From high-intensity to muscle-building, you can do various exercises with barbell at home to build strength, endurance, and muscle mass.
However, you need a well-designed workout program to get the most from barbell training.
That’s why I’ve decided to share with you a few samples of workout routines in this article.
I’ve shared three different splits, push/pull/legs (PPL), upper/lower split, and full-body.
These programs will allow you to train in an organized way and help you improve your overall fitness. So, depending on your fitness level, you can follow one of them.
Barbell Workout Program Summary
| Plan A | 3-day Push Pull Leg Split |
| Plan B | 4-day Upper Lower Split |
| Plan C | 5-day Full Body Workout |
| Workout Goal | Build Muscle, Strength, & Endurance |
| Equipment Needed | Barbell, Plates, and Bench |
| Experienced Required | Beginner to Intermediate |
| Target Gender | Male & Female |
| Duration/Session | 30-45 minutes |
| Recommended Duration | 8-10 weeks |
A) 3 Day PPL Barbell Workout Routine at Home
PPL is a popular strength training split that involves push, pull, and leg exercises in a separate session.
Push exercises, such as bench presses, overhead presses, and tricep dips, train the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Pull exercises, such as rows and bicep curls, hammer the back, biceps, and rear delts.
Leg day involves exercises like squats, lunges, and deadlifts that target the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
It ensures no major muscle group gets neglected. You hit everything evenly, from the upper to the lower body.
Here’s the 3x weekly barbell push-pull-leg split:
- Monday (Push Workout): Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps
- Wednesday (Pull Workout): Back, Biceps, and Core
- Friday (Leg Workout): Thighs, Calves, and Glutes
Monday – Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 15 | 1-3 mins |
| Incline Bench Press | 3 | 15 | 1-3 mins |
| Barbell Landmine Press | 3 | 10/side | 1-3 mins |
| Skull Crushers | 3 | 15 | 1-3 mins |
| Landmine Lateral Raises | 3 | 10/side | 1-3 mins |
Wednesday – Back, Biceps, and Core
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bent Over Row | 3 | 12-15 | 1-2 mins |
| Barbell T Rowing | 3 | 12-15 | 1-2 mins |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 12-15 | 1-2 mins |
| Landmine Curl | 3 | 12-15 | 1-2 mins |
| Barbell Ab Rollout | 3 | 6-8 | 30-60 sec |
| Barbell Wrist Curl | 3 | 12-15 | 1-2 mins |
Friday – Thighs, Calves, and Glutes
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back Squat | 3 | 20, 15, 12 | 2-3 mins |
| Barbell Lunges | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 mins |
| Hip Thrust | 3 | 10, 10, 8 | 1-2 mins |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10, 8, 6 | 1-2 mins |
| Barbell Calf raises | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 mins |
B) 4 Day Split Workout Routine with Barbell
The Upper Lower split involves training the torso in one session and the leg in another across a week, allowing you to train your entire body effectively.
Schedule for this 4-day split:
- Monday – Upper Body (Chest, Triceps, & Shoulder)
- Tuesday – Lower Body (Legs & Glutes)
- Thursday – Upper Body (Back, Biceps, & Abs)
- Friday – Lower Body (Legs & Glutes)
Monday – Upper Body (Chest, Triceps, & Shoulder)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 1-3 mins |
| Incline Bench Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-3 mins |
| Skull Crushers | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-3 mins |
| Barbell French Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-3 mins |
| Barbell Overhead Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-3 mins |
| Landmine Lateral Raises | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 mins |
Tuesday – Lower Body (Legs & Glutes)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Back Squat | 3 | 20, 15, 12 | 2-3 mins |
| Barbell Lunges | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 mins |
| Hip Thrust | 3 | 10, 10, 8 | 1-2 mins |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10, 8, 6 | 1-2 mins |
| Barbell Calf raises | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 mins |
Thursday – Upper Body (Back, Biceps, & Abs)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Deadlift | 3 | 10-12 | 1-3 min |
| Barbell T Rowing | 3 | 12-15 | 1-2 min |
| Landmine Row | 3 | 10/side | 1-2 min |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 12-15 | 1-2 min |
| Barbell Ab Rollout | 3 | 5-6 | 30-sec |
| Oblique Twist | 3 | 10/side | 30-sec |
Friday – Lower Body (Legs & Glutes)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Squat | 3 | 15-20 | 2-3 mins |
| Reverse Lunges | 3 | 10/leg | 1-2 mins |
| Landmine Squat | 3 | 15-20 | 1-2 mins |
| Hip Thrust | 3 | 10-12 | 1-2 mins |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8-10 | 1-2 mins |
C) Barbell Full Body 5-Day Workout Plan
This full body barbell workout involves training all major muscle groups like legs, back, chest, shoulders, arms, and core in each session.
It allows you to train your muscles more frequently compared to split routines that focus on specific muscles each day.
Try this split if you want to improve your overall fitness rather than building only muscle and strength.
Day 1 – Monday
| Exercise | Muscle | Sets x Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back Squat | Legs | 3 x 20 | 90-sec |
| Incline Bench Press | Chest | 3 x 20 | 90-sec |
| Overhead Press | Shoulder | 3 x 20 | 90-sec |
| Bent Over Row | Back | 3 x 20 | 90-sec |
Day 2 – Tuesday
| Exercise | Muscle | Sets x Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meadows Row | Back | 3 x 10/side | 60-sec |
| Barbell Lunges | Legs | 3 x 10/leg | 60-sec |
| Barbell Shrug | Traps | 3 x 20 | 90-sec |
| Landmine Press | Shoulder | 3 x 10/side | 60-sec |
Day 3 – Wednesday
| Exercise | Muscle | Sets x Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overhead Press | Shoulder | 3 x 20 | 60-sec |
| Barbell RDL | Hamstrings | 3 x 10 | 90-sec |
| Bridge Press | Chest & Abs | 3 x 12 | 90-sec |
| Overhead Extensions | Triceps | 3 x 15 | 60-sec |
| Barbell Hip Thrust | Glutes | 3 x 15 | 90-sec |
Day 4 – Friday
| Exercise | Muscle | Sets x Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hang Clean | Upper Body | 3 x 10 | 90-sec |
| Push Press | Shoulder | 3 x 10 | 90-sec |
| Pendlay Row | Back | 3 x 10 | 90-sec |
| Zercher Squats | Qauds | 3 x 15 | 90-sec |
| Barbell Crunches | Abdominals | 3 x 10 | 90-sec |
Day 5 – Saturday
| Exercise | Muscle | Sets x Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking Lunges | Legs | 3 x 10/leg | 90-sec |
| Barbell Bench Press | Chest | 3 x 15 | 90-sec |
| Front Raises | Shoulders | 3 x 15 | 90-sec |
| Biceps Curls | Biceps | 3 x 15 | 90-sec |
| Seated Oblique Twist | Obliques | 3 x 10/side | 60-sec |
Download The Free Barbell Workout Plan PDF
The Takeaway Message
Barbells are an excellent piece of equipment allowing you to perform myriad exercises and help you build strength and mass.
However, you need a workout schedule to train in an organized way and achieve the maximum results from barbell training.
From push-pull-legs and upper-lower to full-body and muscle-group split, I’ve shared multiple barbell workout routines in this article.
Depending on your fitness level, you can download one of them and start training.
You can also make adjustments according to your need by eliminating, adding, or replacing exercises of your choice. If you need more option, explore this barbell workout database.
The role of nutrition is as important as exercise. If you want to know what you should consume to build muscles, check out some great resources published by the National Institute of Health (NIH).
