Are you struggling to engage your core and maintain a proper form while doing the barbell skier exercise? Fear not, because you’re not alone. Many people face the same problem when performing this particular workout. One of the common causes is the lack of strength in your core muscles which can lead to poor performance and even injury. Fortunately, we have a solution for you. In this post, we’ll provide you with valuable tips and techniques to help you master the barbell skier exercise and build a stronger, more resilient core.
Barbell Skier Summary
- Primary Muscles: Deltoid – Posterior
- Secondary Muscles: None
- Equipment: Barbell
- Mechanics Type: Isolation
- Force: Pull
- Utility: Auxiliary

Barbell Skier Instructions
- Grasp the bar with shoulder palms facing out behind your back.
- Bend your knees and lean forward while keeping your back and arms straight.
- Now you are set up, next raise the bar away from your body by pulling with your shoulders and squeezing your upper back.
- Once you have reached your full range of motion, allow your arms to swing back to your starting position.
- Repeat for a set of 8-12 reps.
Video Tutorial
Barbell Skier Muscles
Target (Agonist)
Synergists
- None
Dynamic Stabilizers
- None
Stabilizers
- None
Antagonist Stabilizers
- None

Benefits of Barbell Skier
Performing the Barbell Skier exercise can offer many benefits to a strength training or fitness routine. Specifically, it can help to target the posterior deltoid muscle. The posterior deltoid is responsible for shoulder extension and external rotation, and the Barbell Skier exercise helps to develop muscular strength in this muscle group. Additionally, the exercise helps to improve shoulder stability, as well as promote proper posture and coordination. With consistent practice, an individual can expect to see an increase in upper body strength, as well as improved shoulder function.
Tips for Performing Barbell Skier
Barbell Skier is a great way to get fit, and with the right tips and techniques, you can really make the most out of your workout. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your Barbell Skier workouts:
- Push Your Lifting To Close To Failure To Help You Boost The Teardown Of Your Muscle Tissue. You should make sure that you have established effective safety precautions whenever you’re pushing yourself to within failure.
- Have A Plan At The Gym. You need to prepare your training session ahead of time if you have an objective. If perhaps your goal is only to maintain, you should certainly continue to have a plan when you step foot in the gym.
- conduct your large compound movements at the beginning of your exercise routine, next conduct isolation lifts to target particular muscles at the end. You really want the top capabilities of your individual muscle groups any time you do compound exercises such as squats, bench, and deadlifts. Next, you need to focus on the muscle zones of which you determined were weak in those exercises or zones that couldn’t get fatigued because of the type of compound movement you executed.
Benefits and Tips Video
Frequent Mistakes To Avoid
When starting a Barbell Skier routine, it’s important to be aware of common mistakes that can derail your progress and cause injury. To ensure you’re getting the most out of your workout, it’s important to avoid these mistakes and stay safe while exercising. Read on to learn more about the top mistakes to avoid when doing Barbell Skier.
- Don’t Disregard Any Of Your Pains. Tender muscles and an injury pain are definitely not always the same. Whenever you appear agony while you are doing exercises you need to stop, or you may simply just mhelp make this injury worse yet.
- It Is Best If You Don’t Speed Through Your Exercise Routine. Every time you speed through your training session you more likely to use improper technique and accidents.
- You Don’t Want To Forget About Recovery Times. Overtraining might in fact make you less strong in lieu bigger.
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Variations and Complementary Exercises
If you are looking for variations, complementary, or alternative exercises for the exercise Barbell Skier, there are plenty of options available. Below is a list of exercises that work similar muscles as the Barbell Skier. With these exercises, you can mix up your workout and keep it challenging.
Cable Rope Face Pull

Cable Rope Face Pulls is a great complementary or alternative exercise for Barbell Skier. This exercise involves using a cable machine and a rope handle attachment, and it targets the back muscles, specifically the rear delts, rhomboids, and upper traps. It is a great exercise for strengthening the upper body and can be used as an assistance exercise to help with heavy barbell exercises like the Barbell Skier. Cable Rope Face Pulls can also be used as a stand-alone exercise to target the muscles worked during the Barbell Skier, such as the rear delts and rhomboids.
Dumbbell One Arm Rear Deltoid Row

The Dumbbell One Arm Rear Deltoid Row is a great complementary or alternative exercise for the Barbell Skier. This exercise targets the same muscles as the Barbell Skier, but with a slightly different angle. This exercise requires you to use one arm to pull a dumbbell up towards your side, keeping your back straight and your core engaged. It’s an effective way to target your rear deltoid muscles without putting too much strain on your lower back. Additionally, because you’re using only one arm at a time, it allows you to focus more on the muscles you’re targeting and helps to increase muscular strength and definition.
Dumbbell Rear Deltoid Raise

