When it comes to building muscle mass and overall strength, the barbell is an essential tool in any fitness enthusiast’s arsenal. A full-body barbell workout is an efficient and effective technique to target many muscle groups in a single session. In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of creating a full-body barbell workout plan and look at a range of exercises to help you reach your mass-building goals.

A full-body barbell workout is a versatile and efficient way to stay fit. It means you can exercise all your major muscle groups in a single session, which is great for building overall strength. And the best part? Whether you’re just starting out or have been lifting for a while, you can adjust this workout to match your fitness level.

How To Design A Full Body Barbell Workout Plan

Designing an effective full body barbell workout plan involves selecting the right exercises, sets, and repetitions. Before jumping into the exercises, consider the following principles:

1. Exercise Selection: Choose a variety of compound exercises that target different muscle groups to ensure comprehensive development.

2. Sets and Reps: The number of sets and repetitions will depend on your fitness goals. For muscle mass, aim for 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions.

3. Rest: Allow 60-90 seconds of rest between sets to optimize recovery.

4. Frequency: Perform this workout 2-3 times a week, allowing for adequate rest between sessions.

Now, let’s dive into the specific exercises for each muscle group.

Barbell Leg Exercises

Barbell Squats

How-to:

1. Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Approach the barbell rack and position it across your upper back, ensuring it rests comfortably on your trapezius muscles.
3. Grip the barbell with both hands, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
4. Take a deep breath, engage your core, and brace your spine.
5. Lower your body by simultaneously bending your knees and hips.
6. Continue descending until your thighs are parallel to the ground, keeping your back straight and chest up.
7. Ensure your knees stay aligned with your feet and don’t go beyond your toes.
8. Push through your heels to stand back up to the starting position.
9. Exhale as you complete the lift.

Benefits:

• Targets quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.
• Promotes lower body strength and power.
• Enhances overall leg development.

Barbell Lunges

How-to:

1. Start by holding a barbell, using a comfortable grip across your upper back.
2. Stand upright with your feet together.
3. Take a step forward with one leg, extending it far enough to create a 90-degree angle at both your front and back knees.
4. Lower your body until your back knee gently touches or hovers just above the ground.
5. Keep your front knee aligned with your ankle.
6. Push through the heel of your front foot to return to the starting position.
7. Repeat the movement on the other leg.
8. Continue alternating legs for the desired number of repetitions.

Benefits:

• Engages quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
• Improves balance and coordination.
• Aids in developing leg strength and symmetry.

Romanian Deadlifts

How-to:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with the barbell on the ground in front of you.
2. Bend at your hips while keeping your back straight, ensuring your chest is up.
3. Grip the barbell with both hands using an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
4. Maintain a slight bend in your knees throughout the movement.
5. Inhale and begin lowering the barbell towards the ground by hinging at your hips.
6. Lower the barbell as far as your flexibility allows while keeping it close to your body.
7. Feel the stretch in your hamstrings.
8. Exhale as you return to the upright position by extending your hips and squeezing your glutes.

Benefits:

• Primarily targets hamstrings and lower back.
• Enhances posterior chain strength.
• Improves hip hinge mechanics.

Barbell Chest Exercises

Barbell Bench Press

How-to:

1. Lie flat on a bench with your eyes aligned under the barbell.
2. Grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
3. Ensure your feet are planted firmly on the ground, creating a stable base.
4. Lift the barbell off the rack and position it directly over your chest.
5. Lower the barbell to your chest, allowing your elbows to flare out slightly.
6. Press the barbell upward until your arms are fully extended.
7. Exhale as you complete the lift.

Benefits:

• Targets chest, shoulders, and triceps.
• Promotes upper body strength and muscle growth.
• Is a fundamental exercise for chest development.

Barbell Incline Bench Press

How-to:

1. Perform this exercise on an inclined bench set at a 30-45 degree angle.
2. Lie back on the bench and position yourself so that the barbell is directly above your upper chest.
3. Grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
4. Lift the barbell off the rack.
5. Lower the barbell to your upper chest and press it upward until your arms are fully extended.
6. Exhale as you complete the lift.

Benefits:

• Focuses on upper chest development.
• Provides a well-rounded chest workout.
• Aids in achieving a balanced chest appearance.

Barbell Decline Bench Press

How-to:

1. Use a decline bench set at a 30-45 degree angle, with your head lower than your feet.
2. Lie back on the bench and position yourself so that the barbell is directly above your lower chest.
3. Grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
4. Lift the barbell off the rack.
5. Lower the barbell to your lower chest and press it upward until your arms are fully extended.
6. Exhale as you complete the lift.

Benefits:

• Shifts focus to lower chest development.
• Contributes to a well-proportioned chest.

Barbell Shoulder Exercises

Barbell Overhead Press

How-to:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold the barbell at shoulder height with your palms facing forward.
3. Ensure your elbows are slightly in front of the barbell.
4. Press the barbell upward until your arms are fully extended.
5. Lower the barbell back to shoulder height.
6. Exhale as you complete the lift.

Benefits:

• Targets shoulders, triceps, and upper chest.
• Enhances shoulder strength and stability.
• Promotes well-rounded shoulder development.

