Women are notorious for their fear of lifting weights. Many of them stock to five-pound dumbbells and resistance bands without ever touching real weights. If that's your case, it's time to give your workout a makeover. Like or not, you need to lift heavy to build the body you're after.
Barbell exercises are particularly beneficial. These tools build total body strength while making your workout more challenging. They also boost your power and endurance by forcing your body to work as a coordinated unit. Their versatility shouldn't be overlooked either. With
barbells, you can do virtually any exercise and increase the weight as you progress. Not sure how to get started? Check out these five
barbell exercises every woman should master:
Bench Press This classic move targets the chest, front shoulders, and triceps. It builds upper body strength and tones your arms. Plus, it helps develop the strength necessary to do chin-ups, pull-ups, and other complex exercises. The bench press puts maximum load on your chest muscles, giving them a firm, sexy shape. Your arms and shoulders will become more defined, so you'll look amazing in tank tops and tiny dresses. Perform this exercise at least once a week to reap the benefits.
Deadlift Touted as the quintessential weightlifting exercise, the deadlift boosts explosive power, strength, and overall performance. Since it recruits nearly every muscle, it builds lean mass and raises your metabolism. This compound exercise works your back, shoulders, arms, quads, hamstrings, and abs. It helps develop core strength and stability, which translates into better sports performance. Moreover, it improves your posture and functional fitness. Its real-life functionality comes into play when you get strong to lift furniture and other heavy objects.
Barbell Glute Bridge Every woman wants a firm, round butt. That's exactly what the
barbell glute bridge is good for. This exercise will put your glutes on fire and build lower body strength. The
barbell glute bridge also engages your core muscles, helping you build strong abs. Plus, it shapes and lifts your butt, tones your hamstrings, and strengthens the lower back muscles. Over time, this exercise can help you jump higher, run faster, and fix muscle imbalances.
T-Bar Rows T-bar rows are the key to a strong back and core. This compound exercise targets your lats as well as the pulling muscles in your arms, such as the biceps. Plus, your glutes, quads, and hamstrings work hard to maintain your balance and generate force as you lift. This move is very intense, so it burns massive calories and boosts your metabolism. When done regularly, it improves your posture and makes you stronger overall. If your gym doesn't have a T-bar, use a
barbell exercises. Increase the weight gradually to prevent injuries and build up your strength. Watch your form and keep your back straight throughout the movement.
Clean and Press This compound exercise is widely used by CrossFitters and powerlifters. It combines the push of the overhead press with the pulling force of a deadlift, targeting nearly every muscle. Your entire body works to keep you in balance. The clean and press hits your quads, glutes, traps, shoulders, and triceps while building core strength. It's a full body movement that promotes hypertrophy and burns fat. Just make sure you learn proper lifting form before adding more plates to the bar. So, what are you waiting for? Try these
barbell exercises to take your workouts to the next level. A few weeks from now on, you’ll be stronger, faster, and leaner.
