Anyone tried high reps on these, yesterday done them as a superset with dips as was running out of time did 4*15reps on each at 120kg on the trap bar (no belt) and bodyweight dips having around 1-2 mins rest between supersets.
My traps are insanely sore today, was wondering if any other powerlifter employed these to build up there upper back strength/size for support on the bench, and for extra endurance etc for deadlifts.
I was toying with the idea of a Zercher squat/dip combo, maybe next time, just to really blast my weakpoints i.e Core, Ham’s and Triceps.
Trap bar the handles are at the sides do the bar isnt out in front of you, puts less stress on the lower back and the weights more over your core something like that. Youtube trap bar you will see what I mean.
Mate nice job, dry heaving must mean they are working lol, but in all seriousness, they give you insanely sore traps, I have no idea what carry over they have to squats, although, when I was going quite heavey on them like 190-200 ish for sets of 3-5 my squats were feeling stronger I think, probably just quads getting used to weight though I guess.
I think will leave them in though build up my back a bit for benching etc. Do you have them as a staple in your routine then?
[quote]MW2011 wrote:
Mate nice job, dry heaving must mean they are working lol, but in all seriousness, they give you insanely sore traps, I have no idea what carry over they have to squats, although, when I was going quite heavey on them like 190-200 ish for sets of 3-5 my squats were feeling stronger I think, probably just quads getting used to weight though I guess.
I think will leave them in though build up my back a bit for benching etc. Do you have them as a staple in your routine then?[/quote]
Not a staple, no. In that video, I was using them as a leg press type movement for widowmakers on the DoggCrapp program, as they placed little stress on the lower back and hammered the quads when elevated. When I train for strength, trap bar lifts don’t make it into my program often. They’re usually only good for 2 things
1: Loading up with a TON of weight for maximal effort work just to train myself to really push with as much effort as possible
2: Standing on a very elevated platform so I can learn how to keep a nuetral spine during the deadlift
They’re great for high rep conditioning though. Here is another video I made where I keep reducing the ROM in a set by removing the mats I stand on
It’s very long and boring, I apologize. I tested out the theory while I was sick, so recovery sucked. Skip through the video to get the point.
Fair play, one thing just noticed though, why do you turn your feet out so much is that for extra quad involvement? Those blocks look about the same as mine, do you use them so you can still use the high handles but retain the ROM as well? The low handles arent as good. Thats impressive stuff though mate, whats your conventional/sumo deadlift? Has it helped that? I would imagine it might help you with the initial quad drive from the floor and then obviously grip strength.
Have you ever maxed out on it for a single or double? We had it as lift of the month at training, I hit 230kg (not that impressive I know, will try 245kg this week to go up a few places on the leaderboard lol). Think the best was 285kg at training by a guy at 90kg bodyweight I think.
I don’t think I’m turning my feet out much. That’s simply what feels comfortable for the movement.
If you look at my trap bar, it ONLY has high handles, so the only way I can increase ROM is to stand on mats.
I pulled 525 at 192 at my last meet. I’ve pulled 540 at 205 at one point in my life. Both conventional, don’t pull sumo. Again, I don’t think there is a direct carryover between the trap bar and the deadlift, it simply can have some benefits in learning how to pull hard while keeping a neutral back. It might help with the initial pop off the floor some, but there are probably better movements.
Right now my deadlift training is all based around ROM progression. I’m using the same mats and stacking the weights on them. I started pulling off of 7 mats, and this week I’ll be down to 4, while keeping the weight and reps the same. It’s something I stole from Paul Anderson, hopefully should pay off.
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
I don’t think I’m turning my feet out much. That’s simply what feels comfortable for the movement.
If you look at my trap bar, it ONLY has high handles, so the only way I can increase ROM is to stand on mats.
I pulled 525 at 192 at my last meet. I’ve pulled 540 at 205 at one point in my life. Both conventional, don’t pull sumo. Again, I don’t think there is a direct carryover between the trap bar and the deadlift, it simply can have some benefits in learning how to pull hard while keeping a neutral back. It might help with the initial pop off the floor some, but there are probably better movements.
Right now my deadlift training is all based around ROM progression. I’m using the same mats and stacking the weights on them. I started pulling off of 7 mats, and this week I’ll be down to 4, while keeping the weight and reps the same. It’s something I stole from Paul Anderson, hopefully should pay off.[/quote]
Agreed.
We have pretty similar strength levels and I’ve noticed the same thing. I have an old trap bar and it only has low handles. I would use it for shrugs until I got a rickshaw from elite fts and the high rep gut check set.
But I’ve done them like twice in twenty years. Maybe after I’m done with Josh Bryant for now i might try 405 x whatever again.
I will say though that when I was training this way for DC, deficit trap bar lifts were the only movement that really hit my glutes and quads hard. The long ROM helps.
Sorry mate didnt notice it only had high handles, thought it had both, have you found that works or? Where does 7 mats leave the bar? knee level or, I did read that right didnt I the weights are on the mats rather than you are. So is it basically a rack pull worked down, or do the mats make it different, as it does feel different pulling from pins compared to blocks, or is that phycological?
I found that as well that trap bar really hammers your quads, probably a better bodybuilding move than powerlifting but its all gd im sure.
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
Here is a video of me pulling at the 7 mat level
It definitely feels more naturally than pin pulls. It’s much more like pulling off the floor.
EDIT: I just wanted to clarify that I DO own more than one shirt and I’m not sponsered by elitefts, haha.[/quote]
STRAPS??!!! jk
Nice pulling. I’m doing the same, except using the rack. Probably a greater jump, but it has definitely helped. I’m now back to pulling from the ground, stronger than ever.
Nice work mate, genuinely a bit depressed that you just did somewhere near my 1rm (not sure what that is in kg, but i knw roughly) for reps. But in all seriousness good lifting, probably due to the music, thats what I squat to you cant beat Disturbed.
This is a stupid question, but how do you manage to keep your back straight on conventional, do you do any extra stretching/exercises, as your quite tall like me, and I moved to sumo deadlifting because its easy to keep your back straight, but I feel I could do more conventional if I could work out how to sort form out.
I’m not tall. I’m 5’9. Camera prolly jsut fucks with things.
I get a little back rounding on conventional, but nothing horrible. Pretty much all of my squatting is done with the safety squat bar, which really helps develop a strong upper back, and contributes to my ability to pull.
TheDude: Glad to hear it worked for you. I’m actually waiting on my texas deadlift bar to ship to my house, and will see what impact that has on my pulls. I’ve always wanted to try out this theory, but never had any room for it in my programming until recently. I actually just started doing ANY sort of deadlift training very recently after 3 years of none due to an injury, so this has been pretty exciting.
I love my Ironmind straps too. Greatest on the planet, and as long as I can continue to close a CoC#2 for reps, I won’t sweat my grip, haha.
Oh yeah that must be the case, I thought you wre taller than that, I’m 6 ft 3 and getting down to the bar is proper hard without rounding lower back. I can do it with sumo as obviously you just drive ur knees out etc meaning you can get down. I want to work it out though, whatever I do though doesnt seem to work, and pulling heavey rounded is an injury waiting to happen for me i think.
Oh yeah that must be the case, I thought you wre taller than that, I’m 6 ft 3 and getting down to the bar is proper hard without rounding lower back. I can do it with sumo as obviously you just drive ur knees out etc meaning you can get down. I want to work it out though, whatever I do though doesnt seem to work, and pulling heavey rounded is an injury waiting to happen for me i think.
