Deadlifting with a Trap Bar

WHIP IT!

My gym have recently got themselves a trap bar for DL'ing... I "dabble" in the DL every now and then and always though the trap bar looked like more fun for this particular exercise.

As I don't compete in comps at any level, would people generally recommend the Trap Bar ahead of regular BB deadlifting? I would presume it allows you lift more and I always thought it looked "safer", in that you might be less likely to do yourself an injury through bad form?

Also, is it as effective - conditioning wise - as regular BB DLs?

Thanks Loads!

rubadub

From what I read it is sort of a cross between a back squat and deadlift since the weight is more central. Most can lift more due to the position, but also because many use the handles, which are up higher so it is sort of like a rack pull. I think you can flip the bar over and not use the higher handles to increase the ROM, but I imagine the handles make it more stable too. There was a thread a while ago discussing them a bit.

WHIP IT!

rubadub wrote: »

From what I read it is sort of a cross between a back squat and deadlift since the weight is more central. Most can lift more due to the position, but also because many use the handles, which are up higher so it is sort of like a rack pull. I think you can flip the bar over and not use the higher handles to increase the ROM, but I imagine the handles make it more stable too. There was a thread a while ago discussing them a bit.

Thanks Rub, so do you think completely subbing Trap Bar lifts in for BB lifts would be counter-productive? I'm also thinking of the fact the trap bar will most likely be always available in my gym - whereas occasionally all the BBs will be taken.

rubadub

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Thanks Rub, so do you think completely subbing Trap Bar lifts in for BB lifts would be counter-productive?

I can't answer that TBH, one of the experienced regulars might tell you.

I found that thread though
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055502517

brianthebard

Since you're not competing there's no reason why you couldn't sub the trap bar for a regular barbell dl, although as rubadub said there is a slightly different training stimulus. I've only used a trap bar a few times but felt like only my traps and legs were engaged. I also found the grip a bit hard to get used to, the bar wobbled a lot more than a regular bb. That might just be me. Perhaps it would be best to switch between the trap and bb at different times, to break through plateaus or create different training stimulus as you see fit.

WHIP IT!

brianthebard wrote: »

Since you're not competing there's no reason why you couldn't sub the trap bar for a regular barbell dl, although as rubadub said there is a slightly different training stimulus. I've only used a trap bar a few times but felt like only my traps and legs were engaged. I also found the grip a bit hard to get used to, the bar wobbled a lot more than a regular bb. That might just be me. Perhaps it would be best to switch between the trap and bb at different times, to break through plateaus or create different training stimulus as you see fit.

Thanks Guys

So, in your experience, btb, using the trap bar meant you were working your lower back less than you otherwise would have been with the BB?

That will go on the 'Con' list for me, so...

Roper

Unless you're a powerlifter, you don't need to deadlift in every lower body session, or at all. What you do need is to have a heavy, hip dominant exercise. The trap bar is one variation on that theme.

I just read the other topic there and I remember it now. Colm made some good technical points but really Trap bar hate is mostly due to a lack of knowledge about the goals of strength training. I've ****ed on about this before but people are too obsessed with titles. Sure the greatest pulling exercise might be the deadlift, but there are many ways to increase your deadlifting and people forget that for 99% of people the goal of the deadlift is lower body strength. The goal of the deadlift is not to be a deadlift. Same with the bench and the squat.

brianthebard

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Thanks Guys

So, in your experience, btb, using the trap bar meant you were working your lower back less than you otherwise would have been with the BB?

That will go on the 'Con' list for me, so...

Yeah that's correct, especially if you use a high bar grip iirc. I don't think it is necessarily a con though. Guess it depends what you want to do.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Roper wrote: »

Unless you're a powerlifter, you don't need to deadlift in every lower body session, or at all. What you do need is to have a heavy, hip dominant exercise. The trap bar is one variation on that theme.

I just read the other topic there and I remember it now. Colm made some good technical points but really Trap bar hate is mostly due to a lack of knowledge about the goals of strength training. I've ****ed on about this before but people are too obsessed with titles. Sure the greatest pulling exercise might be the deadlift, but there are many ways to increase your deadlifting and people forget that for 99% of people the goal of the deadlift is lower body strength. The goal of the deadlift is not to be a deadlift. Same with the bench and the squat.

Honestly, I've no idea what all that means.

Sorry, not trying to poke holes in your post but its left me scratching my head, I've never seen a 'trap bar' so maybe I'm reading somethng out of context.

Roper

Em. Okay?

arybvtcw0eolkf

Roper wrote: »

Em. Okay?

Whats that mean?.

Roper

Well, you didn't really ask me to explain anything. I will if you have a specific question it's just hard to know where to start if you didn't understand any of it.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Roper wrote: »

Well, you didn't really ask me to explain anything. I will if you have a specific question it's just hard to know where to start if you didn't understand any of it.

