The barbell is the best bodybuilding and strength training tool for gaining muscle mass. If you want to achieve good results in your bodybuilding, you can read this article on sparkous.com.
The presence of a barbell and a set of weight plates allows you to perform many different exercises for all muscle groups of the body without simulators and other equipment.
There are five main multi-joint barbell exercises
1. Deadlifts
2. Squats
3. Bench press
4. Bent over barbell rows
5. Standing barbell press
The only exercise listed that requires a bench.
Barbell Workout Tips
As with all activities, barbell training requires a thorough warm-up. Using the bench press exercise as an example you need to start with a warm-up of the shoulder joints and pectoral muscles. This can be done with circular rotational movements of the arms alternating directions and also stretch the chest spreading the arms to the sides in an inclination.
The first approach is best done with an “empty” neck without any weighting discs; the second can be done with lightweight which should be selected individually.
These warm-up sets can be replaced with a dumbbell press. Of course, their weight should also be small. When working with a barbell the weight should be added gradually.
Basic Barbell Exercises
The fundamental difference between basic exercises with a barbell is that when they are performed, several large muscle groups are included in the work at once, which is why they are called multi-joint. In turn exercise on simulators is more often isolating.
Some basic exercises can be substituted for machine variations such as squats, bench presses, and standing presses while deadlifts and bent-over rows can only be performed with free weights. However, it is these exercises that best develop the upper body.
The deadlift is rightfully considered a strength exercise number 1 with the correct technique, it pumps the muscles of the back core and hamstrings. But it is precise because of the powerful effect on the figure in bodybuilding that the deadlift is replaced with lighter exercises in order to avoid excessive leg enlargement.
Why are they needed and what do they give?
Muscle growth requires three conditions – increased caloric intake, sufficient recovery time, and regular increase in working weights in exercise. At the same time, multi-joint exercises performed in 3-4 sets of 5-7 repetitions in each work best.
In order to build up, it is important to focus on the main exercises honing their technique and constantly increasing the load. The advantage of barbells is that when using small Weight Plates you can literally increase the weight by 1-2 kg while the load in the simulator changes in larger steps. My suggestion is always to use the best quality Cast iron weight plates for your home gym. It’s easily available in the market or visits this website to buy online.
Multi-joint exercises – Basic Exercises for Gaining Mass
Performing multi-joint basic exercises with heavy weight puts the entire body of the athlete under stress both the key muscle group and the accompanying ones. For example with the bench press both the chest and the arms and the muscles of the shoulder girdle work (due to the load on the shoulder joint).
In addition the respiratory and even the central nervous system receives the load this is what provides a powerful hormonal response leading to muscle growth. In particular, basic barbell exercises increase testosterone and growth hormone levels.
Pros of basic exercises:
- Involve all muscle groups in the work
- Increase the production of hormones
- Develop strength and endurance
- Do not require complex equipment for training
Five basic exercises
Most isolation exercises performed with dumbbells or on machines are variations of the basic ones. For example, a seated dumbbell press or a shoulder press is a modified standing barbell press. Exactly like a bench press – this is the basis of any press in a simulator.
1. Deadlift
The deadlift is the most popular basic exercise for your core muscles. If you only do it and refuse any others you will still see the result in the form of mass gain since it is the deadlift that involves the maximum number of muscles in the work.
2. Squats – Barbell Squat
The barbell squat is a basic exercise for developing leg muscles from the glutes and quads of the thigh to the calves. With the correct execution technique the spine and abdominal muscles are also included in the work forming a strong press.
3. Bench press lying
Bench press lying on the bench
The bench press is a key exercise for developing your chest, triceps, and anterior deltoid muscles. Depending on the inclination angle of the bench and the width of the hands on the barbell it is possible to include in the work several bundles of the pectoral muscle.
4. Row of the bar to the belt
Barbell Row to Belt
The barbell deadlift is a basic exercise for developing back muscles and giving it visual width. When done correctly, deltas, pectorals, forearms, and hand-holders are also included.
5. Bench press standing
Bench press standing
The standing barbell press (also called the “army press”) develops the shoulder girdle, deltoids and arms, improves posture and strengthens the abdominal muscles. This is basic exercise for a good figure with broad shoulders.
Pros and cons of barbell training
First, basic exercises performed correctly have a positive effect on the symmetry of the muscles since the bar must be held with two hands at once and its weight is evenly distributed over the body. As a result a proportional physique is formed.
Secondly, multi-joint exercises develop the neuromuscular connection between the muscles and the brain or in simple terms the ability to engage muscles in work. The use of simulators simplifies training and can shift the load from the main muscle to the secondary.
Cons of basic exercises
The main disadvantage of basic exercises is that they require perfect knowledge of the correct technique. Doing these exercises with a lot of weight increases the risk of injury even with the smallest mistakes – which is why it is best to learn the correct technique for these exercises with a personal trainer.
Final Words
Many beginners tend to progress too quickly, unnecessarily increasing their working weight and doing more frequent strength training than their body needs. It must be remembered that it is necessary to train big muscle groups no more than once every 60-70 hours.
Nicola Holder 
Rhydian Choi