Barbell workout/Thursday is a free 4 min workout plan with 6 illustrated exercises for your abs, back, legs and shoulders. Follow the workout online, save it to your WorkoutLabs Fit account or download it as a printable PDF.
Tap any exercise in the workout to see the muscles worked, clear exercise illustrations and step-by-step instructions. Each workout includes sets, reps, rest times and notes so you can follow the plan without guessing.
The full workout takes about 4 minutes, covering 6 exercises with prescribed sets, reps and rest periods. Using the built-in timers and auto-advance keeps you on pace from start to finish.
What muscles does this workout target?
This routine primarily works your shoulders, lower back, quadriceps, glutes & hip flexors, abs. Tap any exercise in the workout to see a muscle diagram showing exactly which primary and secondary muscles it activates.
How often should I do this workout?
For best results, do this workout 2–3 times per week with at least one rest day in between, and pair it with sessions that target other muscle groups.
Can I download or save this workout?
Yes – you can download this workout as a free printable PDF using the download button, or save it to a free WorkoutLabs Fit account to follow it on your phone, customize the exercises and track your progress.
Calves, Glutes & Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Quadriceps
Shoulder-width stance. Tight core and flat back. Bend at the knees and hips. Lower yourself. Arms fully extended. Chest up and gaze straight ahead.
Bring knees in and shoulders up. Drive hips forward. Keep the bar close to your body. Forcefully exhale and perform a full extension of the knees and hips.
Use the momentum to bring elbows high. Rotate your elbows around and under the bar. Rack the bar across the front of your shoulders.
Abs, Calves, Forearms, Glutes & Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Place a barbell in a clear space on the floor. (Make sure there are no obstructions in your way.
Stand facing the barbell with your legs about 4-6 inches from the bar.
Place your feet shoulder width apart.Your feet can be pointed straight ahead or turned outwards slightly.
Squat down, keeping your back straight and grip the bar with an overhand grip at shoulder width.
Keep your arms fully extended and stand up with the barbell.
As you lift the barbell, your hips and shoulders should rise together and your back should be straight.
As you reach the top of the lift and are standing straight, rotate your shoulders back slightly until you feel a slight stretch in them.
Lower the barbell back to the floor in the same squatting motion you used to lift it.
This exercise can be very dangerous if performed incorrectly. If you are a novice, only perform this exercise with an experienced trainer's supervision.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Lower Back
Secondary:
Abs, Calves, Hamstrings, Quadriceps
Place two dumbbells on the floor.
Stand facing the dumbbells with your feet shoulder width apart.
Bend knees and hips to lower your torso in a squatting movement,keep your back straight.
At the bottom of the squat grip the dumbbells with an overhand grip,keeping your arms fully extended.
Return to an upright position holding the dumbbells with your palms facing towards your body and extending your hips forward. Do not round your back.
Return the dumbbells to the floor in the same manner you picked them up.
Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Hamstrings
Secondary:
Lower Back
Holding the handles of the resistance band, step on to the middle. Place your feet at shoulder-width with toes pointing forward. Tighten your core and keep your chest up.
Bend your knees slightly and drive your hips back but NOT lower than your knees. Again, keep the chest up. This is the starting position.
Forcefully contract your glutes, driving them forward. Do not just lean back. Your glutes should be fully contracted. Pause then return to the starting position.
Using a squat or barbell rack, set the barbell at shoulder height.
Position yourself so the barbell is resting on your shoulders and you are facing away from the rack.
Stand up to lift the barbell clear of the rack and take a few steps away from the rack.
Position your feet slightly less than shoulder width apart.
Keep your legs straight and bend forward at the hips.
Continue bending forward until you feel a mild stretch in your hamstrings. (Do not try to bend past the mild stretching sensation. As flexibility increases so does the range of motion.) Hold for a count of one.
Return to the starting position by straightening from the hips. Repeat.
Start with lower weights when performing this exercise for the first few times to allow your body to adapt to the movement. This exercise can also be done with your knees slightly bent to emphasize use of your glutes.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back
Secondary:
Abs, Calves, Forearms, Glutes & Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Place a barbell in a clear space on the floor. (Make sure there are no obstructions in your way.
Stand facing the barbell with your legs about 4-6 inches from the bar.
Place your feet shoulder width apart.Your feet can be pointed straight ahead or turned outwards slightly.
Squat down, keeping your back straight and grip the bar with an overhand grip at shoulder width.
Keep your arms fully extended and stand up with the barbell.
As you lift the barbell, your hips and shoulders should rise together and your back should be straight.
As you reach the top of the lift and are standing straight, rotate your shoulders back slightly until you feel a slight stretch in them.
Lower the barbell back to the floor in the same squatting motion you used to lift it.
This exercise can be very dangerous if performed incorrectly. If you are a novice, only perform this exercise with an experienced trainer's supervision.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Lower Back
Secondary:
Abs, Calves, Hamstrings, Quadriceps
Place two dumbbells on the floor.
Stand facing the dumbbells with your feet shoulder width apart.
Bend knees and hips to lower your torso in a squatting movement,keep your back straight.
At the bottom of the squat grip the dumbbells with an overhand grip,keeping your arms fully extended.
Return to an upright position holding the dumbbells with your palms facing towards your body and extending your hips forward. Do not round your back.
Return the dumbbells to the floor in the same manner you picked them up.
Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Hamstrings
Secondary:
Lower Back
Holding the handles of the resistance band, step on to the middle. Place your feet at shoulder-width with toes pointing forward. Tighten your core and keep your chest up.
Bend your knees slightly and drive your hips back but NOT lower than your knees. Again, keep the chest up. This is the starting position.
Forcefully contract your glutes, driving them forward. Do not just lean back. Your glutes should be fully contracted. Pause then return to the starting position.
Set up a barbell on a rack at just below shoulder level.
Step under the bar placing the back of your shoulders under it. Do not rest the bar on your neck.
Grip the the bar using an overhand grip with your elbows bent to90 degrees or slightly more. Less of an angle means your hands are too close together which can cause instability of balance.
Lift the barbell clear of the rack by pushing with your legs, while straightening your torso.
Step away from the rack.
Step forward with your right leg and squat down through your hips. Keep your back straight and be careful to maintain your balance. Inhale as you lower yourself.
Continue lowering your body until your left knee is nearly touching the floor.
Return to the start position b pushing through your heel,exhaling as you do so.
Complete all the repetitions for one leg before switching.
This exercise requires a great deal of balance. If you suffer from balance problems, it is best either avoid it, or just use your own body weight while holding on to a steady object. Never perform any exercise with a barbell on your back if you suffer from balance problems. For safety, this exercise is best performed inside a squat rack.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Quadriceps
Secondary:
Abs, Calves, Hamstrings
Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
Keep your shoulders back. And your back straight.
Take a long stride forward with your right leg. Your right foot should be in a position, that when you bend your right knee, your upper and lower leg form a 90 degree angle.
Slowly bend both your knees, to lower your hips until your left (rear) knee is just above the floor. Hold for a count of one.
Return to the start position by slowly straightening your legs and raising your body back to a standing position.
Complete all the repetitions for one set full set, then switch legs, or you can alternate between legs for each rep.
Do not let your knee travel past your toes in the down position as this can cause instability and injury.
Set up the barbell on the squat rack so that it is at the same height as your upper chest.
Position your body under the bar, with knees bent so that the bar is resting high on the back of your shoulders.
Grip the bar with your hands comfortably wider than your shoulders.
Slowly straighten your legs to push upwards, lifting the barbell from the rack and take one step forward.
Stand with your legs shoulder width apart.
Bend your knees forward and allow your hips to bend back as if sitting down,
Continue this movement down until your thighs are parallel to the floor or slightly more, making sure your knees are pointing in the same direction as your feet.
Hold for a count of one.
Push up through your heels while straightening your hips and knees, until you are standing in the start position.
Make any adjustments necessary to your stance and grip before continuing on the next repetition.
Do not rest the bar on your neck. Keep your head facing forward at all times. Keep your back straight throughout the entire movement.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, Quadriceps
Secondary:
Calves
Begin by positioning a barbell at or just below shoulder level in the squat rack. Behind the squat rack, place a tall wooden box or chair. Place yourself underneath the barbell. Make sure the bar is across your upper traps and NOT on your neck.
Place your feet outside of shoulder-width with your toes pointed slightly out. Brace your core and keep your chest up.
Bend at the knees as you drive your hips back. Lower yourself slowly until your butt touches the box. Pause then drive your hips forward to return to the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Quadriceps
Secondary:
Calves, Glutes & Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, Lower Back
With your feet shoulder-width apart, stand with dumbbells as your sides with your palms facing each other.
Keeping your back straight and facing forward, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Pause for one second.
Pushing up from your heels, raise back up to starting position and repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Hamstrings, Quadriceps
Secondary:
Calves, Glutes & Hip Flexors
Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
Bring your hands to your shoulders, keeping the handles of the band behind your shoulders. Brace your core and keep your chest up.
Bend first at the knees then at the hips. Be sure to keep the chest up and abdominals tight. There should be no arch in your back.
Pause when your thighs are parallel with the floor, then slowly return to the starting position, feeling the tension from the band in your quadriceps.
Lie face down on a flat bench with your hips on the edge of the bench. Fully extend your legs and raise your feet up from the floor so that they are in line with your body .
Place your arms on top of the bench, using them to hold on to the front edge of the bench for stability.
Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings and straighten your legs until they are level with your hips. This is the start position.
Start the exercise by raising you left leg higher than your right leg.
Then lower the left leg as you lift the right leg and so on.
Alternate in this manner until you have done all repetitions for each leg.
When performing this exercise, breathe normally. As your strength increases, you can add ankle weights.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors
Secondary:
Abs
Position yourself on all fours on a mat.
Position your hands underneath your shoulders and place your knees under your hips.
Keep your right knee bent at 90 degrees and flex the foot as you lift the knee until it is level with the hip.
Lower the knee without touching the floor and repeat the lift.
Once you’ve completed the reps on the right leg, switch legs.
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs, Lower Back
Secondary:
Glutes & Hip Flexors
Position yourself on all fours with knees underneath the hips and wrists under the shoulders.
Engage your abs and keep your spine neutral, pulling the shoulder blades towards the hips.
Lengthen the left leg until it is straight out and in line with your hips while simultaneously raising and straightening your right arm until it is parallel to the floor. Keep your head and shoulders aligned at all times.
Gently lower your arm and leg back to the starting position and alternate with the other arm and leg.
Workout done!
Exercises done
of 6
Total time
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