Trap Bar Deadlift
Quick Information
Category
Strength
Difficulty
Beginner
Equipment
Trap Bar
Primary muscle group
Gluteus Maximus, Quadriceps
Secondary muscle groups
Hamstrings, Erector Spinae, Trapezius, Forearms
Movement pattern
Bilateral Hip Hinge
Training goal
Maximal Strength
Sport
General Athletic Development, Football, Soccer, Rugby
Overview
Purpose. Train maximal whole-body pulling strength in a position that most people can hold safely.
How it fits the system. A beginner-level bilateral hip hinge entry in the Strength section, programmed to develop maximal strength. Related work in the library: Trap Bar Romanian Deadlift and Cable Pull-Through.
Primary muscles
Gluteus Maximus, Quadriceps
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings, Erector Spinae, Trapezius, Forearms
Movement pattern
Bilateral Hip Hinge
Equipment
Trap Bar
Difficulty
Beginner
How to Perform
- Step inside the trap bar with the feet hip width apart.
- Hinge down and take the handles in the middle.
- Set the chest tall, pull the slack out and brace.
- Push the floor away and stand the bar up.
- Lock the hips out at the top without leaning back.
- Hinge back down under control until the plates touch.
Coaching Cues
- Keep the weight in the middle of the foot.
- Push the floor away rather than pulling with the back.
- Finish with the glutes, not the lumbar spine.
Common Mistakes
- Squatting the bar up with the hips too low.
- Letting the shoulders round forward.
- Bouncing the plates off the floor between reps.
Progressions & Regressions
Progressions
Increase load, or move to conventional deadlifts.
Regressions
Lift from blocks to reduce range.
When to Use It
When to use
As a main lower-body strength lift, especially for athletes new to pulling.
When not to use
With acute lower-back symptoms that do not settle with a shorter range.
Programming
3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 reps.
Popular
Popular Articles
