With Singapore approaching to endemic, gym will be permanently open for good and for those who are not fond of heading to the gym, setting up a personal workout space at home seems like a good idea to protect oneself and the family members. To set up a personal, inclusive gym, barbell and weight plate is the staple equipment to have as it is an all-star, full body workout tool.

Full-body workouts, where you train most of your major muscle groups several times per week, are by far the most effective way for a beginner to quickly build muscle and lose body fats -- and this is where barbell comes into the scene. 

Here's what you can do with a barbell: 

1. Bent over row

One of the essential back workout that you can start with. Hold the bar with a shoulder-width grip, bending your knees slightly, then bend at the hips until your torso is at a roughly 45° angle to the floor. Engage your core and shoulder blades, pull the bar up to touch your stomach, and then lower under control. Repeat this motion for 10 - 15 times. 

2. Overhead press

Confident with your upper body strength? With your feet shoulder-width apart, position a bar on your upper chest, gripping it with hands just wider than shoulder-width apart. Brace your abs, glutes and quads as you press the bar straight upwards. Pause at the top, then lower. Repeat this motion for 10 - 15 times.

3. Squat

Want to hit your glute, quads, core, and back all at once? With your feet shoulder-width apart or a tiny bit wider, rest the barbell on your traps. Grasp the bar with both hands facing forward and elbows pointing down. Your arms should form a rough W shape. Keeping spine straight and core braced, first push your hips back, then bend your knees. Pause when your glute is just below parallel with the floor, push through your heels, and rise to starting position.

4. Deadlift

With the bar on the floor, roll it against your shins. Stand with feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Point toes forward, bend your knees a little and hinge your hip a lot as you grasp the bar slightly outside your legs. Brace core and lift the bar by squeezing glutes, thrusting hips forward, and pulling torso back and up. Be careful not to bend your knees or drop your hips too much or keep your torso too upright.