OK I get you here, but your other post is confusing.

I'm not so sure 99% of people would consider the DL a lower body exercise, do you?.

WHIP IT!

This is a Trap Bar DL ^^^

I understand Roper's point - as I don't compete at Powerlifting (and likely never will at any level whatsoever), my "numbers" are not nearly as important as my results - ie, the effect that training has on my body, fitness and health are far more important than upping my 1RM or 3RM etc etc

Hence, I was wondering if the Trap Bar DL would hinder my results if I replaced Regular BB DLs with them in my programme?

d'Oracle

Kailyn Abundant Tension wrote: »

Honestly, I've no idea what all that means.

Sorry, not trying to poke holes in your post but its left me scratching my head, I've never seen a 'trap bar' so maybe I'm reading somethng out of context.

Tis one of those bars that you step into.
Like a Shrug bar but different.

Square shape, with handles.

Edit: I am totally comfortable with the fact that someone else got there first.

arybvtcw0eolkf

WHIP IT! wrote: »

I understand Roper's point - as I don't compete at Powerlifting (and likely never will at any level whatsoever), my "numbers" are not nearly as important as my results - ie, the effect that training has on my body, fitness and health are far more important than upping my 1RM or 3RM etc etc

Hence, I was wondering if the Trap Bar DL would hinder my results if I replaced Regular BB DLs with them in my programme?

Cheer's, that explains it.

d'Oracle wrote: »

Tis one of those bars that you step into.
Like a Shrug bar but different.

Square shape, with handles.

Edit: I am totally comfortable with the fact that someone else got there first.

Yup, I youtubed it a few minutes ago. Until now I'd never seen one before!.

Transform

I am a big fan of the trap bar and have been for years.

There are many clients i work with that cant deadlift with a bar in good form yet do so perfectly with a trap bar.

Its a tool like any other and as roper mentioned its all about your progress in the exercise overall.

Its good to change exercises up from time to time anyway so work it into the program but i would not do regular deadlifts with top weights in the same week as trap bar deadlifts on a week by week basis.

WHIP IT!

Transform wrote: »

I am a big fan of the trap bar and have been for years.

There are many clients i work with that cant deadlift with a bar in good form yet do so perfectly with a trap bar.

Its a tool like any other and as roper mentioned its all about your progress in the exercise overall.

Its good to change exercises up from time to time anyway so work it into the program but i would not do regular deadlifts with top weights in the same week as trap bar deadlifts on a week by week basis.

Thanks Transform, I think I'll give it a run for 3 weeks or so (doing it once a week, that is) and see how I get on.

Mickk

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Thanks Transform, I think I'll give it a run for 3 weeks or so (doing it once a week, that is) and see how I get on.

You train in Citywest?

WHIP IT!

Mickk wrote: »

You train in Citywest?

When i'm not eatin crisps on the couch, Mickk, yeah

Is it one of your Trap Bars we got, yeah? I'll give it me critical analysis at the weekend - If I don't look like Brock Lesner after one Trap Bar DL session - irish-lifting.com is gettin' a slatin'!

The Guvnor

I've never used one but I dislike regular deads and the trap bar looks like it would be right up my street, wll have to try one out soon.

d'Oracle

The Guvnor wrote: »

I've never used one but I dislike regular deads and the trap bar looks like it would be right up my street, wll have to try one out soon.

Does anyone really like Deads?
I have convinced my self that I do and all, up untill the first rep at working weight.
At which point I despise the very idea of them.

Transform

love them TBH.

nothing more basic and honest in an exercise than picking something heavy off the floor.

Mickk

WHIP IT! wrote: »

When i'm not eatin crisps on the couch, Mickk, yeah

Is it one of your Trap Bars we got, yeah? I'll give it me critical analysis at the weekend - If I don't look like Brock Lesner after one Trap Bar DL session - irish-lifting.com is gettin' a slatin'!

Yea never seen such excitement about a new bar, it was like a swarm of wasps! 70KG dumbbells are on the way aswell, someone in there was complaining that their tricep kickbacks with the 60kg db's felt too light, was that you?

Vegeta

Transform wrote: »

love them TBH.

nothing more basic and honest in an exercise than picking something heavy off the floor.

I love them too

Sure they make me feel faint, bruise my shins and often cause nausea but it's one of my favourite exercises.

Wouldn't mind giving the trap bar a go

WHIP IT!

Mickk wrote: »

Yea never seen such excitement about a new bar, it was like a swarm of wasps! 70KG dumbbells are on the way aswell, someone in there was complaining that their tricep kickbacks with the 60kg db's felt too light, was that you?

For starters, I have no idea what a tricep kickback is and my only dealings with 60kg DBs is when I'm rolling them out of the way to get to the 25s!

