Dumbbells and kettlebells are great for building total-body strength, but if you want to test how strong you really are, barbells are the way to go. Barbells allow you to lift heavier with more control since you’re holding the bar with both hands and recruiting several muscles at once.

Master these moves, and you’ll not only get a great workout in — you’ll be able to set a three-rep max benchmark to continuously test your strength.

1. Barbell Squat

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps
How to: Walk up to the barbell on the rack at shoulder height. Hold the barbell with your hands shoulder-width apart, thumbs over the top of it. Then, dip your head under the bar and position it on top of your back (a). Raise your elbows and chest to create a shelf to rest the bar along your shoulders and below the base of your neck (b). Keeping your chest and shoulders tight, remove the bar from the rack and take three steps back. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly turned out, so your knees track over your feet (c). Take a deep breath and squat down, pushing your butt back, until your thighs are parallel to the ground (d). With control, stand back up without your knees turning in towards each other (e).

2. Barbell Deadlift

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and latissimus dorsi

How to: Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and slightly turned out. Keep the bar one to one and a half inches from your shins, so it’s directly over your mid-foot (a). Grip the bar with your hands just outside of your legs with your arms straight. Bend your knees, lowering them until your shins touch the bar (b). Squeeze your chest and take a deep breath in. Keeping your back flat, drag the bar up your shins, slightly shifting your weight towards your heels (c). Continue to pull the barbell up until you’re standing with your shoulders back and chest is raised (d). Lower the bar back down, bending your hips and knees, while maintaining a flat back and keeping the bar close to your shins. Once it’s back on the ground, exhale and then let go of the bar.

3. Barbell Overhead Press

Targets: Deltoids, triceps and trapezius

How to: Grip the barbell with your hands just outside of your shoulders. Place the bar in front of your shoulders with your back straight and firm, feet shoulder-width apart (a). Keeping your core tight, take a deep breath and press the bar straight up overhead until its directly above the back of your neck. The bar, your shoulder joint and your mid-foot should be in a straight line (b). When you’ve reached the top, shrug your shoulders up and lock your elbows completely out (c). Lower the bar back down to the front of your shoulders. Once the bar is touching or just above your shoulders, that’s one rep. (d).

4. Barbell Bench Press

Targets: Pectoralis major, deltoids and triceps

How to: Lie on your back on a bench and grasp the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart, feet flat on the ground. There should be a slight arch in your back, so there’s space between your lower back and the bench (a). Lower the bar to your chest, tucking your elbows in at 45 degrees by your sides (b). Once the bar touches your chest, drive your feet hard into the floor and, without pausing, press the bar back up (c).

5. Barbell Lunge

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors and calves

Although the barbell lunge isn’t part of the strength test, it helps build muscle endurance for the exercises above, especially the deadlift and squat. Beginners can do three sets of five reps, while advanced lifters can do four sets of 10 reps of forward and reverse lunges per leg.

How to: Place the barbell just beneath the base of your neck and along your shoulders. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, elbows raised and abs engaged (a). Take a big lunge forward with your right leg and lower until your left knee is one to two inches off the ground (b). Explode up and bring your right leg back to the starting position (c). Repeat the same movement with the left leg. This is one rep.

Give these exercises a go next time you’re in the gym and for any help, please ask a FWX Coach!

Ever wondered what it’s like to have Personal Training at FWX? We followed Jack around for the morning to see what his clients and classes are upto, on a typical Monday morning! Discover all Personal Training information here – www.fitness-worx.com/personal-training/

What more can we say than WELL DONE!! Claire has now completed her 8 week training plan and has dropped more than 2 dress sizes. For someone new coming into the gym, there can be a lot on their mind. The thought of people staring at you to not knowing exactly what to do on the machines and astro turf. Our ethos has always been and will always be the same – “Become the best version of yourself.

No matter what your age, religion, size, look or appearance, we do not judge and we want to help YOU, reach your goals.

We now have 9 specialised Personal Training packages, dedicated to moulding you into the person YOU want to be.

Click on the packages tab to discover more – WELL DONE CLAIRE!

If you’ve committed to exercising every day this month (and want to keep it up all year!),­ we’ve got the perfect beginner bodyweight workout plan for you. Here, you’ll find five moves, so you can progress as you gain strength. Time to welcome your fittest year yet!!

1. Plank

How to: Begin in a forearm plank position with elbows bent and directly beneath your shoulders, forearms flat on the floor (a). Contract your midsection to maintain a straight torso and hold for time. Don’t allow your low-back to sag toward the floor or your hips pike up toward the ceiling (b)

2. Reverse Lunge

How to: Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides (a). Step backward with one foot and bend both knees to lower your hips toward the floor. Knees should bent 90 degrees, while the front knee stays behind your front toes (b). Return to standing by pushing through the heel of your front foot (c). Repeat with the opposite leg. Continue alternating sides for time.

