25 Best Barbell Exercises For Mass and Strength

Barbell exercises are a great way to build strength, increase muscle mass, and burn fat. They are versatile pieces of equipment that allow for heavier lifting than cable and dumbbells.

Barbell exercises are usually compound movements that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Some of them also target specific muscle groups (isolation exercises), such as barbell curls and tricep extensions.

You can do these workouts in a gym or at home to train the upper, lower, and full body and build strength, size and endurance.

The big five exercises for barbell workout plans are back squat, bench press, barbell row, deadlift, and overhead press. Let’s discuss all the 25 best barbell exercises (based on science and experience).

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25 Best Barbell Exercises For Full-Body Workouts

Here are the 25 best barbell exercises to strengthen your complete body.

1. Barbell Squat

The barbell squat is the king of all exercises, with the only challenger being the barbell deadlift. Nothing comes close to squat exercises for building muscle mass and toning the legs.

Men love squat exercise because it strengthens the legs and core, shocks the body into releasing testosterone, and promotes the development of body-wide muscle and strength.

How To Do

1. Step on the rack so that the barbell rests across the back of your shoulders. If lifting heavy, have a spotter ready, or use a squat or power rack.
2. Raise the barbell and get away from the rack if you are doing it with free weights.
3. Keep your back straight, torso upright, head up, and feet flat.
4. Bend your knees and lower yourself, keeping your back straight and head up, until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
5. Now raise yourself using only the thigh power.

2. Barbell Front Squat

The barbell front squat is another great exercise for your leg workout, and it works the same target and synergistic muscles. However, it recruits more stabilizer muscles, including various back muscles, shoulders, and chest.

The barbell front squat is more advanced than the barbell squat. It helps to build entire thighs and focuses especially on the outer thigh region.

How To Do

1. Step on a Smith machine and get the bar on your shoulders.
2. Grab it with your arms crossed and take it off the shelf.
3. Maintain the natural arch in your lower back and keep your head directed forward.
4. Bend your knees and drive your hips back to lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
5. Push yourself back to the starting point.

3. Barbell Hip Thrust

Hip thrusts are a muscle-strengthening exercise that primarily targets the glutes. This simple exercise intensely engages the gluteal muscles, making them stronger and more toned.

How To Do

1. Sit on a flat bench and place a barbell at hip level.
2. Get into a low position, keeping your shoulders in contact with the bench.
3. Hold the bar firmly, shoulder-width apart, and hold it from above (hands in pronation). Your feet should be flat on the floor and your legs should be bent 90 degrees.
4. Let your hips drop toward the floor and feel a stretch in your glutes.
5. Then, contract your glutes to lift your buttocks and return to the starting position by pushing with your heels.
6. Repeat the exercise until you have reached the desired number of repetitions.

4. Barbell Lunges

When doing a leg workout with a barbell, you must do a barbell lunge, as it is a brilliant exercise that helps you strengthen your legs.

Barbell Lunges are a power move to build Quadriceps and butt muscles.

Use barbell lunges leg exercises to develop balance, coordination, and the unilateral (one-sided) functional strength of your legs, which is important for athletic performance and overall fitness.

Try another variation: 

• Barbell Reverse Lunges.
• Barbell Walking Lunge
• Barbell Curtsy Lunge
• Barbell Side Lunge

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell across your upper back, just below the base of your neck.
2. Step forward with one leg and lower your body until your back knee almost touches the ground.
3. Make sure your front knee is bent at a 90-degree angle, and your back knee is hovering just above the ground.
4. Push through your front foot to return to the starting position.
5. Repeat on the other side.
6. If you suffer from balance problems, it is best to avoid it either or use your own body weight while holding on to a steady object.

5. Standing Barbell Calf Raise

Standing barbell calf raises are popular exercises for targeting the calf muscles, particularly the gastrocnemius muscles.

Heavy lifting is a must if the goal is to build calf muscle mass. Calves are generally considered the hardest muscle to build because they are used to being constantly used by simply moving from one place to another. Calves are capable of a particularly high amount of work.

It is usually performed for moderate to high reps, such as 12–20 reps per set or more, as part of the lower body portion of a workout.

How To Do

1. Stand upright with a barbell supported on your upper back.
2.  Hold the barbell with both hands facing forward.
3. Push off the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as possible.
4. Make sure to flex your calf at the top of the contraction. Hold the contracted position for a second.
5. Breathe in as you return to the starting position by lowering your heels.  

