I just wanted to take a minute out of my busy day while I sit here gasping and sweating with red face and bloodshot eyes to report that working legs hasn’t gotten any easier since last time I worked them.
Also my wife bought me a 45 pound stainless steel olympic trap bar and for anybody looking for a sure way to mercilessly scorch your legs, trap bar squats will make you wonder if this whole weight training thing is such a great idea.
Some will immediately conclude that they’re just like dumbbell squats. If you get the opportunity to try trap bar squats get back to me then.
I really like trap bar squats/deadlifts. I guess in a way they are like dumbbell squats, but I believe most people will be able to trapbar squat alot more than they can dumbbell squat and that is important.
It probably has to do with the fact that dumbbells kinda awkwardly slide up and down the outside of your legs and pretty much make anything, but a narrow stance impractical if not impossible.
I built a heavy duty 6 in. wood platform I use with it. The funny thing about trap bar squats, at least for me, is that the first few reps seem too easy and then the last few turn brutal.
I’ve been playing around with using it for neutral grip benches, bent over rows and semi upright row/shrug things too. The latter one really hits the rear delts and traps.
Not the be all and end all of training equipment (what is?) but I’m really liking it.
These guys are like 10 minutes from my house and always cut us deals on stuff(I help them with their computers too) The trap bar cost us 140 bucks. No obvious brand name on it, but the welds are nice and it’s really solid.
The only way I really like doing them is if you can flip it upside-down and use a low handle or stand on a platform. Otherwise, I feel like the ROM is just too short to do much.
[quote]Matgic wrote:
The only way I really like doing them is if you can flip it upside-down and use a low handle or stand on a platform. Otherwise, I feel like the ROM is just too short to do much.
-MAtt[/quote]
Yeah, I built a platform I use with it for that very reason. 4x4’s and 2x4’s with a piece of plywood on top. Very solid. With the platform my knuckles are about level with my anklebone at bottom. Mine has the U shaped raised knurled handles.
[quote]mikeland wrote:
I started doing trap bar squats about 5 years ago…one of the best damn exercises I’ve EVER done.
They’re right up there with barbell hack squats…if only the bar didn’t tear up my calves when I do them!![/quote]
Barbell hacks are highly underrated imho. Kinda like fuller involvement sissy squats in a way. I usually manage to keep the bar just skimming my calves though so as to keep my skin.
[quote]Matgic wrote:
The only way I really like doing them is if you can flip it upside-down and use a low handle or stand on a platform. Otherwise, I feel like the ROM is just too short to do much.
-MAtt[/quote]
Mine doesn’t have the raised handles, but the ones at my gym do. I know what you mean about the ROM though.
[quote]Matgic wrote:
The only way I really like doing them is if you can flip it upside-down and use a low handle or stand on a platform. Otherwise, I feel like the ROM is just too short to do much.
-MAtt[/quote]
Mine doesn’t have the raised handles, but the ones at my gym do. I know what you mean about the ROM though.
I don’t know which handle setup I’d prefer if any. I could see good points with both. In any case I’ve become a fan of the bar style. More uses than originally meet the eye.
[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
I’ve been playing around with using it for neutral grip benches, bent over rows and semi upright row/shrug things too. The latter one really hits the rear delts and traps.
[/quote]
I tried benching w/ it. A bit odd, I was in a powerrack and there wasn’t much room left over the safety pins to place weights. Overall it is a great piece of equipment. So w/ the whole benching situation; instead I took a reg. tricep bar an added pipe to the ends to make it fit better in a rack.
[quote]APE. wrote:
I tried benching w/ it. A bit odd, I was in a powerrack and there wasn’t much room left over the safety pins to place weights. Overall it is a great piece of equipment. So w/ the whole benching situation; instead I took a reg. tricep bar an added pipe to the ends to make it fit better in a rack.
[/quote]
On my cheapo rack setup the ends are what is holding up the bar so the plates have to go inside the uprights of the rack which does make it a bit odd. I am able to get plenty of weight on it though (for me). It’s kind of a pain having to hold each end up while sliding the plates on, but the movement of the exercise is good.
I have a tricep bar, but the grip would be really narrow with it for benches which is still useful, but very different.
[quote]Plisskin wrote:
Hmm…I may have to get a trap bar. I’ve thought about it before, but I haven’t used one in years and didn’t remember my impressions of its benefits.
I could see it being a useful variation…especially with a platform of some kind.[/quote]
I built a rock solid 6 (or so) inch platform out of scrap I had in my garage in about 15 minutes. Definitely a must for a full rom if you get one with the raised handles. Or you could load up with smaller plates in the meantime to increase it as well. I wish I’d had mine a few months longer.