Your strength, more than anything, will determine both the quality of your life as well as how long you live. Being strong can help reduce injury, increase bone density, improve balance, help with weight loss, and improve your body composition.

Additionally, barbells train your body in what are called “compound” movements that require you to maintain your balance while increasing your mobility.

Exercise and training are often used interchangeably, but they have some key differences.

Exercise is any physical activity done for the sake of maintaining, or improving physical fitness. Examples include walking, running, swimming, cycling, rowing, etc.

Training, on the other hand, involves following a more structured program that is more goal oriented often with the purpose of increasing performance of a specific sport or activity. Increasing strength and lean muscle mass over time using a barbell program is a great example of “training”.

Anyone cleared by their doctor to “resistance” or strength train will benefit from barbell training. Being a stronger version of yourself is never a bad thing.

Additionally, you’ll gain muscle mass that will help with insulin resistance, and help you maintain weight better.

No, you’re not. Not if you’ve been cleared to exercise or resistance train from your doctor or primary care physician.

If you have doubts about that I present to you John Claassen. John was in his mid-80s when he started his strength training journey. See him deadlift 235 lbs at 92 years old in this YouTube video from Greysteel Strength and Conditioning. Here’s a more detailed documentary of John’s strength training journey.

This depends on your personal circumstances. You should make sure your doctor or primary care physician has cleared you to “resistance train” and you don’t have any injuries or medical conditions that would prevent you from training safely.

The absolute best method for increasing strength and gaining muscle mass is to lift heavy using barbells and compound movements.  “Lifting heavy” does NOT mean you start out lifting heavy weights, it simply means you add weight each time you lift in a linear weight progression. Consistency is the key here. You need to train at least 2-3 times per week over a at least a 12-16 week period to see results.

The four lifts we start with (squat, deadlift, bench, overhead press) are the main lifts that recruit the largest number of muscles, over the longest effective range of motion while moving the most amount of weight.

This depends on many factors including: your previous strength training history, your diet and nutrition, your training frequency, the program you’re following, the quality of your sleep, etc. However, if you follow our program you can expect to increase muscle mass over time, while at the same time re-compositioning your body, and likely losing weight if you’re relatively undertrained and overweight.

For cardio and conditioning we recommend walking, rowing, sled work, or running depending on your preferences. The amount of conditioning will depend on your goals and your nutrition plan.

Initially is the short answer. The longer answer is a bit nuanced. We find that our clients following a linear strength barbell progression may be sore initially, but the soreness goes away after the first week or two.

Now let me explain in more detail. When I say “sore”, I mean you’ve worked out so hard that you now have DOMS, or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. DOMS is caused by an eccentric contraction of muscles (i.e. the muscle in “lengthening”).

The great thing about the 4 primary lifts, is that they are PRIMARILY using either isometric, or concentric contractions which don’t cause DOMS. You feel fatigue after training barbells, but you generally don’t feel super sore. Unless, of course, you’ve stopped training for a period of several weeks.

1st, you’ll need access to a home gym, or a local gym equipped with the following: Olympic barbells, Olympic plates, a power rack, a platform to deadlift, a watch or timer, etc. If you’re building out a home gym, see our Home Gym Setup page for recommendations.

Additionally, you’ll need some lifting gear like lifting shoes, a lifting belt, and other accessories. Check out our Essential Lifting Gear page for more recommendations on gear.

Once you have access to those things, sign up for the Remote Introduction to Barbell Training class and we’ll get in touch with you to schedule a Zoom or Google Meets call.

After that’s complete, sign up for Remote Strength Coaching and we’ll get started on version 2.0 of you!

Check out our Essential Lifting Gear page for information on what you’ll need to train remotely.

If you’re looking to outfit a home gym, check out our Home Gym Setup recommendations.

General How-To’s and Tips: Here is a great video  How to Film Your Barbell Lifts from The Strength Co. Make sure you use a quality tripod that’s adjustable to chest or head height.

Phone Stand: Get yourself a quality phone tripod mount and phone stand for filming your lifts.  We recommend using the high quality NEEWER Tripod Mount (Amazon) along with the COMAN Extendable Photography Light Stand (Amazon). 

The Squat: Film the squat from a rear quarter with the camera about chest height. Make sure you frame the entire body when standing straight up. Also, don’t forget to trim the footage to start right before the lift begins and end after the lift is complete.

The Deadlift: Film the deadlift from the front quarter with the camera about hip or chest height. The frame of the picture should include your entire body when standing tall. Also, don’t forget to trim the footage to start right before the lift begins and end after the lift is complete.

The Press: Film the press from either a side profile, or a rear quarter with the camera about chest height. The frame should include your feet and the top of the barbell and plates when fully locked out at the top of the movement. Also, don’t forget to trim the footage to start right before the lift begins and end after the lift is complete.

The Bench Press: Film the bench press from a high front quarter looking down on the lifter. The frame should include your feet and well as the entire width of the bar at lockout. Also, don’t forget to trim the footage to start right before the lift begins and end after the lift is complete.

1st, make sure you understand that we’re located near 54 Highway and KK in Osage Beach, Missouri. For detailed directions, you’ll need to contact us at 573-385-3555 or schedule a FREE 30 min introductory call.

Once you’ve decided to train @ LOZ, sign up for the Introduction to Barbell Training class and we’ll get in touch with you to schedule a time that’s convenient for both of us.

After that’s complete, sign up for the Tribe Group Strength Training and we’ll get you slotted in one of our classes that works for your schedule.

You’ll need to sign the Freedom Strength Gym Waiver before class starts, so either print that off, sign it and bring it with you, or you can sign one at the Gym.

Check out our Essential Lifting Gear page for information on what you’ll need to train @ LOZ.

If you’re looking to outfit your own home gym, check out our Home Gym Setup recommendations.

Liability waivers can be found here or you can pick one up at the gym. EVERYONE who trains at the Freedom Strength Gym needs to sign one.

Rules to follow when training at the Freedom Strength LOZ Gym can be found here and are posted at the gym itself.