Getting fit and healthy in the gym can be daunting when you’re not sure what all the equipment does, or how to use it. A barbell is one of the simplest-looking pieces of equipment but can be some of the most intimidating to use. Taking the time to get to grips with a barbell is advantageous, with so many exercises to choose from to benefit all muscles in your body, they can help you to improve your overall strength, posture, and sports performance. Read on as we look at the benefits that come with adding gym barbell workouts to your routine.
What is a barbell?
A barbell is a metal bar that can have weights added to each side to make it manageable for varying levels of fitness. The weights come in the form of plates, so you can add and take off weight to achieve a weight that is perfect for you. You can use a barbell for a range of exercises to train the entire body, in the gym, or a home – you can benefit from both; however, a gym will have additional equipment like a squat rack or bench press to help you with some of your workouts. So, why use a barbell to train? If you’re looking to improve your strength, a barbell is essential as you can perform a range of exercises and movements to build muscles and strengthen bones and joints. We’ll look at the benefits that come with barbell training below.
Saves time
Using a barbell to work out can save you time during your workouts. With so many exercises that you can do with this piece of equipment to benefit your whole body, you don’t have to move from machine to machine to get a full body workout. You can choose exercises to focus on the area you’d like to strengthen, like your core, hamstrings, glutes, and pecs. All you must do is choose an exercise suitable for the area you’d like to improve. A barbell can be used in a range of ways to benefit your entire body.
Improves performance
You can use a barbell to improve your performance in other sports too. Using a barbell teaches your mind how to work all your body’s muscles together – this is called neuromuscular connection and is responsible for the increase of strength that comes with going to the gym. Barbells require both balance and coordination during workouts, and by doing this, athletes competing in other sports can improve their ability to throw, kick, run and jump. Strength training is important to boost your performance in other sports.
Improves posture
Using a barbell isn’t just for strength or aesthetics, when performing your exercises properly, barbell exercises can build strength within the stabiliser muscles. These groups of muscles help us to stand tall, keep our backs straight and hold ourselves up. Introducing barbell strength workouts to your routine means you can improve your posture for easier breathing, reduce the risk of injury and eradicate back pain.
Barbells for Cardio
Barbells are versatile, and when you’re not building muscle, you can use them to improve your cardio fitness. Although barbells tend to be lighter when they’re used for cardio, they are great for improving muscular endurance, performing the same action within the muscles repeatedly. Reducing the weight of the barbell and using it more often is a good way of getting a cardio workout – most gyms offer fitness classes so you can reap the benefits.
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