Barbell Exercises for Muscle Gain: Complete Guide

Barbell exercises are a staple in strength training, providing a balanced way to target various muscle groups.

Whether you're focusing on legs, shoulders, or back, barbells offer versatile movements to enhance strength, build muscle, and improve coordination.

In this blog, we'll describe the exercises based on the muscle groups they target.

We'll also introduce the Pro Workouts feature on the Hint app, which offers guided workouts for over 300 strength training exercises, including barbell routines, available through Hint Pro and Hint Premium subscriptions.

1. Legs and Glutes

Barbell Hack Squat

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the barbell behind your legs.
• Lower into a squat, keeping your back straight and chest up, and then push through your heels to stand back up.

Barbell Sumo Squat

• Hold the barbell in front of your thighs with a wide stance.
• Lower your hips into a squat position and push back up, engaging the glutes and inner thighs.

Barbell Lunges

• With the barbell on your upper back, step forward into a lunge, ensuring the back knee touches the ground lightly before pushing back to the starting position.

Barbell Reverse Lunge

• Hold the barbell on your upper back, step one leg backward into a lunge, and return to the standing position.

Barbell RDL (Romanian Deadlift)

• Keep the barbell in front of your thighs and hinge at your hips while lowering the bar toward the ground, then return to a standing position, targeting the hamstrings and glutes.

Barbell Glute Bridge

• With the barbell on your hips and your upper back resting on a bench, thrust your hips upward, squeezing your glutes at the top.

Barbell Hip Thrust

• Place your upper back on a bench with the barbell positioned across your hips. Push through your heels and extend your hips upward, squeezing your glutes at the top before lowering back down.

2. Shoulders

Barbell Push Press

Begin with the barbell at shoulder height and use a slight leg drive to push the bar overhead, focusing on shoulder engagement.

Barbell Shoulder Raise

Hold the barbell in front of you with a shoulder-width grip, raise it forward until it’s at shoulder height, and lower it slowly.

Barbell Lateral Raise

Start with the barbell in front of your thighs and raise it out to the sides until your arms are parallel to the floor.

Barbell Z Press

Sit on the floor with legs extended straight and press the barbell overhead, isolating the shoulders by minimizing lower body involvement.

Seated Barbell Press

Sit on a bench and press the barbell overhead, keeping your core engaged and back straight.

Barbell Clean and Press

Clean the barbell to shoulder height, then press it overhead in one fluid motion.

3. Back and Upper Body

Barbell Row

Bend at your hips and knees while holding the barbell, pull the barbell toward your stomach, and slowly lower it back.

Reverse Grip Barbell Row

Similar to the barbell row, but with an underhand grip, this exercise targets the lower back and biceps.

Barbell Inverted Row

Lie underneath a barbell fixed on a rack. Pull your chest up to the bar, focusing on your upper back muscles.

Barbell Shrugs

Stand with the barbell in front of you and lift your shoulders toward your ears, then lower them slowly.

Barbell Rear Delt Row

Hinge at the hips and pull the barbell toward your chest, focusing on engaging your rear delts.

4. Chest and Core

Barbell Bench Press

Lie on a flat bench with the barbell above your chest, lower it slowly to your chest, and then press it back up.

Barbell Rollout

Start on your knees with the barbell on the ground in front of you. Roll the barbell forward, extending your arms, then pull it back.

Barbell Static Hold

Hold the barbell overhead or in a bench press position, focusing on keeping the muscles engaged without movement.

5. Biceps and Triceps

Standing Barbell Curl

Hold the barbell with an underhand grip, curl it toward your chest, and slowly lower it back.

Close Grip Barbell Curl

Similar to the standing barbell curl, but with a closer grip to target the inner biceps.

Reverse Grip Barbell Curl

Hold the barbell with an overhand grip and curl it, focusing on the forearms.

Wide Grip Barbell Curl

Perform the curl with a wider grip to engage the outer biceps.

Barbell Wrist Curl

Hold the barbell with an underhand grip and curl your wrists upward, focusing on the forearm muscles.

6. Popular Compound Movements

Barbell Deadlift

Hold the barbell on the ground, push through your heels, and lift the barbell by extending your hips and knees.

Barbell Clean

Explosively lift the barbell from the ground to shoulder height, catching it on your shoulders.

Barbell Sumo Deadlift

With a wide stance, lift the barbell from the ground by extending your hips and knees.

Barbell High Pull

Start with the barbell on the floor, pull it upward while extending your hips and knees, and lift it to chest height.

Barbell Split Squat

Rest the barbell on your upper back, split your stance, and lower your back knee toward the ground before pushing back up.

Using the Hint App for Barbell Workouts

The Pro Workouts feature on the Hint app allows users to track calorie burns and muscle engagement across various strength training workouts, including barbell exercises.

With over 300 barbell and other strength workouts available, you can view animation videos that explain the targeted muscle groups and proper form, ensuring you perform each movement effectively.

By subscribing to Hint Pro or Hint Premium, you gain access to these workouts, along with advanced calorie-tracking tools, personalized diet plans, and unlimited consultations with qualified dietitians.

Start Your Strength Training Journey Today!

Download the Hint app to access these powerful barbell exercises and more, with tailored workout plans designed for your goals.

Whether you're looking to build muscle, increase strength, or burn calories, Hint Pro and Premium have everything you need to succeed.