Learn how to workout properly at home if you have a barbell and a set of pancakes. Practical advice from athletes. The history of the bar goes back about two centuries. Previously, kettlebells were used for training, and then the ball bar was invented. It was a bar with cast-iron balls at the ends. Note that the first sports equipment resembling a barbell were used in Ancient Greece.
A modern sports equipment is known to every person and is a bar on which pancakes are put on. To prevent them from falling, special clamps are used. To facilitate the progression of the load, pancakes of different weights are produced, from 0.25 to 50 kilos.
How to properly organize your barbell workout at home?
In order for the training to be effective, regardless of where you are doing, you need to properly organize your training with a barbell at home. It is quite understandable that to get the maximum effect, you need to exercise regularly. Depending on your level of readiness, you should practice two to four times throughout the week. In this case, the duration of one lesson should be from 40 minutes to an hour. Here you should also focus on the level of your training.
You should also remember that there should be 24 hours of rest between training days. For athletes who are prone to gaining fat mass, you can increase the frequency of training during the week up to 4-6 times. At the same time, strength training is recommended to be combined with cardio load, say, swimming, jogging, etc. The annual training cycle should be divided into two stages: spring-summer and autumn-winter. In the spring and summer, it is worth devoting half of your training time to strength training, and the remaining time to doing cardio exercises or playing sports in the fresh air.
In autumn and winter, it is worth focusing on strength work, devoting up to 70 percent of the time to it. Leave the remaining 30 percent to various types of aerobic training.
It is very important to choose the right exercises so that they are as effective as possible for you. Try to perform the heaviest movements in the middle of the session, as the muscles will already be warmed up, and thereby you will reduce the likelihood of injury. When determining the number of sets and reps, you need to start from the tasks set.
To increase physical parameters and gain mass, you need to work in 4-5 sets with 5-6 repetitions in each of them. In this case, it is necessary to remember the importance of the progression of the load. For example, in the previous lesson you performed a movement with a sports equipment weight of 45 kilos.
You managed to perform 6 repetitions with this working weight in four approaches. In this situation, on the next workout, increase the weight of the bar to 47.5 kilos and again work in four sets, but with the following number of repetitions:
- 1st set - 6 reps.
- 2nd set - 4 to 5 repetitions.
- 3rd set - 3 to 4 repetitions.
- 4th set - 2 to 3 repetitions.
Remember to rest after each set until your breathing is fully restored and move on to the next set. It is necessary to work on increasing power parameters and gaining mass from three months to six months.
If you want to focus on burning fat and increasing relative strength, then the number of repetitions in one set should be increased to 12-15, and the number of sets is from two to three. The weight of the projectile must be selected so that the last repetition is performed on failure. When you can perform the movement in the amount of 15 repetitions easily enough in the third set, you need to increase the weight of the projectile.
It should also be remembered that first it is necessary to progress the load by increasing the number of repetitions and only after that increase the working weight of the projectile. Gradually, you need to move from simple movements to complex ones, while increasing the number of sets and repetitions, as well as increasing working weights. Rest for about 120 seconds between sets, but during this time you cannot sit. Walk slowly to restore breathing.
If you notice that the performance of heavy basic movements is accompanied by prolonged respiratory failure, visual enlargement of blood vessels, reddening of the skin of the face, then it is necessary to reduce the load. To avoid overtraining, you should use training cycles.
How to avoid overtraining while exercising?
One of the best preventive measures for overtraining is the so-called fasting week. It should be the only one in your monthly training cycle. During this time, you need to reduce the training volume by 50 percent and introduce cyclic training into the training program.
Before starting each lesson, you need to warm up well for 10 or 15 minutes. Also remember the importance of doing warm-up movements in between sets. For example, when doing barbell presses, you can shake and massage the working muscles. The main part of each session is devoted to working out all the large muscles of the body, and after the workout is completed, cool down.
When creating a barbell workout program at home, you should adhere to the following rules:
- Choose the right weight for your sports equipment.
- When performing heavy movements, it is necessary to use special shoes that securely fix the ankle.
- Using various options for performing exercises, you can reduce the load on the articular-ligamentous apparatus.
- Do not load heavily on the spinal column in each session, alternating the execution of movements in the sitting, standing and lying positions.
You also need to learn how to control your breathing. When you return to the starting position, you must exhale. Until the moment when you do not exert maximum effort, it is necessary to inhale.
Barbell Exercises at Home
Very often people believe that even with such a sports equipment as a barbell, barbell training at home cannot bring the desired result. Of course, training in the gym will allow you to progress faster, but at home you can also achieve your goals. Now we will talk about the most effective exercises that you can perform not only in the gym, but also at home.
- Bench press in the prone position. This is one of the most popular moves among athletes. For its implementation, it is desirable to have a bench, but you can also use a couple of stools, placing them side by side. By changing the width of the grip, you can shift the focus to the targeting muscles that you need to develop first. When using a wide grip, the maximum load falls on the muscles of the back, and with a narrow one - on the triceps.
- French presses. For this movement, you also want to have a bench, which will increase the amplitude. However, you can also do the French press on the ground.
- Sitting or standing barbell presses. This is a great movement that will allow you to pump the muscles of the shoulder girdle and upper chest. Also note that when performing the exercise, the barbell can lower to the chest or behind the head.
- Shrugs. This movement is aimed at working out the trapezoids. If we talk about performing shrugs at home, then there is an undeniable advantage - there are no serious requirements for additional shells. Just find the optimal weight for yourself, then slightly abduct your shoulder joints, start lifting them. But remember that circular movements of the shoulder joints are prohibited.
- Deadlift. This movement does not lose its effectiveness at home. You can use the classic version of the movement or its variation - sumo pull. Note that novice athletes or athletes with large stature should focus on the classic version of the movement. Also, beginners can lower the bar slightly below the level of the knee joints, and experienced builders should work with full amplitude and lower the bar to the ground.
- Pulls towards the waist, reclining position. Excellent movement that engages the back muscles. In this case, you do not need to apply large working weights, and special attention should be paid to the technical side of the issue.
- Squats. Another very popular and effective movement. There are many variations, but beginners should first of all master the classical movement.
A set of exercises with a barbell for training at home in this video:
