Which one is betterto build muscle and strength: trap bar deadlift or the traditional barbell deadlift?
And if you only train deadlifts with trap bars, are you missing something?
Although the two exercises and the muscles they train are similar, there are some differences. In this post I discuss thirteen advantages of the trap bar deadlift compared to the deadliftconventional deadlifts.
1. You can lift heavier weights
Most people find that they can deadlift heavier loads with a stair bar – also called a hex bar – compared to a straight barbell. After getting used to it, the difference is usually about 5-10% heavier weight compared to the crash bar.
This is when you uselow handles, which is the same height as a normal dumbbell. You can lift even more during usehigh handles.
Being able to lift heavier weight does not always mean that one exercise is superior to the other. But if it happens because of a more favorable center of gravity and a better distribution of muscle work between the joints, then it probably is. Both are the case with the trap bar deadlift compared to the traditional deadlift.
2. Less strain on your lumbar vertebrae
The traditional deadlift puts a lot of stress on your posterior chain, especially yourlower back, because the barbell sits in front of your body. This makes the conventional barbell deadlift a good exercise for strengthening your lumbar spine, but may inhibit your lower body workout if you currently have lower back pain. The trap bar deadlift shifts some of the load away from your back and hips and instead onto your legs.1
The crash bar also ensures a more upright torso position during lifting, which leads to even less strain on your lumbar spine. This can make the trap bar deadlift a safer alternative if you suffer from lower back pain.
3. Easy to lift with good shape
For some people, learning the conventional straight bar deadlift is a piece of cake. For others, their body proportions make it much more difficult. In this situation, the trap bar deadlift is a good alternative. The neutral grip and design that places the center of gravity in line with your feet rather than in front of your body allows you to lift in a better position with proper form and makes it easier for you to maintain a neutral spine retain.
For beginners, the trap bar deadlift is often easier to learn than the straight bar deadlift. Most beginners can actually get startededucationin their first session instead of practicing the technique for weeks.
4. Your Quad muscles are trained more
Compared to the conventional deadlift, training the trap bar trains your leg muscles more. And especially yoursquadriceps.2This makes the trap bar deadlift a good option for general leg development if you can't or don't want to trainhalter squat, For example.
5. One lower body exercise to master them all
If you could only train one lower body exercise, the trap bar deadlift wouldn't be a bad choice. This is because it works most of the major muscle groups in your lower body, while still working your lower back.
Of course, you probably won't maximize your muscle growth in eitherben,glutes, ofrugby using just one exercise, but you get a lot of bang for your buck. If your goal is not to maximize your lower body strength or muscle, but rather to get the best possible return on your training investment, then the trap bar deadlift is still an excellent option to do with just one exercise to train many muscles.
6. Adjustable between high and low handles
Perhaps one of the biggest advantages of the trap bar is that you can choose between using the high or low handles.
- The high handlesmakes it easier for a beginner or a tall person to get into a good starting position. Some people start their deadlift training with the high handles and later move on to the low handles, while others may train with the high handles for their entire training career.
- The low handlesplaced at the same height as the center of the weight plates, just like a traditional straight barbell. This forces you to a lower starting position and thus leads to a larger onerange of motion. The low handles are a good alternative for shorter people, or people who are flexible enough to maintain a good starting position.
7. Greater impact
If strength development is your training goal, the trap bar deadlift may be a better choice than the conventional deadlift.
In one study, participants who were proficient in deadlifts had their strength and power tested in conventional deadlifts and trap-bar deadlifts. In addition to lifting 11kg (6%) heavier loads with the drop bar, they also accelerated the weight faster and produced 28% more force.3
8. Good for higher vertical jumps
Weightlifting exercises such as the high pull have been used for decades to increase vertical jumping ability. A disadvantage of these exercises is that they require a lot of technical practice to learn. By comparison, simply doing vertical jumps while holding a weight in your hands is technically simple and easy to learn.
