Barbell lifting guides

Eight short guides that take you from your first session with an empty bar to a plan that keeps adding weight. Read them in order, or jump to the lift you're working on today.

1. 01 Barbell training for beginners: where to startThe five lifts, the gear, a 3-day program and how to pick starting weights.
2. 02 How to squat with a barbellRack setup, stance, bracing, depth and the fixes for caving knees.
3. 03 How to bench pressShoulder blades, grip, elbow angle, bar path and benching alone safely.
4. 04 How to deadliftThe five-step setup, the pull, grip options and back position.
5. 05 How to overhead pressGrip, bar path past the face, lockout and tiny increments.
6. 06 How to do a barbell rowTorso angle, pulling to the belly and Pendlay vs bent-over.
7. 07 Progressive overload for barbell liftsIncrements per lift, microloading, stalls, RPE and deloads.
8. 08 How to warm up for heavy barbell liftsAn empty-bar-to-work-weight ladder with kg and lb examples.

How to use this series

Start with barbell training for beginners for the equipment and a simple three-day program. Then read the technique guide for each lift before you first train it, and come back to warm-up sets and progressive overload once the weights start getting heavy.

These guides are general education, not medical advice. If a lift causes pain, stop and talk to a qualified professional.

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