If you’ve got push-ups locked down and want to develop bodyweight upper-body strength without weights, here’s your chance. Push-ups are one of my more accomplished exercises, but suddenly, I was shaking through every rep. What surprised me most was how much the humble barbell brought me to my knees (quite literally). I enjoyed this challenge, which is more than I can say about my recent escapade into 90 pistol squats every day for one week. Despite this, I had to use my knees more than expected, and my upper body felt smoked after five days, despite 50 reps being a pretty “standard” amount. I enjoy push-ups, and thankfully, I have a strong core that I found helpful for controlling the barbell. You could also use your knees, like me, until you feel more comfortable. Then place a loaded barbell on the floor and position weights close on either side to prevent the barbell from moving far if you lose control. Start by racking the barbell low down (see below) and practice using the bar from a stable position. If you have a shoulder injury, I wouldn’t recommend it.īut there are a few ways to approach it. If you’re already thinking about trying the barbell push-up, you’ll need an existing degree of strength and stability. But it’s a great alternative to a bench press while still relying on your body weight and targeting the same muscle groups. It’s a good idea to have at least 10 reps of solid bodyweight push-ups in your repertoire before graduating to a barbell. I hit the shakes much quicker than usual, so I reluctantly dropped to my knees on the last few reps of each set. Core engagement is crucial for preventing your hips from dropping or bum lifting too high as you move, keeping you and the barbell stable. Days 2 & 3Īfter the first day, I noticed how much more focus I put into engaging my core.
On day one, the reps and sets were as follows: five sets of 10 reps. I’m glad I didn’t aim for high reps on this one. It forced my core to stabilize my torso and shoulders to hold my weight over the bar. The sheer effort of focusing on the push-up while preventing movement below me placed my muscles under greater tension, working them harder under the load of my body weight. The 50-rep range is standard for push-ups within strength programs, but the stability and balance required to keep the barbell in place torched my muscles, particularly the arms, and I felt smoked after. I did 50 barbell push-ups every day for a week - here are my results If you struggle to control the barbell, try the move from your knees instead.
Avoid arching your lower back and look slightly forward to keep your spine neutral. Your chest should track over the bar throughout. Keep the barbell as still as possible, pause at the bottom, then drive back up to your starting position with power.Bend your elbows to perform the push-up, lowering your chest to the bar.
Step back into a push-up position with shoulders stacked over wrists and hips in line with your knees.Grip the barbell with both hands shoulder-width apart and thumbs wrapped around the bar.Start on your knees with a loaded barbell in front of you.
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