Related Post: Barbell Leg Exercises For Strength And Power

6. Bent Over Barbell Rows

If you are looking to strengthen the upper back and add massive muscle to the upper back region, then bent-over barbell rows is the best barbell back exercise.

Spacing your hands shoulder-width apart or closer targets the central inner section of the lats, whereas a wider grip targets the outer back muscles.

• A narrow grip keeps the elbows close to the body, making it harder to extend the shoulders and pull them away from the body. This forces the lat muscles to work harder, which strengthens them.
• The wide grip encouraged by the flared elbows helps reduce lat involvement, allowing you to target rhomboids, traps and rear delt.

How To Do

1. Stand with a narrow stance and grab a bar with an overhand grip.
2. Bend your torso forward at an angle of 45 degrees to the floor with the knees slightly, and let the bar hang in front of you.
3. Now use the back and raise the bar until it touches the abdominal region and not the chest region, as it reduces back muscle contraction.
4. Slowly lower the bar under control to the starting position.

7. Deadlift

The deadlift is the King of all exercises—this power exercise is designed to build an overall physique that uses more muscles than any other exercise.

The deadlift is the best exercise for posterior chain muscle strengthening. It works your whole body including the Lower back, upper back, arms, legs, and buttocks.  

How To Do

1. Place a barbell loaded with weights in front of you. Grab the barbell using an underhand grip with one hand and overhand grip with the other hand. Remember to keep your back as straight as possible and contract your back and hamstrings.
2. Now raise the bar from the ground using your hamstrings and glutes.
3. Keep your legs slightly bent, back straight, and head looking up.
4. Raise it to the point where your body is erect. Do not hyperextend your body as the weight shifts to the lumbar spine.
5. Hold the bar for a moment at the top of the lift.
6. Now lower the bar slowly at a steady slow pace by bending at the hips first and then at the knees and let the weight touch the ground for a moment before you begin the next rep

Related Post: 10 Best Barbell Back Exercises For Strength And Mass

8. Barbell Good Morning

Good morning exercise is effective for targeting the glutes, hamstrings and lower back.

It also helps to engage the abdominal muscles , which must remain contracted to support the lower back and maintain correct posture.

Good morning can be practiced as a warm-up before a leg or back workout.

How To Do

1. Place a barbell on your upper traps. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your shoulders back, chest out, and torso upright.
2. Tighten your core and slowly bend forward from the hips. Push your hips back and keep your back flat.
3. Flex your quads and glutes, keeping your legs slightly bent. You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings and glutes.
4. Try to lean as far forward as possible without rounding your lower back.
5. Slowly return your torso to the starting position. Again, keep your back flat throughout the exercise.
6. Repeat this movement until you have reached the desired number of repetitions.

9. Landmine Row 

Cable rows are a staple for any back workout, but sometimes, you just hit a plateau. Enter the landmine row: add freshness and variety to your back workouts and give yourself a new challenge.

Now, I’m not exaggerating. Landmine rows have become my favorite back exercise. Why? Because they offer a unique twist (literally) on the classic barbell row.

The Landmine row is one of the best barbell exercises for developing back thickness.

How To Do

1. Stand over the bar with a wide stance, with the barbell loaded.
2. Get into a bent-over position with your spine straight and your chest up.
3. Keep your back arched while you bend at the hips.
4. Lift the bar until it touches your chest, keeping your back straight.
5. Now, slowly lower the bar until it nearly contacts the floor.

Read More: Landmine Exercises For Building Muscle And Strength

10. Barbell Bench Press

The Bench Press is one of the best chest muscle-building exercises. It should be the center of all your barbell chest workouts.

The Flat Barbell Chest Press is the fundamental exercise for the upper body and should be a part of any best chest exercise regime. That’s why, for overall chest development, the barbell chest press always remains on the top of the list.

How To Do

1. Lie flat on the bench keeping your feet on the floor for better balance.
2. Lift the bar off the rack and hold it at arm’s length above you.
3. Now lower the bar under controlled motion until it touches above the chest (around the nipple area).
4. Now, raise it until your arms are nearly locked out.
5. Keep a controlled motion and avoid jerky movements.

