Exercises With Just a Barbell & No Plates

Barbell exercises are an integral part of an effective workout routine, as they can help build muscle and burn fat. But it's understandable if you find yourself slightly intimidated by the thought of exercising with a barbell. The bar itself generally weighs 45 pounds; add some plate weights and you're talking about some serious resistance. If you're new to physical activity, there are plenty of exercises you can do with an empty barbell that will get you on the right path. As your strength increases, gradually add weight plates to continue to challenge your muscles.

  1. Arms

    • You can use an empty barbell to work the arm muscles, particularly the biceps and triceps. All variations of the curl -- including biceps curls, reverse curls and preacher curls -- work the front of each arm as you bend your elbows to lift the barbell. Perform sitting or lying barbell extensions to work the triceps muscles on the back of each arm. Wrist curls and reverse wrist curls adequately challenge your forearm muscles. These exercises can be performed with just a barbell but may be very challenging for a weight-training novice. You may want to seek out a smaller version of the barbell known as an EZ bar that generally weighs between 15 to 25 pounds for arm exercises.

    Chest and Shoulder Exercises

    • Target the muscles of your chest and shoulders with exercises that involve pushing the barbell away from your body. All variations of the chest press -- including incline, decline, flat, wide-grip and close-grip presses -- will work your pecs and the fronts of your shoulders. Hold the barbell with both hands at shoulder level, then press it overhead to target the front and middle parts of your shoulders as well as the upper fibers of your chest muscles. The bench press and overhead press also give your triceps a challenging workout.

    Back Exercises

    • The back muscles are primarily used to pull objects toward your body, or your body toward other objects. Bent-over rows work most of the back, barbell pullovers target your latissimus dorsi, while shrugs and upright rows tax your upper-back muscles, especially the trapezius. To perform a deadlift, place an empty barbell on the floor and stand facing it with your legs shoulder-width apart. Squat down and grasp the bar with an overhand grip. Straighten your back, stabilize your abdomen, then extend your legs and hips to lift the barbell. The deadlift strengthens your back and numerous other muscles across your body.

    Leg and Hip Exercises

    • Strong legs and hips are necessary for a solid foundation, so barbell exercises that target these areas will move you in the right direction. Perform good-mornings, squats, lunges, deadlifts and step-ups with just a barbell to strengthen your glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings. Place a bar across your knees while seated and perform heel raises to work your calves.

    Ab exercises

    • Ab exercises are relatively limited when it comes to using a barbell but there are a few you can choose from to target your midsection. The broom stick twist will target your obliques and the push crunch -- a crunch performed while holding a barbell above your chest -- works your rectus abdominis.

    Full-Body Exercises

    • If you're short on time but still looking for an efficient workout, try a few barbell exercises that work your entire body. Use just a barbell with no plates to perform cleans, snatches and thrusters, which combine a front squat with a shoulder press to form one fluid movement. You'll experience strength and stamina improvements throughout your body and, because of the explosiveness of the movements, receive an effective cardio workout at the same time.