I'll make your trap bar my bitch this Sunday though, don't you worry

Oh, any chance you could convince them to replace one of the Smith Machines with a new Power Rack??

Supercell

I have been doing DB Squats at home because I dont have a rack for a normal barbell squat until i read this trap post. I have a trap bar (with flush handles, not raised ones) which i got when i bought a bunch of stuff off a boardsie a while back and never got round to using.

So yesterday I tried it out and it was superb (stood on a raised platform [a big brick] so was lifting from ankle height).

The result was that I lifted far more than before. Felt far safer doing so and have wonderful aches and pains in all the places I want to have them.

It feels like a proper squat/deadlift duo, expect my hamstrings don't feel anywhere near burned like after a straight leg deadlift.

My questions here is , for lifting without anyone to spot for a squat, is this a pretty good substitute?
I really feel i can push the boat out that little but further using it and my hands are nicely in bits from doing so last night!

Brian?

Transform wrote: »

I am a big fan of the trap bar and have been for years.

There are many clients i work with that cant deadlift with a bar in good form yet do so perfectly with a trap bar.

Its a tool like any other and as roper mentioned its all about your progress in the exercise overall.

Its good to change exercises up from time to time anyway so work it into the program but i would not do regular deadlifts with top weights in the same week as trap bar deadlifts on a week by week basis.

Would you have any advice about how to setup for a trap bar deadlift? I've given them a go a few times recently, not really sure how wide to plant my feet.

Brian?

d'Oracle wrote: »

Does anyone really like Deads?
I have convinced my self that I do and all, up untill the first rep at working weight.
At which point I despise the very idea of them.

I love them, there's something awfully satisfying about pulling that much weight off the floor.

Transform

briankeating wrote: »

Would you have any advice about how to setup for a trap bar deadlift? I've given them a go a few times recently, not really sure how wide to plant my feet.

the feet are about hip width and set up is same as deadlift.

Hardest thing to get the hang of is the hand position or the bar can tip forwards or back too much.

Keep chest up, drive through heels and never look down when pulling or lowering

Transform

Supercell wrote: »

I have been doing DB Squats at home because I dont have a rack for a normal barbell squat until i read this trap post. I have a trap bar (with flush handles, not raised ones) which i got when i bought a bunch of stuff off a boardsie a while back and never got round to using.

So yesterday I tried it out and it was superb (stood on a raised platform [a big brick] so was lifting from ankle height).

The result was that I lifted far more than before. Felt far safer doing so and have wonderful aches and pains in all the places I want to have them.

It feels like a proper squat/deadlift duo, expect my hamstrings don't feel anywhere near burned like after a straight leg deadlift.

My questions here is , for lifting without anyone to spot for a squat, is this a pretty good substitute?
I really feel i can push the boat out that little but further using it and my hands are nicely in bits from doing so last night!

wow the technique in that video for the straight leg deadlifts is fairly bad.

Why on earth do people do SLDL off a step in the first place - greater range of motion normally means a more rounded lower back.

Here is my take on the SLDL and GHR's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GijkEO5kEJM

Roper

Even allowing for the lack of a GHR bench, that's still not a great method of doing a GHR off a lat pulldown. Why not do them piking or assisted?

Transform

Roper wrote: »

Even allowing for the lack of a GHR bench, that's still not a great method of doing a GHR off a lat pulldown. Why not do them piking or assisted?

hey man you do what you can and as mentioned in the vid its a poor mans version and it works well for everyone i have do them.

I have done assisted before and find i prefer this method.

Roper

Tis indeed, but why not pike or use the push up? It's a far better method of working towards the full GHR as you get loading through the full ROM, albeit light.

Brian?

Transform wrote: »

the feet are about hip width and set up is same as deadlift.

Hardest thing to get the hang of is the hand position or the bar can tip forwards or back too much.

Keep chest up, drive through heels and never look down when pulling or lowering

Cheers man, that's pretty much what I was doing. Basically setting my feet and back the same as for a normal deadlift.

As for the hands, I was lining them up with the centre of the plates. Felt fairly stable that way.

Sangre

My SLDL is definitely of the exrx variety. Will try your method Transform - makes a lot more sense. Always wondered about the risk of rounding back.

Mickk

Trap bars are very important at every stage of a lifters life, here is a new trap bar that those crazy chinese are making for 1-2 year olds

WHIP IT!

Hey Mickk, just wondering what weight the Trap Bar you left in CW is? I think on your site it says they're 25kg, correct?

I've found it really good to work out with and, as I had guessed, for an "untrained deadlifter" it really feels alot safer. Although, I dont feel as if my lower back is engaged as much as when I did regular deads and I dont get nearly as much DOMS in the lower back... is this a good thing or a bad thing?