Take note of the amount of weight you should be working with on each and every rep! Be sure to read the workout notes, push through, and finish up with the As Many Circuits As Possible (AMCAP) 8-minute finisher.
8-min Circuit: Throw & collects! If you have space, overhead throw the ball, run, collect, repeat. If not, 10 slams
About this workout
Barbell Pull 36-min Barbell / EZ-Bar Workout is a free 36 min workout plan with 11 illustrated exercises for your abs, arms, back and chest. 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.
You'll need barbell / ez-bar for this workout. Tap any exercise to see form instructions and possible substitutions if a piece of equipment isn't available.
How long does the Barbell Pull 36-min Barbell / EZ-Bar Workout take?
The full workout takes about 36 minutes, covering 11 exercises with prescribed sets, reps and rest periods. Using the built-in timers and auto-advance keeps you on pace from start to finish.
Is this workout suitable for my fitness level?
This is an advanced workout designed for experienced lifters. If you're newer to training, scale it down with lighter loads and longer rests, or browse our library for a beginner or intermediate version of a similar routine.
What muscles does this workout target?
This routine primarily works your lower back, upper back & lower traps, middle back / lats, shoulders, hamstrings, obliques. 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 gain muscle, get toned, aim to do this workout 2–3 times per week with at least one rest day between sessions. Progress by gradually adding weight or reps, and pair it with workouts for other muscle groups during the week.
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.
Take note of the amount of weight you should be working with on each and every rep! Be sure to read the workout notes, push through, and finish up with the As Many Circuits As Possible (AMCAP) 8-minute finisher.
Auto-advanceStart exercises automatically after a 5-second delay
Reach up and grip the bar with an overhand grip with both hands.
Keeping your body straight, pull yourself up towards the bar by pulling your elbows as far back as you can and trying to touch the bar with your chest.
Hold and squeeze your arm and back muscles.
Lower yourself back to the start position in a controlled motion.
Repeat.
For this exercise, you can use a Smith machine bar, an Olympic bar on a rack or any other straight, sturdy bar set to the right height. The lower the bar is to the floor, the more intense it will be due to the starting angles of your arms.
Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the dumbbells up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the dumbbells to the starting point.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps, Shoulders
Place a dumbbell on each side of a flat bench.
Place your right knee on the end of the bench.
Bend your torso from the waist until your upper body is parallel to the floor, while placing your right hand on the bench in front of you for support.
With your left hand, pick up the dumbbell with an overhand grip. The palm of your hand should be facing into you.
Keep your lower back straight. This is the start position.
Using your back muscles, pull the dumbbell straight up to the side of your chest, keeping your upper arm close to your side. Exhale as you do so.
At the top of the movement, hold for a count of one and squeeze your back muscles.
Return to the start position inhaling as you do so. Repeat.
Complete all repetitions for one side before switching sides.
This exercise can be performed using a cable station, with a stirrup handle attached to either the high or low pulley.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Biceps
Stand tall with a tight core and flat back. Hold a pair of water bottles at your side with an overhand grip. Bend slightly at the knees as you push your hips back. Keep your chest and head up. Upper body should be almost parallel with the floor.
With your elbows at a 60-degree angle, bring the water bottles up. Pause when your upper arm is parallel with the floor. Contract the muscle then slowly return the water bottles to the starting point.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps
Begin the movement by stepping on to a resistance band with your feet at shoulder-width, toes pointed slightly out.
Bend slightly at the knees and forward at the hips. Maintain a braced core and flat back throughout.
Leading with your elbows, pull the handles of the resistance band back, bringing your shoulder blades closer together. Hold this contraction and slowly release to the starting position.
Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart with your hands firmly gripped on the barbell at about the same width as your feet. The barbell should be resting on your upper thighs
Using your hips for initial explosiveness, thrust them forward into the barbell
At the same time bring the barbell up along your body using the initial thrust
Finish with the barbell resting across your upper pectoral muscles
Assume a wide grip on a pull-up bar and hang so that your feet are not in contact with the ground.
Once steady, bring your legs up towards your chest, stopping when you feel they are perpendicular to your body (your body should now resemble an ‘L’ shape.
Holding this shape, engage your lats and arms to pull your body up towards the bar.
Hold shortly when your chin is above the bar, before lowering back down to the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Biceps, Forearms, Shoulders
Standing under a pull-up bar, reach up and hold onto the bar with an overhand grip. Make sure your hands are about twice your shoulder width apart.
Keep your arms straight and hang from the bar so that your arms are taking all of your weight.
Keeping your body straight and not swinging your weight, pull your body up towards the bar by pulling your elbows down towards your torso at an angle.
Continue lifting until your chest is nearly touching the bar. You should feel a “squeeze” at the base of your lats (about midway down your back and to the side) as they contract.
Once your lats have completely contracted at the top of the movement, slowly lower your body to the starting position.
Repeat.
