What a barbell is good for
The barbell is how you move the most weight. Both hands on one bar means the load goes up in small, honest increments and the whole body braces against it, which is why the squat, the deadlift, the bench and the overhead press are barbell lifts and why strength is measured in them.
It asks for a rack, a floor you can drop on, and technique before load. None of that is a reason to avoid it — it is a reason to start lighter than you think.
Every barbell exercise
Chest
Back
Traps
Shoulders
Biceps
Triceps
- Close-Grip Bench PressIntermediate · Compound
- EZ-Bar Skull CrusherIntermediate · Isolation
- JM PressAdvanced · Compound