How To Get Strong, Build Muscle and Lose Fat With Only A Barbell
I had a subscriber ask this question:
“Is it possible to build muscle, nuke fat, achieve peak condition and get maximum hard-body results if I don’t have a power rack and I only have access to a barbell? Not even an Olympic barbell, but one of those old crappy cement filled barbell sets”
I know precisely the weights this guy is saying. I believe nearly everyone of us grew up with them right? They were basically cement weights covered in plastic, and over time the plastic busted up and the cement started to get busted below remember?
I think I’m showing my age 
Anyhow…
YES! You can build strength and power with archaic equipment!
You just need somebody to teach you exactly how. Fortunately you met me. And thank heavens I just read a large amount of Dan John’s awe-inspiring “From the Ground Up”.
In this excellent little ebook Dan John describes the “Rapid Ascent Program”, which consists of three exercises:
1. Power Clean
2. Military Press
3. Front Squat/Press
And here’s how you did the program (from his book):
“The program was very simple. First, groups of four boys were given a bar. The bars were weighted from very lightmaybe 25 poundsup to perhaps close to 100 pounds. Each cohort of boys would lift one at a time, put the bar down, then the next boy would lift. The four would constantly move from lifter to watcherthe bar never stopped. The three sets (explained in just a moment) would not take very longin fact, sometimes it was hard to catch your breath in time for your next set.
The reps were very simple:
* First set: 8 repetitions
* Second set: 6 repetitions
* Third set: 4 repetitions
The goal was easy: as soon as you got the entire 18 repetitions (8+6+4), you added weight. If you started with a bar that was extremely light, the subsequent workout, you would be bumped up to the next weight and a stronger group. (For sure, actual variations could include making a whole new group with more weight, tooor all that necessary to make the group work together).”
Sounds simple doesn’t it?
That’s the advantage of this program!
You don’t need a great deal of equipment to achieve maximum strength and power and build mega-muscles… all at the same time as increasing your cardiovascular fitness and stripping off stubborn pounds of fat.
What you DO need is a little “do or die” attitude. You have to decide you really WANT to achieve your fitness goals, then you’ll find a way to use whatever equipment you have available to make it happen.
I like this program because it keeps up with the DoubleYourGains’ philosophy of training movement patterns instead of a bunch of exercises. The Rapid Ascent program has a press move (military press), a pull move (power clean), a squat move (front squat) and an explosive/hamstring move (power clean).
How to do the “Rapid Ascent” program for cardio and fat loss:
Coach Dan highlights that you could also acquire a great cardio workout and nuke some fat:
“To “hurry up” the trainingas if it was necessary, there were times when Mr. Freeman recommended combining the Power Clean and Military Pressesone clean and one press, repeated for a total of eight reps. this was done with a lighter weight. One could also do the Front Squats after the clean and presses, too. I have only done this onceand it was an amazing cardiovascular workout.”
Thus if you think you don’t have a sufficient equipment to get into top shape and attain your fitness goals you are erroneous. You are erroneous. You are erroneous.
In fact, you don’t even need a barbell. You can get underway with the DoubleYourGains’ bodyweight program. You can do pullups on your door frame (for extra strong fingers) or just grab the top of a door and go to town (or a tree limb, anything you can hang from, etc) Have faith in me, if THAT workout gets easy for you - you will be a certified STUD.
Then, once you get access to a good Olympic barbell set you can start the DoubleYourGains’ 3-5 Program.
Tags: Muscle Building