Dubh Barbell Training

Programming for specifics. Snapshot of Day 1 of a strength program designed for a DBT client.

This one is an upper/lower 4 day/week split that balances strength (powerlifting-style) with hypertrophy (bodybuilding-style) training, i.e. heavy compound lifts and accessory volume work.

We take into account our clients training history, goals (immediate and longer term), previous or existing injuries or mobility constraints, recovery capacity and lifestyle factors, amongst others.

We then provide all clients access to the DBT app where all training programming, nutrition plans, daily metrics (weight / sleep / stress / recovery, etc) and weekly check-ins can be easily logged, making it easy to track progress and provide feedback to us, so plans can be quickly adapted if required, enabling you to continue progressing towards your goals.

We’ve got a lot of questions recently around recommended supplements as people start into New Year health phases.

Below is a list of 10 supplements from a fairly solid stack which will cover bases for most people.

1. Whey Powder (current one is a Whey Isolate)
* Easy protein intake, muscle recovery
* Isolate versions are low lactose, fast digestion

2. Creatine Monohydrate
* Strength, power, muscle size, cognitive benefits
* 3–5 g daily, no need to ‘load’ and timing not overly important

3. Electrolytes
* Hydration, muscle contraction, nerve signalling

4. Psyllium Husk / Fibre
* gut health, digestion, cholesterol and glucose control
* Make sure take with plenty of water (ideally allow to soak for 5 mins before drinking) and keep intake separate from all other supplements/meds by approx 2 hours (take around lunchtime usually)

5. Magnesium Glycinate
* Sleep quality, muscle relaxation, stress support
* Some forms of magnesium are rough on stomach - glycinate is a solid option

6. Multivitamin
* Micronutrient insurance (vitamins + minerals), i.e. it covers gaps, but shouldn’t replace a good diet

7. Vitamin D3 + K2
* Bone, immune, hormonal health. The added K2 helps direct calcium appropriately aiding absorption of D3
* I aim for 4000IU especially during winter months

8. Omega-3
* Heart, brain, joint, anti-inflammatory support,
* 1,000–3,000 mg per day combined EPA + DHA - this qty is what matters most - check your specific supplement as these vary a lot across brands

9. CoQ10
* Cellular energy, cardiovascular support
* Beneficial if training hard, 30+, or typically experience high stress

And most importantly!…

10. Caffeine 👌🏻
* Alertness, performance, focus
* Works well with creatine & electrolytes

Typical timing of these for me looks like:

Morning (at least and hr after coffee):
* Multivitamin, Omega-3, CoQ10

Around your workout (or morning if not training):
* Creatine, Electrolytes
* Whey Protein

Evening:
* Vitamin D3/K2 (with dinner)
* Magnesium glycinate (pre-bed)

Remember though that a thought-out balanced nutrition plan should always be your no.1 priority, none of the above can undo a bad diet!

Hope you had a great Christmas and are enjoying the break with family and friends! We love the upcoming January gym madness but are happy to be able to offer a focused training space away from the crowds to make the next few weeks (and months) as productive as possible for our clients. Limited training spaces are available so get in touch if you want to make a big change in 2026 💪🏼

Hump Day ✅ What did you train today?

Our early clients are progressing really well, a few weeks into their blocks and all key measurables are trending the right way 📈

Movement ☑️ Exercise Form ☑️ Stability ☑️ Strength ☑️ Recovery ☑️

The right attitude and turning up to just get it done goes a long way 💪🏼

Get in touch with us via DM or our contact form linked in bio to discuss getting started!

Thanks, DBT

Looking at one of our key pressing movements in this post - a cambered Swiss bar incline press.

Primary benefit of this type of bar comes from the neutral (or semi-neutral) grip, which significantly reduces external rotation at the shoulder – great for lifters who have limited shoulder mobility or those who might feel shoulder pain during typical incline or flat barbell pressing. The neutral grip also reduces stress on the wrist and can make pressing feel more natural.

