Barbell Burnout is Real – Then Your Fitness Evolves

I started training seriously with a barbell back in 2013. Like many others, my goal was simple: build strength and muscle mass. And it worked. For years, I continued progressing, hitting PRs, adding more and more weight to the bar, refining my technique. I didn’t get tired of it because, for me, the progress was addictive. The barbell kept delivering.

In 2017, I was introduced to sandbags as a training tool. You can't throw around a barbell the same way you can throw, slam, carry, and hold a sandbag -- I was hooked immediately. I knew the transfer to real life strength and ability was legit. 

And then came 2020. After seven years of consistent barbell training with a splash of kettlebells and sandbags, I found myself exploring other training tools, methodologies, and even different sports. I got into mountain biking and gravel biking, which introduced a whole new level of endurance, skill, and adventure into my routine. I started having a lot of fun with my training. 

It definitely wasn’t that I disliked barbell training—I just wanted something different and maybe even IN ADDITION TO the barbell work that is pretty much guaranteed to always get you stronger.

And although I still have not ditched the barbell completely (and I probably never will), I do use it quite a bit less than I once did.

Burnout Happens to Everyone

There will likely come a point in your training where you feel burned out, no matter what type of training you do. Maybe it happens after a few years, maybe 10, maybe 20. At some point, you’ll want to mix things up—adding new elements, subtracting what no longer serves you, and exploring new challenges.

After all, that is the only way to keep progressing and growing. 

This isn’t just something I’ve experienced; it’s a common theme in the fitness and professional sports communities. You’ll see:

• CrossFitters transition to HYROX competitions.

• Olympic lifters move to competing in CrossFit.

• Bodybuilders shift to functional training.

• CrossFitters take on endurance racing.

So on and so forth. Athletes evolve, and our training should evolve with us.

My Shift Away from the Barbell

As I mentioned above, in 2020, I started incorporating more kettlebell and sandbag work into my training. Looking back, I imagine this was influenced by COVID and training at home more often. Kettlebells gave me a new way to challenge myself—dynamic movements, unilateral strength, and explosive power.

They also didn't take up as much room in my tiny townhouse garage!

Then I found maces and clubs, and that changed everything. These tools expanded my training world tremendously. They built rotational strength, improved durability, and made me rethink the way I approached fitness. From there, I got into landmine training, a lot more kettlebells and sandbags, and slowly moved away from the classic barbell lifts 3-5x a week — the same old squats, deadlifts, presses, rows.

 

 

 

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What To Do If You’re Feeling Burned Out

If you’re at that point where barbell training (or any training you’ve been doing for years) feels stagnant, here’s what you can do:

1. Experiment with new tools – Kettlebells, maces, clubs, sandbags, sleds—there are endless options.

2. Try a different methodology – Longer endurance training like cycling or running, unconventional fitness, focus on hypertrophy rather than just strength or vice versa, etc. etc.

3. Incorporate a new sport – Biking, rowing, swimming, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu—something outside the gym can refresh your passion for movement.

4. Modify your focus – If you’ve been chasing strength, shift to power. If you’ve been focused on hypertrophy, try improving mobility. Keep yourself engaged.

5. Cycle back when ready – Just because you step away from the barbell doesn’t mean you’ll never return. Training is a lifelong journey with different seasons.

Keep Moving Forward

I have always kept the barbell in my training—it’s just a little less prominent nowadays. Instead of being the one and only tool I rely on, I now use it primarily to lift really heavy loads in the big four lifts: back squat, deadlift, strict press, and bench press. After all, the barbell remains the most efficient way to lift 2x or more of our body weight comfortably. It still has a place in my training, but it now shares space with other tools that enhance movement, strength, and durability in different ways.

Your training journey should be an evolution. It’s not about abandoning what you’ve done but about refining it, expanding it, and adapting it to where you are now. You can mix and match all the things you enjoy with the things you need to do to continue seeing results. Strength, speed, endurance, durability, mobility, and skill development can all coexist... You just have to find the right balance for you.

Burnout doesn’t mean you’ve lost your love for training, it just means it’s time to evolve. If you feel stuck, take it as a sign to explore something new. The fitness world is vast, and your journey doesn’t have to be confined to one tool or one way of training.

Changing the way you train isn't doing anything wrong.

I just found new ways to express strength and fitness that kept me in it. Maybe it’s time for you to do the same.