Thread: Trap Bar Deadlifts

It feels to me like it takes some of the lower back work out of the movement.

Originally Posted by Work IN Progress

It feels to me like it takes some of the lower back work out of the movement.

That's another pro, for me at least.

My lower back was constantly sore/tight doing a separate hamstring, quad, and back day. The last couple weeks performing heavy Trap Bar Deadlifts, my lower back finally feels rested come Squat day.

It doesn't really force proper deadlift form. It forces you to use less of the lower back which helps people keep better form. But the mechanics of it are a lot different than those of a barbell deadlift, so if you lift with the trapbar for a while you're not going to build terrific form with a barbell.

I do these every other week in place of dead lifts. Just because I love them so much. What's your 1RM?

I have to be honest, I really don't like them anymore. I find they bother my lower back MORE than regular deads. When I do regular deads, I can tighten up and use form that allows me to really hammer my posterior chain, and really, if you use too much back, you aren't really doing them correctly to begin with.

With the trap bar, I can't use the same form even when I try, which in turn does not allow me to do what I do on a regular dead, and I wind up just basically pushing my feet "through the floor" and standing up, using more quad/back. They even bother my knees a bit.

I think you should just practice regular deads and perfect that form I was talking about. You'll know it when you get it.

The Hexagon bar, though misnamed the dead lift bar is actually closer to a squat then a dead lift. Being that the resistance is parallel to your axial skeleton, rather then being in front of your body, the lift takes the "pull" away from your posterior chain and the meat of the exertion is coming from glutes/quads, like a squat. You'll also notice the Hexagon bar burning the quads more then a regular dead lift for this exact reason. The Hexagon bar is basically a squat with half the core activation, because you're holding a weight low to the ground, instead of high up on the body.

I like them for a bit of variety, but i personally wouldn't substitute regular deads out for them. If you've got a good reason why regular deads aren't viable for you, then i think they're a great substitute though. There are a tonne of different squat variations for this sort of situation, so anything that keeps people lifting stuff off the floor is a bonus.

Also, is that Hepburn in your profile pic, Stew?

Fuckk.. just as I was thinking about switching out regular deads for hex bar deads.

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I wouldn't say I'm making a permanent switch to Trap Bar deadlifts. Simply put, my lower back gets mauled throughout the week and performing an exercise that doesn't tax my lower back in place of one that did, seems wise.

When my life is back in order (job, living, etc.), my routine will surely change for the better.

I don't like them either.

Originally Posted by Gazhole

Also, is that Hepburn in your profile pic, Stew?

yep, that's Doug

Originally Posted by soxmuscle

I wouldn't say I'm making a permanent switch to Trap Bar deadlifts. Simply put, my lower back gets mauled throughout the week and performing an exercise that doesn't tax my lower back in place of one that did, seems wise.

When my life is back in order (job, living, etc.), my routine will surely change for the better.

You work with what you can and that's the bottom line. That said, the Hex bar isn't a dead lift and almost none of it transfers over to an actual dead lift because of the removal of the emphasis on the posterior chain, due to the relative placement of the resistance being parallel to the body as oppose to in front of. The hex bar is a good alternative for a squat if anything.