5 Basic Barbell Lifts for Strength Training

Backsquat Deadlift Standing Overhead Press Benchpress Powerclean

Bibliography:

Print sources: Baechle, Thomas R., and Roger W. Earle. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning: National Strength and Conditioning Association. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2000. Considered the most comprehensive reference available for strength and conditioning professionals; used here for information about lifting techniques. Rippetoe, Mark, and Lon Kilgore. Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training. Wichita Falls, TX: Aasgaard, 2007. The definitive source for barbell strength training, used here for technique information, all images, and great coaching wisdom. Anyone who trains seriously with barbells should buy this book. Other great online resources: "How to Deadlift: Definitive Guide to Mastering Technique | StrongLifts.com." StrongLifts.com: Gain Strength And Muscle While Losing Fat. 1 May 2011. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. <http://stronglifts.com/how-to-deadlift-withproper-technique/>. "How to Master The Bench Press | StrongLifts.com." StrongLifts.com: Gain Strength And Muscle While Losing Fat. 1 Oct. 2007. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. "How to Master The Overhead Press | StrongLifts.com." StrongLifts.com: Gain Strength And Muscle While Losing Fat. 1 Oct. 2007. Web. 06 Mar. 2012.
"Squats: How to Master Proper Exercise Technique Once and For All | StrongLifts.com." StrongLifts.com: Gain Strength And Muscle While Losing Fat. 1 Oct. 2007. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. "The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Power Cleans | StrongLifts.com." The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Power Cleans. 6 May 2007. Web. 06 Mar. 2012.

Back squat
The full range of motion known as the squat is the single most useful exercise in the weight room, and our most valuable tool for building strength, power, and size. . . . The squat, when performed correctly, is not only the safest exercise for the knees, it produces a more stable knee than any other leg exercise. -- Coach Mark Rippetoe Starting position & grip Closed grip: a bit wider than shoulders (high-bar) or wider (low-bar), pronate (palms away) Feet about shoulder-width apart with toes slightly angled out (30) Stance depends on femur lengths: Longer thighs = wider stance Key cues Squeeze chest up, keep a tight torso with a slight arch in lower back At the top, take a deep breath, hold, and go Start the squat by pushing hips back, bending at the knees, and sitting back Going down/up, maintain a nearly constant torso-floor angle Go down until heels rise, torso rounds, or tops of thighs are parallel to the floor Keep knees aligned over feet (no valgus, or collapsing inward) Dont pause at the bottom; use the bounce stretch reflex Bar path stays over the middle of the foot at all times Proper depth is with hips just below the top of the knees

Eyes straight ahead, focused on a point about 5-6 feet away on the ground (NOT up) Lift elbows up to create a "shelf" Chest up, rigid torso

Coming out of the bottom: Push knees out, drive up with the hips (not a leg push) Lift with your hips, not your back. Engage your hamstrings Keep your weight on your heels at all times Do not allow your knees to come forward, which disengages hamstrings and stresses hip flexors

Back squat

If you don't Squat, you're not training period. The Squat is the most important weight training exercise because it works your whole body, not just your legs. StrongLifts.com

Deadlift
The deadlift builds back strength better than any other exercise, bar none. . . [and] should be an essential part of training: an important assistance exercise for the squat, and especially the clean, as well as a way to train the mind to do things that are hard. -- Coach Mark Rippetoe Starting position & grip Stance = the same as that for a flat-footed vertical jump; narrower and more toesforward than the squat Flat back, with knees/hips flexed Grip: hip-width, just outside knees, alternated Toes pointed out slightly, heels planted Bar about 2-3 inches from your shins, which will be directly over mid-foot when the pull begins Squeeze chest up for lower back extension Bend over, take your grip, dropping knees forward until your shins touch the bar without rolling the bar forward Eyes forward with neutral neck position: not looking up or down, head in line with spine Elbows straight, shoulders slightly in front of the bar (scapula directly over the bar) Key cues To rise up, open knee angle first, and once the bar clears the knees, open hip angle Squeeze the bar off the floor do NOT jerk it Pull the bar back towards your shins and then up your legs Keep chest up, rigid torso, flat back Do not raise hips before shoulders Keep bar as close to body as possible, pulling the bar in a straight line Arms stay locked out with elbows stay straight at all times Keep weight on your heels From the top, set the bar down using the opposite movement as the pull, only faster unlock and close hip angle, lower bar to knees with back locked, knee angle closes only once the bar passes the knees Set back/torso properly between each rep; NEVER pull with a rounded back No bounce between reps You should feel the tension in your upper back, glutes, and hamstrings. NOT your lower back.