Barbell Upright Rows

How-to:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold the barbell with a narrow overhand grip, hands closer than shoulder-width.
3. Keep the barbell close to your body.
4. Pull the barbell upward towards your chin, leading with your elbows.
5. Lower the barbell back down to your thighs.
6. Exhale as you complete the lift.

Benefits:

• Develops lateral deltoids and traps.
• Aids in achieving broader shoulders.
• Improves upper back aesthetics.

Barbell Shrugs

How-to:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip in front of your thighs.
3. Keep your arms fully extended.
4. Shrug your shoulders upward as high as possible.
5. Lower the barbell back down to your thighs.
6. Exhale as you complete the lift.

Benefits:

• Targets the trapezius muscles effectively.
• Enhances neck and upper back strength.
• Aids in achieving a well-defined upper back.

Barbell Back Exercises

Barbell Rows

How-to:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, gripping the barbell with an overhand grip.
2. Bend at your hips and knees to lower your upper body.
3. Keep your back straight and chest up.
4. Pull the barbell towards your lower abdomen, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
5. Lower the barbell back down to arm’s length.
6. Exhale as you complete the lift.

Benefits:

• Works the upper back and lats.
• Enhances upper body strength and thickness.
• Improves posture and back aesthetics.

Barbell Deadlifts

How-to:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with the barbell on the ground in front of you.
2. Bend at your hips and knees to lower your upper body.
3. Keep your back straight and chest up.
4. Grip the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
5. Lift the barbell by extending your hips and knees until you are standing upright.
6. Lower the barbell back down to the ground.
7. Exhale as you complete the lift.

Benefits:

• Engages the entire back, glutes, and hamstrings.
• Promotes overall strength and power.
• Develops a strong and functional posterior chain.

Barbell Pull-Ups

How-to:

1. Attach a barbell to a sturdy overhead structure.
2. Use a pronated grip (palms facing away) and hang from the barbell.
3. Pull your body up until your chin is above the bar.
4. Lower your body back down to a hanging position.
5. Exhale as you complete the lift.

Benefits:

• Excellent for building upper back strength.
• Enhances grip strength.
• Aids in achieving a V-shaped back.

Barbell Arm Exercises

Barbell Bicep Curls

How-to:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold the barbell with both hands, arms fully extended.
3. Keep your elbows close to your torso.
4. Curl the barbell towards your chest by bending your elbows.
5. Lower the barbell back down to arm’s length.
6. Exhale as you complete the lift.

Benefits:

• Isolates and develops the biceps.
• Enhances arm aesthetics and size.
• A fundamental exercise for bicep strength.

Barbell Tricep Extensions

How-to:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold the barbell with both hands overhead, arms fully extended.
3. Lower the barbell behind your head by bending your elbows.
4. Extend your arms to return to the starting position.
5. Exhale as you complete the lift.

Benefits:

• Targets the triceps effectively.
• Promotes tricep strength and definition.
• Contributes to well-rounded arm development.

Barbell Hammer Curls

How-to:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold the barbell with both hands, arms fully extended.
3. Maintain a neutral grip, with palms facing each other.
4. Keep your elbows close to your torso.
5. Curl the barbell towards your chest by bending your elbows.
6. Lower the barbell back down to arm’s length.
7. Exhale as you complete the lift.

Benefits:

• Emphasizes the brachialis muscle in your arms.
• Add thickness to the arms.
• Enhances overall arm aesthetics.

The Barbell Full Body Workout Plan

Now that you have a variety of barbell exercises to choose from, let’s design a sample full body workout plan:

Day 1:

• Barbell Squats: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Rows: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Bicep Curls: 3 sets of 10 reps

Day 2:

• Barbell Lunges: 3 sets of 10 reps (each leg)
• Barbell Overhead Press: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Deadlifts: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Tricep Extensions: 3 sets of 10 reps

Day 3: 

• Rest

Day 4:

• Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Incline Bench Press: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Pull-Ups: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Hammer Curls: 3 sets of 10 reps

Day 5: 

• Rest

Day 6:

• Barbell Front Squats: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Upright Rows: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Shrugs: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell Decline Bench Press: 3 sets of 10 reps

Day 7: 

• Rest

Repeat this cycle for a few weeks, gradually increasing the weight as you become stronger. Ensure proper warm-up and cooldown stretches before and after each workout to prevent injury.

Final Thoughts

A complete barbell workout for your whole body is a versatile and efficient method for increasing muscle size and strength. It ensures you work on all your main muscle groups in a well-rounded manner. Just keep in mind: focus on good form, slowly add more weight, and make sure to get enough rest and recovery for the best results.

FAQs

References

1. What’s a Good Full-Body Workout for Mass? Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/whats-a-good-full-body-workout-for-mass

2. Beginner Barbell Workout Plan & Training Program. Retrieved from https://www.strengthlog.com/barbell-training-program-for-the-beginner/

Michael K.

Daniel Mesa, CPT, is a trusted fitness expert and founder of  FitDominium. With his extensive experience and commitment to helping others, Daniel is the go-to source for reliable fitness advice and recommendations.