11. Incline Barbell Bench Press

If you want to build greater thickness and strength in your upper pecs, then you should add an incline barbell bench press to your training regime.

This powerful lift allows you to target your upper chest muscles more intensely than the standard flat bench press.

It is a version of the traditional bench press in which the bench is positioned at a 30-45-degree angle.

How To Do 

1. Lie on an incline bench and set at about 30-45 degrees.
2. Lift the weight off the rack and hold it above you at arm’s length.
3. Lower the bar until it just touches above the nipple area.
4. Raise your arms until they are nearly locked out.

12. Barbell Decline Press

The decline barbell bench press is an excellent exercise for strengthening your lower chest muscles.

In a decline chest press, the bench is set to 15 to 30 degrees on a decline. This angle places your upper body on a downward slope, which activates the lower pectoral muscles as you push weights away from your body.

How To Do

1. Lie on a decline bench and take a shoulder-width overhand grip on the bar.
2. Lower the weight slowly down to touch your lower chest.
3. Push the bar straight up until your elbows lock out.
4. Repeat the desired number of reps.

13. Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

The close grip bench press is a variation of the bench press and an exercise used to build muscle and strength in the chest and triceps.

This position emphasizes building strength and size of the triceps muscles, as well as the chest.

This exercise will help you strengthen your chest, shoulders, and triceps, as well as develop a strong upper body.

How To Do

1. Lie flat on a bench-press bench with your feet flat on the floor.
2. With your hands shoulder-width apart, grasp the barbell with an overhand grip.
3. Unrack the bar and slowly lower it to your lower chest, keeping your elbows as close to your sides as possible.
4. At the bottom of the movement, your elbows should be a little lower than your shoulders.
5. Press the bar back up to the starting position.

14. Overhead Barbell Triceps Extension

The overhead triceps extension is another great triceps exercise that can be done with a barbell.

It is a relatively simple yet effective exercise for developing the triceps. It works all three heads of the muscle, it especially targets the long head of the triceps.

How To Do

1. Stand or Sit on a low-back bench and extend a barbell overhead, holding it with a shoulder-width grip.
2. Keep your upper arms right beside your head.
3. Slowly lower the bar behind your head until your elbows form 90-degree angles, then lift it back to full arm extension.
4. Repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.

Tips

• Keep your body and upper arms still. Only your forearms should move.
• Using the EZ bar instead of a standard barbell can be easier on your wrists.

15. Lying Barbell Triceps Extension

The lying barbell tricep extension is another great exercise for building arm strength. It is one of the best tricep-building exercises.

It is an overhead extension performed while lying on a flat bench and either using a flat barbell, EZ bar, dumbbell.

How To Do

1. Lie on a flat bench with your feet on the floor.
2. Hold a barbell at full arm extension over your chest.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly lower your lower arms to bring the bar down to your forehead, then push it back up.
4. Do not lock your elbows out, and repeat for desired reps.

Know More: 7 Best Barbell Triceps Exercises For Mass And Strength

16. Barbell Curl

If you’re looking for straightforward barbell bicep exercises to add to your routine, barbell curls are a great staple exercise to get you started.

The barbell curl is a highly recognizable biceps exercise that builds biceps muscle mass. It’s a great exercise for seeing results in strength and definition.

A barbell curl is a pull-type, isolation exercise that works primarily on your biceps and also trains the muscles in your forearms.

• A wide grip focuses effort on the inner biceps (short head),
• Whereas, a narrow grip arks the outer biceps (long head).

Here are some common barbell bicep curl variations:

1. Wide grip barbell curl
2. Close grip barbell curl
3. Incline bench barbell curl
4. EZ-bar curl

How To Do

1. Hold a barbell at arm’s length, using a shoulder-width underhand grip.
2. Curl the bar up to shoulder level by bending your elbows.
3. Pause at the top of the movement and squeeze your biceps.
4. Lower the bar back down to the arms’ extended position.
5. Repeat for desired reps.

17. Barbell Preacher Curl

The Preacher curl is another great exercise for your barbell workout. It is the best exercise for building a long head of biceps. By giving your arms a complete look, you can get fullness in this crucial area.

If you have a long tendon, the preacher curl is the best exercise for building a longer biceps lower head and getting a full biceps pump.

