Alright, let’s talk about this ‘primal barbell’ thing I’ve been messing around with. It wasn’t some grand plan, really. I just got tired, you know? Tired of complicated programs, spreadsheets telling me exactly what percentage to lift, feeling beat up all the time.
So, I decided to strip it all back. Way back. Think basic, heavy stuff. Stuff that feels… well, fundamental. That’s what drew me to the idea. Felt less like ‘working out’ and more like just moving heavy things, which kinda makes sense, right?
Getting Started – Clearing the Junk
First thing I did was ditch my old routine. Completely. All the accessory work, the fancy isolation exercises, the specific rep ranges for hypertrophy versus strength. Gone. Felt good, actually. Like cleaning out a cluttered garage.
I grabbed my barbell. That was the core tool. Decided to focus on just a handful of lifts:
- Squats (just regular back squats)
- Deadlifts (conventional, nothing fancy)
- Overhead Press (standing, strict as possible)
- Bench Press (basic stuff)
- Barbell Rows (bent over, pulling heavy)
That was it. The ‘program’. Simple as dirt.
The Actual Process – Lifting Stuff
I started hitting these lifts maybe three times a week. Didn’t follow a strict schedule like “Monday is Squat Day”. More like, I’d go into the garage gym, see how I felt, and pick one or two main lifts to focus on. Sometimes three if I felt good.
Big thing was, I stopped obsessing over numbers. Seriously. I mean, I still added weight when things felt easy, obviously, you need progressive overload. But I wasn’t chasing PRs every single session. I focused more on how the lift felt. Was it solid? Was my form decent? Could I own the weight? It was more about quality over quantity.
Some days I’d just work up to a heavy single or double on the deadlift and call it. Other days I might do 3 sets of 5 on squats and presses. Sometimes I’d do more reps, like 8-10 on rows. I listened to my body more, instead of just blindly following a plan someone else wrote.
I paid attention to recovery. Since the overall volume was lower than my old routines, I felt less beat down. Slept better. Had more energy. It felt more sustainable.
What I Noticed – The Feel of It
It’s funny. My joints actually started feeling better. Maybe because I wasn’t doing a million reps or trying crazy variations all the time. Just solid, basic movements.
My strength went up, maybe not as fast as some powerlifting program promises, but it felt more usable. Like real-world strength. Picking up heavy bags of mulch, moving furniture… that stuff felt easier.
There’s a mental shift too. Less pressure. More enjoyment. Just moving heavy iron. It’s kind of meditative in a way. You just focus on the lift in front of you.
Where I’m At Now
Been doing this basic approach for a good while now. I haven’t turned into some superhuman caveman or anything. But I feel strong, capable, and less broken.
I added a few things back in occasionally, when I feel like it. Some pull-ups, maybe some farmer’s walks with heavy dumbbells (feels kinda primal, right?), sometimes kettlebell swings. But the core is still those big barbell lifts.
It works for me. It’s simple, effective, and doesn’t burn me out. Just pick up the heavy bar, lift it well, put it down. Repeat. Doesn’t need to be more complicated than that, really.
