The following are eight great exercises that employ the use of a lightweight pole similar to a barbell that are ideal as exercises for beginners or can serve as a good warmup for those with more experiences. Barbells can be a little heavy for these purposes, so consider using something lighter, such as a lengthy piece of PVC pipe or a handle of a broom or similar item. This allows you to make the same movements, but offers more flexibility and helps you get warmed up better. It allows you to use all of the muscles that you need to get warmed up without the risk of straining anything due to excessive weight and giving you added flexibility and mobility.
1. Upper Body Twist
Begin the best warm-up exercises to do before a barbell workout, by standing with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly pointed outward. Maintain good alignment with your head, shoulders and hips. Slightly bend your knees to move into an athletic position. Bring the barbell bar on your back, on top of your shoulders and with your arms wide. Contract your core and twist your upper body to one side. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side. Perform this exercise for 5 to 10 seconds or approximately 10 times on each side.
Upper Body Twist
2. Reaching Out Overhead
Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly pointed outward, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders and hips. Hold the barbell bar in front of your body with arms wide and palms facing the floor. Engage your core and press your hands overhead, elongating your spine. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement. Perform this exercise for 5 to 10 seconds or one set of 10 reps.
Reaching Out Overhead
3. Good Morning Lower Back
Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly pointed outward, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Bring the barbell bar behind you on top of your shoulders and with your arms wide. Contract your core. Pivot through your hips to bend your upper body forward, ideally to be parallel to the floor. Raise back up and repeat the movement. Perform this exercise for 5 to 10 seconds or one set of between 8 and 10 reps.
Good Morning Lower Back
4. Good Morning Deadlifts
Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly pointed outward, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders and hips. Hold the barbell bar in front of your body with arms wide and palms facing the floor. Engage your core and pivot through your hips to bend your upper body forward. Raise back up to return to the starting position and repeat the movement. Perform this exercise for 5 to 10 seconds or one set of 5 reps.
Good Morning Deadlifts
5. Forward Lunge
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width and maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips and legs. Bring the barbell bar on your back, on top of your shoulders and with your arms wide. Engage your core. Take a big step forward with one leg and lower your back knee to the ground. Raise back up and repeat the movement on the opposite leg. Perform this exercise for 5 to 10 seconds or one set of five alternating reps for each leg.
Forward Lunge
6. Overhead Press
Begin by standing with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly pointed outward, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders and hips. Hold the barbell bar in front of your body with your arms wide and palms facing the floor. Engage your core and press your arms overhead. Bend your knees and hinge through your hips to move into a deep squat. Raise back up to return to the starting position and repeat the movement. Perform this exercise for 5 to 10 seconds one set of 5 reps.
Overhead Press
7. Curtsy Squat
Begin in an upright standing position, holding the barbell bar on your back, on top of your shoulders and with your arms wide. Engage your core then bring one leg behind the other and then lower your back knee into a curtsy lunge. Raise back up to return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side. Perform this exercise for 5 to 10 seconds or one set of five alternating reps for each leg.
Curtsy Squat
8. Paddleboard
To begin the best warm-up exercises to do before a barbell workout, stand upright with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly pointed outward, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Slightly bend your knees to move into an athletic position. Hold the barbell bar in front of your body with your arms wide and palms facing the floor. Twist your upper body to one side as you bring your arms in a paddling motion. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side. Perform this exercise for 5 to 10 seconds or about 5 to 7 reps going both forward and backward.
Paddleboard
These are just a few of the best warm-up exercises to do before a barbell workout that you can do with a lightweight pole or barbell. These are also ideal as mobility exercises. Give these eight exercises a try.
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