It’s happy hour at your favourite bar! Here’s to a great and efficient full body power workout.
Barbell exercises usually consist of compound exercises, therefore helping to develop strength and power. This means that your workout is challenging and intense. And, we want to challenge ourselves as much as possible. In fact, the more we do so, the better the results. Here’s to a great and efficient full body power workout. We’ll see you at the bar!
How to do it: Do 4 rounds of reps listed, all exercises performed in a sequence. Rest for 2 minutes between rounds.
The moves:
- Squats x 20 reps
- Good mornings x 15 reps
- Bicep curls x 15 reps
- Upright rows x 15 reps
- Stiff legged deadlifts x 20 reps
- Lunges x 15 per side
Squats x 20 reps
- The Start Position: Position the barbell behind your neck. Rest it across your upper back, and hold it with an overhand grip. Position your feet hip-width apart with your toes pointing slightly outwards. Keep your heels planted firmly on the floor and make sure that your weight is distributed evenly on both feet. Keep your knees slightly bent at all times.
- The Movement: Keep your back, core and abdominal muscles tight and contracted at all times. Bend your knees and lower your bum backwards and downwards. The upper part of your body should bend forward slightly (45° max). Do not arch your back as you lower yourself down or when you return to the starting position. Keep your bum ‘pointing’ backwards and your back straight. Do not allow the knees to extend beyond the tips of the toes as you lower yourself down. Change direction by pushing back up through the heels of your feet, making sure to keep your knees slightly bent at the top of the movement.
- Muscles Targeted: Quadriceps and glutes.
Good mornings x 15
- The Start Position: Stand upright with the barbell placed across your shoulders, with your feet hip-width apart, with a slight bend in your knees.
- The Movement: Keep your abs tight and your head in a neutral position. Bend forward at the hips, keeping your legs in the same position. Stop when your upper body is parallel to the floor, ensuring that you are looking forwards. Keep your abs contracted throughout the entire movement. Return to the start position and repeat.
- Muscles Targeted: Lower back
Bicep Curls x 15 reps
- The Start Position: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with a slight bend in the knees and your abs contracted.
- The Movement: Hold the barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Curl the barbell upwards towards your shoulders. At the top of the movement squeeze the biceps and hold for a count of two seconds before lowering the weight back to the starting position.
- Muscles Targeted: Biceps
Upright Rows x 15 reps
- The Start Position: Stand with your feet shoulder- width apart, with the barbell in front of you with an overhand grip and your hands placed close together.
- The Movement: Pull the weight upwards towards your chin. Your elbows should only rise to shoulder level. Hold for a count then return the weight to the starting position and repeat.
- Muscles Targeted: Trapezius and biceps
Stiff Legged Deadlift x 20
- The Start Position: Stand upright, holding the barbell with hands placed shoulder-width apart and your legs positioned hip-width apart.
- The Movement: Lower the weight down to the floor by bending at your waist. Keep your head up, back straight and knees slightly bent. Lower the weight as low as you can without bending your knees so that you feel the stretch in your hamstrings. Return to the start position and repeat.
- Muscles targeted: Hamstrings and lower back
Lunges x 15 reps on each side
- The Start Position: Place a barbell behind your shoulders, holding it with an overhand grip.
- The Movement: Take a large step forward and lower your body down. Keep your pelvis and shoulders parallel. Keep your upper body upright and core contracted at all times. Your back foot should lift up at the end of the movement so that only the tips of your toes are in contact with the ground. At the bottom of the movement your front leg should be bent at a 90-degree angle. Push back up to the start position, keeping your knees slightly bent at the top of the movement. Never allow the knees to lock out.
- Muscles Targeted: Quads and glutes.
Modelled by: Anna Wood | Photographed by: Cindy Ellis