The trap bar deadlift is a great exercise to add to your routine. It’s a compound movement that works the glutes, the lower back, the quadriceps, the hamstrings, the trapezius, the abdominal muscles, and the forearms.
While it’s more common to see someone do a deadlift with a barbell, the trap bar deadlift it has gained in popularity in recent years. Most gyms now have a trap bar.
There are more similarities between the barbell deadlift and trap bar deadlift than there are differences. Both are lifted from the floor. Both involve hinging at the hips. The weight people can lift is similar for both. People tend to be able to lift a bit more weight with the trap bar, but people lifting a huge amount more with the trap bar you’ll often read about on the internet are people using the high handles which reduces the range of motions. If you use the low handles, which are the same height as the barbell deadlift, the difference is much smaller. The trap bar uses a little more quads, and a little less hamstring and back compared to the barbell deadlift.
Benefits of the Trap bar deadlift over the barbell deadlift.
The barbell deadlift is also a great exercise. This article isn’t about one being better than the other, they are just different. I’m going to discuss some of the benefits of using a trap bar. The trap bar deadlift is easier for most beginners to learn. The main reason being that with the barbell the weight is in front of you with makes it easier to lose your balance and round forward. While with the trap bar your hands are by your side. I don’t think the potential problems with the barbell deadlift are hard to avoid if you’re coached properly, and doing deadlifts with a barbell isn’t that technical, or even hard to learn, but beginners do tend to pick up the trap bar deadlift and able to do them safely quicker than with a barbell, especially when they aren’t receiving coaching. #
Trap bar deadlifts can be easier on the back assuming your bracing and using good technique. The trap bar was invented in the 1980s by a powerlifter called Al Gerard. Al Gerard had many back problems and he wanted to find a way to lift heavy weights with his bad back. The barbell deadlift is also good for your back if you’re healthy, but some people who have back issues find that they can trap bar deadlift without pain while they can’t with the barbell. There is less chance of being pulled forward and having spinal flexion with a trap bar. if you’re finding using a barbell is giving you back problems then using a trap bar could be a good option. This also makes the trap bar easier to use safely while doing high reps.
Most trap bars have low and high handles. A lot of people don’t have the mobility in the hips to get into the correct starting position with the barbell deadlift because of previous injuries, or being active for a long time. However, most people can comfortably do a trap bar deadlift with high handles as it requires less mobility. I even have a 72-year-old client who can trap bar with high handles without a problem, but he wouldn’t be able to use a barbell. #
The trap bar allows you to use a neutral grip. Using a barbell gripping the bar with a double overhand grip will limit the weight you can lift as your hands can’t hold enough weight. That leaves hook grip, straps and mixed grip (one hand pronated, and one hand supinated). Hook grip is a very good and strong grip but can be very painful on the thumb. Using straps take away the grip strength benefits. A mixed grip is a very strong grip but can lead to small muscle imbalances. It also increases the chance of tearing a bicep on the arm that’s supinated if bad technique is used. The trap bar is easy to grip and avoids these potential negatives. custom grip socks