3. Bodyweight March

How to: Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides (a). Simultaneously drive your knee and opposite arm up so both are bent 90 degrees (b). Lower to the starting stance and repeat the movement with the opposite arm and leg (c). Continue for time. When marching, think about pulling your heel directly up to avoid overarching your back. Shoulders should stay over your hips.

4. Lateral Lunge

How to: Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides (a). With one foot, take a big step to the side, bending that knee and sitting down and back on your leg. Lower your hips as far as possible. Think about hitting a squat position on that side moving leg, as your other leg stays straight (b). Return to standing by pushing off the foot of your bent leg (c). Continue alternating sides for time.

5. Knee Grab Sit-Up

How to: Lie on your back on the floor with your arms and legs extended (a). Brace your core and perform a sit-up, as you simultaneously bend your knees toward your chest and grab your knees with your arms at the top of the movement (b). Slowly lower back down to the floor and straighten your legs (c). Repeat for time.

For further information on all the above exercises please visit the FWX YouTube channel or ask a FWX Coach at either location!

Remember those giant ropes you used to play tug of war with as a kid? Well, you can also use them as a tool to blasé calories and build muscle at FWX Gyms. In fact, you only need a few minutes at the end of your regularly scheduled strength workout to get your burst of cardio in, along with a full-body workout burn.

With the 4 battle rope exercises below, you’ll strengthen your abs, arms and shoulders, as well as activate your leg muscles and increase both upper and lower body power production. Even better, you will get high-intensity conditioning all at the same time, says Jack Gibson, Owner and coach at FWX. To top it off, any move can remain low-impact, which means they’re great for athletes with joint issues, and you can cater each exercise to any fitness level,

So, next time you see those burly ropes in the gym, head over and give them a whip for 10 minutes.

1. Jumping Power Slams

Power slams offer a total-body plyometric burn that tires your muscles out fas. Now, add an explosive lower-body element and you turn up the benefits even more.

How to: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart in a quarter squat, facing the anchor. Hold one side of the rope in each hand, then lower the battle ropes down to your sides with your arms extended (a). Lower into a squat, tighten your core, and then explode into the air, jumping high, while raising both hands overhead (b). As you land softly back down into a squat, forcefully slam the ropes onto the ground in a wave motion (c). Repeat 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds. Do 3-4 sets.

2. Squat to Shoulder Press

Strengthen your shoulders as you work your lower body and core, too. This movement is especially beneficial for barbell athletes because it uses the same muscles as the thruster or clean and jerk. Instead of going for HIIT-style for this movement, focus on form. When your form starts to break, it’s time to stop.

How to: Start with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Hold the ropes on your shoulders, making sure that there is very little slack in the rope itself (a). Lower down into a squat (b). As you stand back up, simultaneously press the ropes overhead to straighten your arms (c). Then, in one fluid motion lower the ropes back to the tops of your shoulders as you sink back into a squat (d). Repeat for 10-20 reps, rest for 60 seconds, then repeat for 3-4 sets.

3. Jumping Jacks

Jack up your heart rate up while working the smaller muscles in and around the shoulders. You’ll definitely feel this in your core and obliques, too.

How to: Start by holding one end of the rope in each hand, elbows bent and feet about hip-width apart (b). Jump your feet out wide as you bring your arms up and out to the sides, keeping your elbows bent so you can lift the ropes to shoulder height (b). Then, slam the ropes back down as you jump your feet back together (c). Continue the jack for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds. Do 3-4 sets.

5. Alternating Jump Wave

Finish up arm day with a little full-body workout action that requires solid coordination and power. You’ll feel it in your shoulders, arms and back, while the squats target your glutes and legs, too.

How to: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and grab one side of the rope with each hand. Place both hands to the right side of your hips and drop down into a squat (a). Explode off the ground as your swing the ropes up and over to the outside of your left hip, landing softly back into a squat (b). Continue alternating swings as you do jump squats for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds. Do 3-4 sets.

For further information please visit the FWX TV YouTube channel, or ask a Fitness Worx trainer for help!

Now that we’ve got that out the way, let’s focus on getting you looking tip top for the New Year. SHREDDED IN 6 is our intense 6 week fat loss programme which can be tailored to the goals of everyone. Working 1-2-1 with a FWX Coach, we will develop a tailored training and nutrition plan around your 1-2-1 sessions.

Click here for full package information!

The annual FWX Christmas Eve Circuits….. Thank you to every single member of Fitness Worx for making our 2017 the best year YET!!!