In one study, participants were asked to practice:
- Hang high pull with a straight rod
- Loaded jump squats with a stair bar
Both groups used loads optimized for output power.
After 10 weeks of training, both groups had improved their vertical jump (CMJ) to the same extent, with a small advantage for the trap bar group on the squat jump.4
9. Do not hyperextend your lumbar vertebra at the top
A common mistake with the traditional deadlift is hyperextending the spine at the top. This means leaning back in an attempt to raise the bar a little higher at the top. This is especially common in powerlifting competitions, where you have to completely lock out a weight to get it approved.
However, hyperextension at the top of a deadlift can increase the risk of back injury and should probably be largely avoided. With a hexagonal bar (a stair bar), hyperextension at the top is less likely because you don't have to pull the bar toward your thighs, thus avoiding this risk.
Read more:Top 10 deadlift mistakes to avoid
10. Your grip strength won't be as limiting
Grip strength can be an issue with the regular deadlift. Most people need to use a mixed grip, hook grip, or lifting straps to hold the bar. Due to the neutral grip of the stair bar, the bar will no longer try to roll out of your hands, so your grip strength is no longer such a limiting factor. This means you can train your back and leg muscles harder before your grip gives out.
Read more: How to grip the bar while deadlifting
11. No more scraped shins
Some people wear their scraped shins with the barbell as a badge of honor. Others prefer to keep their shins (and leggings) intact and therefore want to avoid repeatedly pulling a serrated barbell against them with every deadlift.
If your shins get in the way during the straight bar deadlift and you want to protect them from scrapes, the trap bar is a good alternative.
12. No mixed grip imbalances
The neutral position of the handles eliminates any risk of mixed grip imbalances in the traditional straight bar deadlift. Of course you can get around this by using lifting straps for your conventional barbell deadlifts, but then you'll be missing out on all yourgrip training.
13. Reduced risk of a biceps tear
Biceps tears during deadlifts are not common, but when they do occur, they are usually the result of lifting heavy weight with a mixed grip. Because trap bar deadlifts are performed with a neutral grip, the risk of a biceps tear is likely significantly reduced.
To further reduce the risk of biceps tears, hold the bar with your arms extended. No bent elbows!
Is Trap Bar Deadlift better than Straight Bar Deadlift?
It depends on your goal. Trap bar deadlifts put more strain on your leg muscles than conventional deadlifts, but the latter puts more strain on your lower back. If you only need to do one lower-body exercise, the trap bar deadlift provides a slightly more complete lower-body workout than the conventional deadlift.
But if you also exercisesquat, you already have enough training going for youquadruple musklerand the additional posterior focus of the conventional deadlift can be beneficial.
If you participateweight lifting, you'll probably want to do at least a conventional straight bar deadlift workout before a competition. However, if you strongly prefer the trap bar deadlift, you can probably use it for much of your off-season deadlift training.
Conclusion
The trap bar has many advantages and is a wonderful training tool to have at your disposal. Which deadlift variation you should ultimately train depends on your personal goals and preferences. Hopefully this article has given you some food for thought in deciding which variant is best for you.
And remember: it doesn't have to be black and white; you can alternate between the two each training cycle if you wish.
Read more:
- Deadlift: technique, training and gains
- How to Get Stronger, Part 1: The Beginner
References
- J Strength Cond Res. July 2011; 25(7):2000-9. A biomechanical analysis of deadlifts with straight and hexagonal dumbbells using submaximal loads.
- J Strength Cond Res. May 2016;30(5):1183-8. A study of muscle activation and force characteristics while performing the deadlift exercise with straight and hexagonal dumbbells.
- Sports (Basel). December 2017; 5(4): 82. The effect of a hexagonal barbell on the mechanical demands of deadlift performance.
- J Strength Cond Res. 2019 Jan;33(1):17-24. Comparison of Hang High Pull and Loaded Jump Squat for the Development of Vertical Jumps and Isometric Force-Time Characteristics.