How To Do

1. Get seated on the Preacher Bench with your chest against the support and hold the barbell with a close grip (can be hip width or closer).
2. Curl the bar as in standard barbell curl and get maximum contraction at the top.
3. Lowering the bar slowly gives constant stress throughout the movement.
4. Repeats the desired number of sets.

18. Barbell Reverse Curl

Finally, If you are looking for one more effective barbell arm exercise, you could try the barbell reverse curl.

The barbell reverse curl is a non-negotiable component of arm workouts.

A standard barbell curl will still work the same muscles, but a reverse curl (pronated grip) variation hits certain muscles (brachialis & brachioradialis) a little better.

How To Do

1. Grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip, with your hands on top of it (pronated grip).
2. Ensure that your elbows are kept close to your sides with your knees slightly bent.
3. Curl the bar up to shoulder level by bending your elbows.
4. Lower the bar back down to the arms’ extended position.

Know More: Barbell Bicep Exercises & Workout For Mass & Strength

19. Barbell Overhead Press

The military press is used primarily to build the deltoid muscle. It also indirectly targets the other shoulder muscles, the triceps, and the core.

Since the military press is completed standing up, it involves a lot of core strength to help stabilize the spine while pressing weight overhead.

How To Do

1. Assume a shoulder-width stance and place your hands at (or just outside of) shoulder width with a pronated grip on the bar.
2. Bring the bar over and in front of your head, under your chin, and just above your upper chest.
3. Now Press the bar straight up overhead until your arms are fully extended but not locked out.
4. Slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.

Related Post: Barbell Shoulder Exercises To Build Mass And Strength

20. Barbell Upright Row

The barbell upright row is an excellent exercise you can do at home to, build huge Trapezius muscles.

Upright rows can be done with both narrow grips and wider ones.

• The narrow grip focuses on the trapezius, and the wider focuses on the entire shoulder girdle. 
• Moreover, the wider grip allows some cheating movement, allowing you to lift more weight.

How To Do

1. Hold a bar with an overhand grip and let it hang.
2. Lift the bar as close as possible to the chin, using your arms and elevating your shoulders to squeeze your trapezius muscles.
3. Now, lower the bar under controlled motion until it returns to its starting position.
4. Keep a controlled motion and avoid jerky movements.

21. Barbell Shrug

The barbell shrug is one of the best shoulder exercises to build bigger and stronger trap muscles.

The shrug is one of the simplest and easy trap exercises to perform.

You can do the shrug using a dumbbell, barbell, or smith machine, but the barbell variation is the classic way to build massive traps.

How To Do

1. Stand with feet placed shoulder-width apart, knee slightly bent, and core stable.
2. Grip the barbell with your hands facing downwards in a pronated grip.
3. Raise your shoulders without bending the elbows as far as possible, getting them closer to your ears.
4. Hold the contraction and squeeze for a brief second.
5. In a controlled and stable manner, lower the weight back down to the starting position.

22. Barbell Rollout

Research indicates that the barbell rollout is a highly efficient workout for targeting various areas of the core and abs, specifically the rectus abdominis and obliques.

Abs slide is best performed with a barbell with rotating collars and is considered more difficult than other ab roller variations.

While it may be difficult for some male lifters initially, they will be rewarded with a strong core once they can perform a single rep.

How To Do

1. Kneel on the floor in front of a loaded barbell and grab the barbell with an overhand, shoulder-width group.
2. Your arms should be straight and your torso fairly upright in the start position.
3. Allow the bar to roll forward as far as possible, with your knees and toes touching the floor, while you maintain your grip.
4. In the finish position, the goal is to be as flat as possible, with your torso and upper legs parallel with the floor and hovering just a couple of inches above it.
5. Then, reverse the motion to pull the bar back toward your knees until your body is upright again.

23. Landmine Twists

The Landmine twist is another excellent oblique exercise. When you add a landmine twist to an exercise, your obliques will work hard.

The landmine twist is a rotational abdominal movement performed using an angled barbell anchored at floor level in a landmine device. It can also be performed by sticking a barbell in the corner of a room.

It targets the deep muscles of the core, including both the obliques and the transversus abdominis.

