exercises such as bench press with a spotter (training partner) to minimize the risk of injury
Dangerous situations can also arise with free barbell squats, which is why training in a rack is also an option in this case. Basically, almost all barbell exercises are very demanding exercises. Correct exercise execution plays a central role here in order to achieve maximum training results and reduce the risk of injury. Therefore, the exercises should first be rehearsed under expert supervision before starting the independent barbell training.
A good alternative to the spotter: barbell racks from Gorilla Sports
Otherwise there is considerable danger potential behind dangerous situations with barbells. One example is the loading and unloading of barbell bars in a rack. Anyone who unloads the weight plates only on one side after a heavy work set risks a kind of chin hook through the barbell, which is caused by gravity or the one-sided weight relief.
Which barbell exercises can be done easily at home?
The good news is: In principle, all barbell exercises can also be carried out in your own four walls. However, it is advisable to purchase additional equipment for certain exercises (see chapter “Does barbell training involve dangers?”). Some exercises can also only be carried out on flat or inclined benches. Depending on the progress of the training, a higher training weight is also required for some exercises, which must be purchased in the form of weight plates. Basically, it is advisable to lay protective mats during barbell training in the home gym to protect the flooring and to dampen training noises.
How could a training plan with barbell exercises look like?
In order to give you an impression of what a training with barbell exercises could look like, you can find a whole body training plan below. However, please note that this training plan is purely informative. Training plans should generally not be adopted blindly, but always adapted to your own individualities (including training progress). This applies in particular to the following training plan with barbell exercises, which is in no way suitable for beginners, since the (basic) exercises can not only be very strenuous and demanding, but are also technically very demanding.
Usually, training plans always start with the largest muscle that is to be stimulated in the respective training unit. The reason for this is that the greatest energy and concentration are usually required for the execution of the exercise. In addition, study results indicate that training large to small muscle groups leads to a stronger anabolic hormone response than the other way around. (2)
| Barbell exercise | sentences | Rep. | set break |
| squats | 4 | 8-15 | 1-2 minutes |
| deadlift | 4 | 8-15 | 1-2 minutes |
| Barbell rows | 3 | 8-15 | 1-2 minutes |
| bench Press | 3 | 8-15 | 1-2 minutes |
| shoulder Press | 3 | 8-15 | 1-2 minutes |
| barbell | 2 | 8-15 | 1-2 minutes |
| French Press | 2 | 8-15 | 1-2 minutes |
Site Title 