Hi,
What exactly is the difference between Trap Bar and straight bar deadlifts, meaning what is the advantage of each? What are the different muscles worked?
Thanks in advance,
matrick
They work the same muscles, i have heard trap bar uses less back, more hips. The leverages are different, and i think trap bar is more like a squat but im not sure.
The primary difference, as mentioned above, is the leverage. The trap bar deadlift puts the weight in a straight line with your hips, essentially allowing the lifter to keep the weight centered in the frontal plane without as much effort. With a straight bar deadlift, the lifter needs to be much more deliberate about his set-up and technique to keep the weight centered properly.
Some people feel that the trap bar deadlift works the quads more than the traditional dead, and that it doesn’t hit the lumbar area as directly. I personally think that’s true, but only to the smallest of degrees.
Many traditional lifters will tell you not to bother with the trap bars and to only use a straight bar. I would tell you that I believe a lifter can gain pretty much the same benefits with either lift, with a slight edge in safety going to the trap bar version. (Only because the trap bar is more forgiving of flaws in set-up and technique.)
However, if you are a power lifter, and especially if you are going to compete, then you need to spend a lot more time with the straight bar version.
What about using a trap bar for max effort deadlift variations?
The few times that I have used a trap bar it feels as if my quads pick up a lot more of the work. As opposed to my hams and lower back when doing deads with a straight bar.
I think they both have their place, and switching between the two could be a great way to shake things up in your routine.
Trap bar dead are a great squat/dead ME variant. As aforementioned most will notice a bit more quad feel than a regular dl. Trap bar deads could arguably be said to benefit your squat more than your dead because of where the weight is in relation to your body position
[quote]sapasion wrote:
Trap bar dead are a great squat/dead ME variant. As aforementioned most will notice a bit more quad feel than a regular dl. Trap bar deads could arguably be said to benefit your squat more than your dead because of where the weight is in relation to your body position[/quote]
Probably true. I don’t do them anymore because I sometimes have grip issues with the bar. I deadlifted 570 6 weeks ago, but still will have some problems with the trap bar. We were trying shrugs and I failed at 500 something from blocks because of the front back dynamics. I said screw it and just stopped since i did enough work.
I’m getting great results from band deadlifts lately. I do heavy to light singles weekly with max effort every 2-3 weeks.
One of the guys at EliteFTS said they don’t use them any more because they didn’t feel they got any benefit…
DeFranco uses them pretty extensively I believe.
To each his own…
I like 'em. But it depends on the bar. My gym has one with raised rotating fatter handles… don’t like it. My own bar has flush, non rotating, heavily knurled handles.
LA
I find that I can handle a lot more weight with the trap bar than I can pulling conventional.
[quote]sapasion wrote:
Trap bar dead are a great squat/dead ME variant. As aforementioned most will notice a bit more quad feel than a regular dl. Trap bar deads could arguably be said to benefit your squat more than your dead because of where the weight is in relation to your body position[/quote]
See that’s what I was thinking. I’m looking for ME squat variations to use that don’t need special bars (the only one I have access is to outside of a regualr bar is a trap bar).
[quote]Hanley wrote:
sapasion wrote:
Trap bar dead are a great squat/dead ME variant. As aforementioned most will notice a bit more quad feel than a regular dl. Trap bar deads could arguably be said to benefit your squat more than your dead because of where the weight is in relation to your body position
See that’s what I was thinking. I’m looking for ME squat variations to use that don’t need special bars (the only one I have access is to outside of a regualr bar is a trap bar).[/quote]
I don’t think it’s worth the effort Hanley. I agree with the Elite guys. I just don’t use it anymore. I let my son do it, but he’s 13 and just starting out.
I’d try to get s ssb or cambered bar from elite. the loading will be much better than using a trap bar. you still feel mostly back with the trap bar. I’ve never seen any great loading with the quads. This is why i think it’s a waste of time for ME squat variations.
BTW, I have an ssb, cambered bar, and a buffalo bar in my office. They see regular use and the trap bar is used for shrugs.
[quote]tom63 wrote:
Hanley wrote:
sapasion wrote:
Trap bar dead are a great squat/dead ME variant. As aforementioned most will notice a bit more quad feel than a regular dl. Trap bar deads could arguably be said to benefit your squat more than your dead because of where the weight is in relation to your body position
See that’s what I was thinking. I’m looking for ME squat variations to use that don’t need special bars (the only one I have access is to outside of a regualr bar is a trap bar).
I don’t think it’s worth the effort Hanley. I agree with the Elite guys. I just don’t use it anymore. I let my son do it, but he’s 13 and just starting out.
I’d try to get s ssb or cambered bar from elite. the loading will be much better than using a trap bar. you still feel mostly back with the trap bar. I’ve never seen any great loading with the quads. This is why i think it’s a waste of time for ME squat variations.
BTW, I have an ssb, cambered bar, and a buffalo bar in my office. They see regular use and the trap bar is used for shrugs.[/quote]
Thanks for the advice!!
I would get raped in many different holes if I was to try and ship a bar from Elite to Ireland!!!
