Barbell Windmill
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Movement
- Windmill · Standing
- Tracks
- Weight & Reps
Works
Abdominals Obliques Shoulders Glutes Hamstrings Lower Back Forearms Back
How to do it
- Grip a light barbell at its exact centre and press or push-press it overhead with one hand.
- Lock the elbow out and pack the shoulder down so the bar sits over the mid-foot.
- Rotate your feet forty-five degrees away from the working arm.
- Hinge at the hip toward the overhead arm, pushing your hips back and keeping both knees straight.
- Keep your eyes on the bar as you lower the free hand toward the floor or your shin.
- Pause at the bottom, then drive the hip forward to return upright and lower the bar to the shoulder to reset.
Common mistakes
- Bending the knee of the working leg instead of hinging at the hip.
- Letting the arm drift forward or the bar tip to one end during the descent.
- Rounding the spine instead of holding a rigid torso.
- Looking at the floor rather than tracking the bar.
- Loading the bar as heavy as a kettlebell windmill, which forces a press-out or a loss of lockout.
Safety
Avoid this lift if you cannot lock out a bar overhead without shrugging or arching.
Use a light load and a spotter or clear space when first learning the path, since a barbell cannot be dropped as safely as a kettlebell.
Stop immediately if you feel sharp pain in the lower back, shoulder or hip.
Tips
- Keep the working arm vertical and the bar level, stacked directly over the shoulder.
- Pack the working shoulder down and away from the ear before every rep.
- Hinge, do not squat; the knees stay straight and the hips travel back.
- Breathe into the ribcage on the side opposite the bar.
Details
- Base movement
- Windmill
- Load position
- Overhead
- Arms
- One
- Legs
- Both
- Legs straight or bent
- Straight legs
- Body position
- Standing
