Lou Ferrigno. You gotta love him. He was supposed to be Arnold's nemesis in South Africa for the last time Arnold stood his ground (and won as well) in the sport of bodybuilding.
Yes, if you have watched "Pumping Iron", you'd certainly know who Lou was alright… and you'd also realize the amount of effort that goes into getting a body as chiseled as theirs.
It's not easy, to say the least… and it takes hours and hours of punishing your body almost every other day if you want to excel at that level. And if there's anything that's true of these strong men of our time, it's been more than just acquainted to barbell weights.
Why Barbell Weights?
Of course, there are several other types of training equipment that can help you build muscle but they all have to bow down to the king of them all – the barbell! No matter how many types of dumbbells or kettlebell weights you use or even machines for that matter, you'll find that the barbell helps you build strength like no other.
Yes, if your objective is to "man up", then the barbell is the way to go…
Perhaps the reason for this is because the more weight you work out with, the easier it becomes to convert fat into muscle and keep it that way. It is the very reason why most instructors will ensure that you do graduate to using barbell weights as soon as you show progress with dumbbells and cardio.
Most of all, it's manly to work out with barbell weights as opposed to any other weight training equipment, and which is why you'll see beginners trying their luck with barbells when they should be focusing on the basics first.
What I mean to say that it is a good idea to get into a workout routine for a few months until you take on difficult weight training routines such as that of using different weights with a barbell.
The only disadvantage that you might experience with using barbell weights is the risk of injury just in case proper form is not maintained or God forbid, someone actually drops it without the assistance of a spotter.
If you have been working out for sometime, and now wish to try barbell workouts at home, then here are a couple of workouts that you can try.
The Barbell – Sample Workouts
Sample Workout #1: Considered to be a simple workout for the reason that only one set of 12 to 15 reps are required to finish each exercise. You rest for about 45 seconds and then move on to the next one. Finally, remember to train your body with these exercises three times a week while remembering to have a rest day in between.
So, here are the list of exercises:
#1: Deadlift
#2: Incline Push-up
#3: Bent Over Row
#4: Reverse Curl
#5: Press Crunch
The next sample workout is for 2 sets of 12 to 15 reps for each exercise. You also have to rest for 45 seconds between each set, and do this three times a week with one day of rest after each workout session.
Here are the exercises:
#1: Barbell Squat
#2: Triceps dip
#3: Decline push-up
#4: Biceps curl
#5: Single-arm row
#6: Seated reverse crunch
And if you really want to know more about barbell exercises, you will be able find information at this link.
In Closing
And if you bought into the rivalry between Lou Ferrigno and Arnold Schwarzenegger, think again! It was all a set up…