For sports athletes, and beginners to strength training, this is a very safe, joint-friendly pressing pattern and can be programmed for extended durations to build a very solid base of upper body ‘push’ strength.

For the bodybuilders/hypertrophy folk amongst us, the increased range of motion (i.e. deeper stretch at the bottom) allows you to really target the ‘upper chest’ – the clavicular pec fibres. This is great for lifters who have trouble “feeling” pressing movements in the chest. Set the bench between 30-45 degrees to optimally target the clavicular head.

For powerlifters, this is good for building overall pressing volume in your programme alongside competition style bench press – or as your main movement if you are working around wrist / elbow or shoulder issues, e.g. during intense blocks of low bar squatting. This movement, with the elbow position closer to the body, will also increase tricep engagement compared to wide-grip barbell work, which could be used to focus on improving lockout strength.

Tip - always try to keep the line of your forearms vertical throughout the movement; think “stacked wrists over elbows”. This is for safety and efficiency – it further protects wrists and elbows, ensures no energy lost due to sideways movement or instability, increases likelihood of a consistent bar path, and improves overall chest activation.

Also, don’t forget to use your spotter arms on this one – this bar could be particularly nasty if dropped 😅

Get in touch with us today to discuss your training and how we might be able to help push it along!

Thanks, DBT

💪 Great session tonight, focused on refining squat, lunge and hinge patterns to build a solid foundation - alignment, joint stability, range of motion!

Always prioritising quality of movement before adding load. Mastering the basics first! 🔑

Looking forward to welcoming our first members into the gym, exciting times ahead for all at DBT!

Join us by messaging on instagram or facebook or via the google forms link and we will be in touch to see how we can help you on the way to finishing 2025 strong and setting up to hit the ground running into 2026 💪🏼

We are programming a different squat pattern in this current block as a means of changing up training stimulus.

Introducing the Safety Squat Bar.

Key benefits of SSB squats over a standard straight bar back squat include:

🏋🏻‍♀️Increased Upper Body and Shoulder Comfort

The cambered handles allow a neutral hand position in front of the torso - taking stress off the shoulders, elbows, and wrists. This is ideal if you have limited shoulder mobility or are carrying other upper-body injuries.

🏋🏻More Upright Torso

The bar’s camber shifts the center of mass slightly forward, encouraging a more upright torso position.

Useful if a trainee is prone to lower-back issues but also acts as an effective means to increase quad and upper-back engagement if development is required in these areas.

🏋🏽Development of Upper Back and Core Strength

The bar’s forward pull forces you to fight to stay upright, heavily recruiting your traps, lats, erectors, and core.

Excellent for building postural strength and carryover to other lifts (like deadlifts).

🏋🏾‍♀️Great for Rehabbing Lifters with various types of injuries

Keeps squatting mechanics strong without requiring uncomfortable shoulder external rotation, especially when returning from upper-body injuries while still training the lower body effectively.

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We can also add a box for increased focus on:

⚪️ Improving the consistency of movement and training depth control.

🔴 Posterior Chain recruitment - this is emphasised when we fully sit back onto the box - shifting more load to the glutes, hamstrings, and hips.

⚫️ Building starting strength and explosive concentric power - pausing after just touching the box eliminates the stretch reflex, requiring you to generate force from a dead stop.

Why not program SSB squats in your next training block if you need to focus on some of these areas.

Follow the link in bio if you would like more information on working with us at Dubh Barbell Training!

Thanks, DBT!

Monday ✅

A big thanks for all the messages of support and interest in the gym so far. We are excited to be getting ever closer to opening up our first limited no. of training slots.

For those that have expressed an interest in both the guided and open gym sessions and for anyone else who wants to know more about what we have to offer, a link to our contact form is now in the bio above. We will be in touch through your preferred means to discuss how we can hopefully help you out on your future strength journey.

Have a great week, DBT

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