By using a wide grip, your lats are doing most of the lift, rather than your biceps. It doesn't matter if you keep your legs straight or bent at the knees with your feet crossed. The important thing is that you do not use your legs to assist in lifting your body weight. As your strength increases, you can add weight by using a weight belt.
Step up to the bar and grasp it with your palms facing you and arms close together.
Your arms should be fully extended.
Cross your ankles and bend your knees,
Pull your body up until your elbows are completely bent and close to your body, reaching your chin to the bar.
Lower your body until your arms and legs are fully extended in the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Middle Back / Lats
Secondary:
Biceps
Sit at a Lat Pulldown machine and secure your legs underneath the padded surface. Select an appropriate weight on the stack. Reach up to grab the barbell, taking a close-grip. Your hands should be at or closer than shoulder-width.
Tighten your core and keep your chest up as you pull the barbell down and towards your chest. Be sure to pull with your lat muscles.
Once the bar is at your chest, slowly allow it to return to the starting position but don’t let the weight stack touch. Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Lower Back, Upper Back & Lower Traps
Secondary:
Abs, Biceps, Shoulders
Set the bar to your waist height.
Lie on your back under the bar.
Reach up and grip the bar with an overhand grip with both hands.
Keeping your body straight, pull yourself up towards the bar by pulling your elbows as far back as you can and trying to touch the bar with your chest.
Hold and squeeze your arm and back muscles.
Lower yourself back to the start position in a controlled motion.
Repeat.
For this exercise, you can use a Smith machine bar, an Olympic bar on a rack or any other straight, sturdy bar set to the right height. The lower the bar is to the floor, the more intense it will be due to the starting angles of your arms.
Between exercises, do not sit or lie down. Stand straight up and maintain proper form. Your chest should be up. Your lower back should be flat. Do not allow your shoulders to hunch.
Take periodic sips of water or a sports beverage. Do not chug or drink too much too fast.
Stand in this position for your prescribed rest break then begin your next exercise.
Secure a firm grip with both hands on an appropriately weighted dumbbell. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Begin by moving the dumbbell up and over towards your right side.
Twist your body to bring the dumbbell down and to the left. Bend at the knees and drop your hips slightly. Make the motion of placing the dumbbell on the ground.
Repeat the movement, taking the dumbbell back up and overhead. Keep your arms straight throughout.
Primary muscle group(s):
Obliques
Secondary:
Abs
Stand with your feet no wider than shoulder width apart and hold the medicine ball with one hand at either side in front of your chest.
Rotate your body from the waist up to the left side and raise the medicine ball over your left shoulder, not quite fully extending your arms. Be sure to get extra reach by pointing your right toe.
Using a chopping motion, bring the ball diagonally across the front of your body so that the ball ends on the outer side of your right shin.
Bring the ball straight up the right side of your body and again move diagonally across your body once again to complete the motion.
Primary muscle group(s):
Obliques
Secondary:
Abs
Adjust the pulley lever to be above you. Stand next to a pulley machine with your left side. Grab the handle with both hands. Brace your core and separate your feet to outside of shoulder width.
Begin the movement by twisting with your obliques to pull the handle down and across your body.
Once the handle is on the right side of your body, pause and slowly return the handle to the starting position.
Position yourself underneath a pull-up bar. Reach overhead, taking a grip that is at or just outside of shoulder-width. Place a slight bend in the elbows at all times.
Breathe out forcefully as you bring your knees up and towards your chest. Minimize swinging by contracting your abdominals throughout. Pause at the top of the movement.
Slowly bring your knees to the starting position. Repeat.
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs
Secondary:
Lower Back
Lie flat with hands under your buttocks.
Keep your knees together and pull them in towards you while moving your torso towards them (lift your head, neck and shoulders up).
Hold and then slowly return to starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs
Secondary:
Glutes & Hip Flexors
Stand a dumbbell on one of its plates about 2 feet away from the edge of a bench and sit comfortably on the edge of that bench, using you hand-grip for support. Fully extend your legs towards the dumbbell.
Using your amazing foot-eye coordination, pin each foot underneath the top plate of the standing dumbbell, on either side of its bar.
Bring your knees in towards your chest, taking care not to drop the dumbbell in the process, and hold them as close as you can to your chest for 1 second.
Extend the legs back down towards the floor to the starting position.
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs
Secondary:
Lower Back
Place your forearms are on the pads or bars of the apparatus you are using and grip the handles or bars. Your arms should be bent at 90 degrees and your upper arms in a straight line with your sides.
Your torso should be straight and your lower back pressed against the pad of the bench if using one.
Keep your legs extended and pointing down to the floor. This is the start position.
Exhale and as you do so, lift your legs up in a smooth arc bending at the knees until your thighs are about parallel to the floor. Hold for a count of one.
Return to the start position in a smooth, controlled movement while inhaling.
Repeat.
Do not use momentum or swing your legs to perform this exercise. As your strength increases, you can rotate your pelvis forward at the top of the movement to engage more of your lower abdominal muscles. You can also keep your legs fully extended throughout the movement to increase the resistance and difficulty of the exercise.