I could potentially get access to any of the bars here Olympic Bars, Handles to attach Equipment, Powerlifting Bars since we have a TDS stockist in Ireland, but I don’t know how they compare to the ones sold on Elite…
[quote]Hanley wrote:
tom63 wrote:
Hanley wrote:
sapasion wrote:
Trap bar dead are a great squat/dead ME variant. As aforementioned most will notice a bit more quad feel than a regular dl. Trap bar deads could arguably be said to benefit your squat more than your dead because of where the weight is in relation to your body position
See that’s what I was thinking. I’m looking for ME squat variations to use that don’t need special bars (the only one I have access is to outside of a regualr bar is a trap bar).
I don’t think it’s worth the effort Hanley. I agree with the Elite guys. I just don’t use it anymore. I let my son do it, but he’s 13 and just starting out.
I’d try to get s ssb or cambered bar from elite. the loading will be much better than using a trap bar. you still feel mostly back with the trap bar. I’ve never seen any great loading with the quads. This is why i think it’s a waste of time for ME squat variations.
BTW, I have an ssb, cambered bar, and a buffalo bar in my office. They see regular use and the trap bar is used for shrugs.
Thanks for the advice!!
I would get raped in many different holes if I was to try and ship a bar from Elite to Ireland!!!
I could potentially get access to any of the bars here Olympic Bars, Handles to attach Equipment, Powerlifting Bars since we have a TDS stockist in Ireland, but I don’t know how they compare to the ones sold on Elite…
[/quote]
I think the ssb would serve you better than the trap bar for sure. The cambered might also be good. Mine is designed for the monolift and has a little extra bar outside the cambered so you can rack it on the monolift. For a squat rack the bar there might work. I’m not sure of the weight limit, but possibly 500 lb lifts should be good. I’m guessing of course.
Cheers. I might look into getting the gym to sponsor one of them!!
Straight bar box squats and SSB box squats would be enough ME squat moves then would they? (considering I’ll have Rack Pulls and sumo pulls with 35’s to rotate in as well)
[quote]Hanley wrote:
Cheers. I might look into getting the gym to sponsor one of them!!
Straight bar box squats and SSB box squats would be enough ME squat moves then would they? (considering I’ll have Rack Pulls and sumo pulls with 35’s to rotate in as well)[/quote]
I think they would, sometimes guys get all excited about westside and all the variations and they switch so much that they don’t progress enough. You do need to be a little regular. It doesn’t help to pr every week on 52 different exercises, if you get my point.
I have a torn right labrum, so I use the specialty bars to save shoulder stress. I’ve been concentrating more on my deadlift and it’s shooting up very nicely.
I just hit 405 against doubled minis with a metal deadlifter suit. I did do 570 at the end of january and am looking to try 585-600 in a few weeks. 585 is six plates and 600 is 600, hahaha.ng for me, but I am 44 and have done this a bit gaining a lot of size and strength over the years, 18 = 135 pounds. 44 = 200-205 pounds and not a lot of fat.
Hanley when you got limited equipment you need to just make the best of what you got. I do think you can add some trap bar ME exercises into your arsenal. Not all of us have reverse hypers, glute-ham benches, cambered bars and the like. But since a trap bar is the one thing you got might as well not let it go to waste.
On the flip side I don’ wanna just use it for the sake of it and have my time go to waste ya know??
Instead of GHR’s I’ll probably just be doing stiff leg and romainian deadlifts, varying the reps and loading depedning on the day.
I COULD try doing something like wrapping a towel around the bar and doing high bar box squats?
Or I could just take it on the chin and buy an SSB!
[quote]Hanley wrote:
On the flip side I don’ wanna just use it for the sake of it and have my time go to waste ya know??
Instead of GHR’s I’ll probably just be doing stiff leg and romainian deadlifts, varying the reps and loading depedning on the day.
I COULD try doing something like wrapping a towel around the bar and doing high bar box squats?
Or I could just take it on the chin and buy an SSB![/quote]
I think you can do plenty of ME exercises other than a trap bar. Like you said, the towel might work, romanions are great. Try snatch grip deads. I just don’t think the trap bar is worth the time, but it can’t really hurt to try for a short term and evaluate the results.
ME dead variations aren’t really the problem, I’m looking for ones with slighty more quad emphasis ya know?
Just purely because since I lift single ply I don’t have the luxury of massive amounts of gear to sit back into so it means my quads need to be that bit stronger!
A trap bar deadlift is very similar to a dumbell squat. Because you obviously cant pull a standard bar off the floor through your body, you have to adapt to leaning over more.
Not having to lean over significantly reduces the load placed on your lower back, and asks alot less of your midsection and glutes as a whole with any given weight because there is much less torque pulling through a more upright back.
If you have the flexibility and know how to do a standard deadlift off the floor you understand the drawbacks of using a trap bar deadlift as your deadlift of choice. However, if you are the average gym goer I highly recommend the trap bar because you have neither the flexibility or the work ethic to work on your flexibility to ever do a traditional deadlift correctly.