The Dumbbell Rear Deltoid Raise is a great complementary or alternative exercise to the Barbell Skier. This exercise focuses on strengthening the back of the shoulder and can be done seated or standing. It involves holding a dumbbell in each hand, with palms facing each other. From this starting position, lift both arms up and out to the side until your hands reach shoulder height. Then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. This exercise helps to strengthen the deltoid muscle in the back of the shoulder which can help to improve posture and prevent shoulder injuries.
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Dumbbell Supported One Arm Row

The Dumbbell Supported One Arm Row is an excellent complementary or alternative exercise to the Barbell Skier. This exercise specifically targets the back, shoulders, and arms. The dumbbell is placed on the floor and held with one hand while the other hand is used to pull the weight up towards the chest. This exercise helps to strengthen the back muscles as well as increase stability and balance. It also helps to improve posture and alignment by engaging the core muscles. This exercise is great for those who are looking for a more challenging workout than the Barbell Skier.
Underhand Dumbbell Row

The Underhand Dumbbell Row is a great complementary or alternative exercise to the Barbell Skier. This exercise targets the back muscles, specifically the lats and traps, and requires one to maintain a bent-over position while gripping two dumbbells. To perform this exercise, the individual begins in a bent-over position with the arms extended below the shoulders, keeping the back flat and abs tight. The individual then pulls the dumbbells up towards the chest while squeezing the shoulder blades together and then slowly lowers them back down to the starting position. This exercise helps to strengthen and build the back muscles, making it a great alternative or complementary exercise to the Barbell Skier.
Barbell Incline Row

The Barbell Incline Row is a great complementary or alternative exercise for the Barbell Skier. It works both the upper and lower body, focusing on the back, biceps, and core muscles. To perform the incline row, set an incline bench at a 45-degree angle and grab a barbell with an overhand grip. Bend your knees slightly and lean forward with your chest and torso parallel to the floor. Pull the barbell up towards your midsection and then lower it back down to the starting position. This exercise targets the same muscle groups as the barbell skier, but in a different way. It’s an excellent way to challenge your body and increase your strength.
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Opposing Complementary Exercises
To complement Barbell Skier, incorporate these exercises into your workout routine to target opposing muscle groups. This will help balance out the muscles worked during Barbell Skier and provide a more well-rounded workout.
Pec Deck (Machine)

The Pec Deck machine is a great complement to the Barbell Skier exercise. It works the opposing muscle group, the chest, and helps to develop upper body strength. This machine allows you to adjust the weight and range of motion, making it easy to customize your workout. The Pec Deck also provides additional stability and balance, which is important when performing exercises like the Barbell Skier. By using the Pec Deck in addition to the Barbell Skier, you can create a balanced and comprehensive upper body workout that will help you build strength and improve performance.
Lever Seated Fly (Machine)

The Lever Seated Fly machine is an ideal exercise for those looking to complement their Barbell Skier routine. This exercise helps to target the opposing muscle group to the Barbell Skier, namely the chest and back muscles. The Lever Seated Fly allows for a variety of angles and range of motion, allowing for a well-rounded workout that targets different muscle groups. By working the opposing muscle groups, this exercise helps to create balance in the body and reduce the risk of injury. Furthermore, this exercise can be adjusted to any fitness level, making it a great addition to any strength training regimen.
Smith Machine Decline Bench Press

The Smith Machine Decline Bench Press is a great complement to the Barbell Skier exercise, as it works the opposing muscle group. This compound exercise targets the chest and triceps, while the Barbell Skier focuses on the back and biceps. The decline angle of the bench press ensures that the lower chest muscles get a great workout. Additionally, the Smith Machine helps to ensure stability and a controlled motion, making it safer and more effective than a traditional barbell bench press.
Ski Your Way to a Stronger Body with Barbell Skiers
Skiing isn’t just for the mountains anymore! Incorporating barbell skiers into your workout routine is a great way to build strength and improve your overall fitness. This exercise targets the major muscle groups in your legs, including your quads, glutes, and hamstrings, while also engaging your core and upper body. Plus, the motion of the exercise mimics the movement of skiing, making it a fun and sporty addition to any workout. Give barbell skiers a try and see how they can take your fitness to new heights!
References: Wikipedia | ExRx.net | PubMed.gov | Comprehensive List of Back Barbell Exercises