How To Do 

1. Position a bar into a landmine or securely anchor it in a corner. Load the bar to an appropriate weight.
2. Raise the bar off the floor, taking it to shoulder height with both hands. With your arms extended in front of you, adopt a wide stance.
3. Rotate the trunk and hips as you swing the weight down to one side.
4. Keep your arms extended throughout the exercise.
5. Reverse the motion to swing the weight to the opposite side.

24. Clean and Jerk

The hang clean and jerk is a complex exercise that involves multiple movements performed in quick succession.

It requires coordinated flexion and extension of various joints and muscles throughout the entire body, combining pulling and pushing motions into a single exercise. It is arguably one of the best exercises for developing speed and power while strengthening the hamstrings, quads, lower back, abs, shoulders, and traps.

The hang clean and jerk exercise is an effective and efficient way to get a full-body workout in a short period of time.

It is one of the lifts that athletes do at events like the Olympics and other weightlifting competitions.

How To Do

1. Start by standing in front of the barbell with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Lower down to grip the barbell with hands shoulder-width apart, and with an overhand grip.
3. Lift the barbell by extending the hips and knees and pulling it to the shoulders.
4. Once at shoulder level, lower down into a partial squat, then jerk the barbell overhead by fully extending the hips and knees, and pushing the barbell with the arms.
5. Practice proper form and technique with lighter weights before progressing to heavier loads.

25. Barbell Push Press

The barbell push press is a compound exercise that targets the shoulders, triceps, and chest muscles. It is primarily used to develop explosive power throughout the body. 

It involves using a barbell to push the weight overhead, starting from a shoulder-level rack position.

A study has shown that weight-bearing exercises like barbell exercises can improve bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and other bone-related conditions.

How To Do

• stand with their feet planted shoulder-width apart and the barbell in a shoulder-level rack position.
• Keep your core tight and engaged.
• Slightly dip your knees and explosively push the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
• Lower the barbell back down to the starting position with control.

Barbell Workout Routines

The Barbell workout helps you achieve goals like building muscle, getting stronger, or strengthening your body.

1. Select Training Goals

Strength, Power, Hypertrophy and Endurance Table of Mell Siff’s Supertraining

2. Upper Body Barbell Only Workout Plan

A barbell-only upper body workout plan is a great way to build muscle and strength in your upper body. T

3. Lower Body Barbell Workout Plan

A complete lower-body barbell workout for the beginning.

4. Full-Body Barbell Workout Routine (4-day Split)

A 4-day split allows you to train your whole body frequently for complete muscular development. This full-body barbell workout program works all the major muscle groups. 

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday – Rest Day

Thursday

Friday

Saturday and Sunday – Rest Day

FAQs

Are barbell exercises only for advanced lifters?

No, barbell exercises can be modified for beginners. It’s important to start with lighter weights and focus on proper form and technique.

Can barbell exercises be performed at home?

Yes, you can do barbell exercises at home with the right equipment. It’s important to have good space and safety measures in place.

What are the top 5 barbell exercises?

The top 5 barbell exercises are:

1. Squat,
2. Deadlift,
3. Bench press
4. Overhead press
5. Barbell row

These exercises work multiple muscle groups and are considered compound movements.

What are the top 3 barbell exercises?

The top 3 barbell exercises are:

1. Squat,
2. Bench press
3. Deadlift

References

• Bishop, Chris & Chavda, Shyam & Turner, Anthony. (2017). Exercise Technique: The Push Press. Strength and Conditioning Journal. 40. 1. 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000321.
• Solstad TE, Andersen V, Shaw M, Hoel EM, Vonheim A, Saeterbakken AH. A Comparison of Muscle Activation between Barbell Bench Press and Dumbbell Flyes in Resistance-Trained Males. J Sports Sci Med. 2020 Nov 19;19(4):645-651. PMID: 33239937; PMCID: PMC7675616.
• Lin, Ting-Yu & Hsieh, Shu-Shih & Chueh, Ting-Yu & Huang, Chung-Ju & Hung, Tsung-Min. (2021). The effects of barbell resistance exercise on information processing speed and conflict-related ERP in older adults: a crossover randomized controlled trial. Scientific Reports. 11. 9137. 10.1038/s41598-021-88634-5.
• Lin, T., Hsieh, S., Chueh, T., Huang, C., & Hung, T. (2021). The effects of barbell resistance exercise on information processing speed and conflict-related ERP in older adults: A crossover randomized controlled trial. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88634-5

Manish Kumar

Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.

Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.