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Barbell exercises

Short answer

20 barbell movements, grouped by pattern. Each one gets setup, execution, the errors that ruin it, and a straight account of what the research does — and does not — support.

Variants of the same lift share a page. A barbell row, a bent-over row and “barbell rows” are one movement, so they get one entry rather than three near-identical pages competing with each other. Where a claim is measured, the study is linked. Where it is not, the page says so instead of dressing convention up as data.

What every lift on this page needs

A bar, plates, and something to un-rack from

Every movement below is a barbell movement, so the kit list is short and it is the same list. One verified model per piece. Published specs only — no prices, no ratings, and nothing here has been tested by us.

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The bar

Cap Pro Series 7 ft Olympic Barbell

B006R4EOWI
BarbellsCAP Barbell7 ft
Length
7 ft
Sleeve
2 in Olympic

Best for: A general-purpose 7 ft bar for a rack-and-plate home gym.

Skip if: You want a specific knurl or tensile rating — the listing does not publish those figures.

Check these yourself before ordering

  • — The actual bar weight, which the listing title does not state
  • — Shaft diameter and whether there is a centre knurl
  • — Loadable sleeve length against how many plates you own
View on Amazon

Specs read from the listing on 2026-07-24. Listings change — confirm the current spec and option before you order.

The plates

Amazon Basics 2-Inch Olympic Grip Weight Plates

B0DNS4B576
PlatesAmazon Basics2 in Olympic
Bore
2 in Olympic
Material
Cast iron

Best for: Iron plates for a rack-and-bar gym where nothing gets dropped.

Skip if: You deadlift on a floor you care about. Iron is not a bumper.

Check these yourself before ordering

  • — Which weights the option you selected actually contains
  • — Whether they are sold singly or in pairs
  • — Plate thickness against your sleeve length — see the bar data on this site
View on Amazon

Specs read from the listing on 2026-07-24. Listings change — confirm the current spec and option before you order.

The rack

HulkFit Power Rack

B0H6ND831G
Power racksHULKFITAlloy Steel
Material
Alloy Steel
Dimensions
53.54"D x 47.64"W x 81.5"H
Color
Red
Included Components
Exercise Accessories, Instruction Manuals, Power Rack, Tools
Unit Count
1 Count
Model Number
Power Rack

Best for: Barbell work in the cage plus cable work off the same frame, without a second machine on the floor.

Skip if: You want a guided bar path. A rack holds the bar; it does not steer it.

Check these yourself before ordering

  • — Interior depth against your bench, and upright height against your ceiling
  • — Hole spacing through the pressing range — 2 in Westside spacing is not universal
  • — Whether the J-hooks, safeties and any pulley parts are included in the option you picked
View on Amazon

Specs read from the listing on 2026-07-24. Listings change — confirm the current spec and option before you order.

Comparing the field first is the better move: how to choose a barbell, how to choose plates, and how to choose a rack.

A man set up over a loaded barbell in the start position of a deadlift, gripping the bar with bumper plates loaded
Every movement below is a barbell movement. Set up, load it correctly, and the rest is repetition.Photo by Nenad Stojkovic, CC BY 2.0.

Squat

Hinge

Horizontal push

Vertical push

Horizontal pull

Vertical pull

Lunge

Isolation

Now load the bar

Questions people actually ask

▶How many barbell exercises are there?

This site covers 20 barbell movements, grouped into eight patterns: squat, hinge, horizontal push, vertical push, horizontal pull, vertical pull, lunge and isolation. Variants of the same lift live on one page rather than getting a page each.

▶What are the main barbell exercises?

The squat, bench press, deadlift and overhead press are the four that most programs are built around. Rows, RDLs, hip thrusts, curls and shrugs cover most of what gets added on top of them.

▶Why do some of these pages say there is no study?

Because for many popular lifts there genuinely is not one worth citing. 9 of the 20 movements here have electromyography sources attached. The rest describe standard functional anatomy and say so, rather than inventing a percentage.

▶Do I need a full gym for these?

A barbell, plates and a floor covers a surprising number of them. A rack expands the list to squats, presses and good mornings; a bench adds bench press and hip thrusts. Each page lists exactly what it needs.