Fundamentals of Barbell Training At AIK we truly believe that the barbell is one of the ultimate functional training tools however it needs the respect of time and patients to learn correct technique. The main reason the bar bell works so well in gaining strength is that the human body functions as a complete system – it works that way and likes to be trained that way. It doesn’t like to be separated into body part segments and have them trained separately. The general pattern of strength acquisition must be the same as that in which the strength will be used – meaning functional training for everyday movements. As you are aware the nervous system controls the muscles and the muscles control the movement being “neuromuscular “ When strength is acquired in ways that do not correspond to the patterns in which it is intended to actually be used - the neuromuscular aspects of training have not been considered. Neuromuscular specificity is always present and exercise programs must respect this principle the same way as we integrate with gravity – being on an ongoing basis. When using bar bells properly and through their full range of movement are essentially the functional expression of human skeletal and muscular anatomy under a load. The exercise is controlled by the users particular movement patterns - minutely fine-tuned by each individual limb length - muscular attachment position - strength level - flexibility and neuromuscular efficiency. Balance between all the muscles involved contributes their anatomically determined share of the work. Muscles move the joints between the bones which transfer force to the load - and the only way this is done is a function of the design of the system – when that system is used in a manner of its design - it functions optimally - and training should follow this design. Barbell allows weight to be moved in exactly the body is designed to move it - since every aspect of the movement is determined by the body itself – leading to “functional movement patterns”