Deadlift

Standing Overhead Press

The Press is the most useful upper-body exercise for sports conditioning. . . . (as it) uses more muscles and more central nervous system activity than any other upper body exercise. -- Coach Mark Rippetoe Starting position & grip Grip is closed, pronate (palms away) Grip width = just slightly wider than the outside of the shoulders, so that forearms are vertical Weight of the bar should rest as close to the heel of your hand as flexibility allows Elbows slightly in front of the bar when viewed from the side Lift your chest (contract erector spinae) Take a big breath, hold it, and press Key cues Press up, keeping the bar as close to your face as possible Keep your chest up, tight core Squeeze the weight up by activating glutes You will have to lean back slightly to clear your head At the top, elbows are locked out, active shoulders shrug up At the top, bar is directly over the scapulae or midfoot No excessive lean back (a sign of weak abs)

Flat barbell bench press

The bench press is arguably the best way to develop raw upper-body strength, and done correctly it is a valuable addition to your strength and conditioning program. -- Coach Mark Rippetoe Starting position & grip Thumbs-around, closed grip: pronate (palms up), with bar on the heels of the palm Grip width = so that forearms are vertical when the bar is on the chest Eyes: directly under the bar Supine with 5-point body contact with bench feet, butt, upper back and head For SAFETY, keep elbows locked out whenever the bar travels over your face in lift-off or lowering Angle of upper arm to body is between 90 and parallel to torso (higher rather than lower) Feet on floor, shins vertical Key cues Breathe at the top, hold it, and go. If you can breathe during a rep, youre not tight enough. Lower bar in a straight line to chest at nipple level Do not follow the bar with your eyes; focus on a fixed point on the ceiling where the bar will go at the top of each rep. Keep your back tight, lifting your chest up Keep wrists/forearms perpendicular to floor, parallel to each other Do not arch or raise chest to meet the bar Do not push your head into the bench Do not lift your butt off the bench no bridging Each rep begins and ends with full elbow lock-out overhead On re-racking, lock elbows and find the uprights, not the hooks

Flat barbell bench press

Powerclean
The power clean is used in sports conditioning because it increases explosion, and done correctly it is the best exercise for converting the strength obtained in other exercises to power. Since the nature and vast majority of sports is explosive, the ability to accelerate is pivotal in sports performance. -- Coach Mark Rippetoe NOTE: Athletes need to know how to do a proper deadlift before learning this lift. When coaching, start from the top, the rack position. Starting position & grip Foot position is about 12-15 inches apart (like deadlift), like the stance for a vertical jump Toes pointed out slightly, heels planted Bar will be over the middle of your foot Grip: hip-width, outside knees, pronate (palms away) Flat back, with knees/hips flexed Shoulders over or slightly in front of bar Chest up, eyes forward Key cues First pull to knees: keep torso-floor angle constant (hips rise with shoulders) Squeeze the bar off the floor dont jerk it Scoop over knees: re-flex knees under bar and extend hips forward Second pull up towards chin, elbows out, arms fully extended as long as possible Forceful shrug at the top, then pull under bar, elbows quickly rotate forward to rack position
Catch in rack position with nearly erect torso, shoulders in front of hips, flat

feet, squat Rack position: Upper arm should be as nearly parallel to the floor as possible, with bar resting on front deltoids (not in hands) Pull the bar slow and correct off the floor, fast and close at the top. Elbows stay straight facing outwards until the jump All jumps begin from the jumping position elbows straight, hips back, knees bent slightly, bar touching the thigh about 1/3 to halfway down Jump and shrug, using traps to pull the bar in close Aim for forceful and full triple extension ankles, knees, and hips Keep the bar close throughout the lift, try to make it touch your shirt As feet leave the ground, quickly pull yourself under the bar, rotating elbows underneath the barbell Catch the bar with elbows high in the rack position. Catch stance is slightly wider than starting position.
Going down, like deadlift, bar stays in contact with thighs, slide it down by

shoving hips back. Closing the hip angle lowers the bar to the knees, and closing the knee angle lowers the bar to the floor.

Powerclean

A Word About Gloves

The hands are prone to callus formation as a normal part of training. All competitive lifters have them, and need them to protect the hands from blisters and tears. . . . Gloves have no place in a serious training program. A glove is merely a piece of loose stuff between the hand and the bar, reducing grip security and increasing the effective diameter of the bar. Gloves make bars harder to hold on to. The ones that incorporate a wrist wrap prevent the wriest from getting used to training. The only legitimate use for a glove is to cover an injury, like a torn callus or a cut. A desire to prevent callus formation does not constitute a legitimate use. If your gym makes a lot of money selling gloves, you have another reason to look for a different gym. And if you insist on using them, make sure they match your purse. (p. 109 of Starting Strength)