You would have seen lifters at the Olympics compete in the snatch and clean and jerk events. It’s amazing to see how much power they exert when they are lifting those heavy weights, and how it affects their physique. As arguably one of the most effective pieces of
fitness equipment, there are so many exercises you can do with the
Olympic barbell. In this post, we will discuss a few of the exercises that can be done with the Olympic barbell and how it can help you achieve your fitness goals.
Deadlift
This is the most superior exercise that you can do with the Olympic barbell. The movement is a compound exercise which incorporates muscles in the back, shoulders, legs, glutes and core. If you want to develop a bigger and wider back, this is the exercise for you. This exercise is also one of the most demanding movements on the body. But it does trigger growth and helps with maintaining a balanced muscle development.
Snatch
This is an advanced movement. It requires you to have an excellent technique, flexibility, strength and coordination. It is a challenging exercise, however when it is done correctly it increases power in your leg muscles significantly. It is also a great movement for developing lean muscle.
Shoulder push-press
If you want to develop your shoulder muscles, you can do the push press using the Olympic barbell. Doing this exercise with the barbell will improve the stabilisation muscles and also balance out the development of the 3 muscle groups on the shoulder. It’s difficult to overtrain the shoulders with the use of the Olympic barbell as the muscles will fatigue when no more movements can be done.
Power clean
This is a fantastic exercise that will improve your overall power and give you an athletic looking physique. The trap muscles get exposed to the heavy load from the weight and develop very quickly. Additionally, this movement is great for developing lean muscle. So it can be the perfect exercise for women that are concerned about putting on too much size from weight training.
Squat
This is the best exercise for developing your quadriceps, calves, glutes and hamstrings. It also develops your core strength. You can choose to do the exercise with the Olympic barbell on your back or across your chest. The load of the weight will prioritise the development of either your front quadriceps or your glutes.
Sumo lift
This exercise is great for people whose body movement isn’t suited to doing the deadlift. The Sumo lift requires a wider stance and the weight is then pulled up in the centre of the barbell. It works out similar muscle groups, however it will develop more strength and some size, but not width in the back.
Curl
Most people opt for the EZ-curl bar or dumbbells to do their bicep curls. And this is fine. Although you can do the same movement with the Olympic barbell. It’s difficult to load the muscles with very heavy weights. The bar is already 20kg, which is a challenge for most people to lift. If you can lift heavier than 20kg, then you should consider using the Olympic bar in curling exercises. In theory, the only equipment in the gym you'd need are the Olympic barbell with bumper plates to develop an incredible physique, as well as improve your overall fitness goals. However, if you plan to do more bodybuilding, you will need to use other weights and machines to trigger muscle development.
