Trap-Bar Deadlift
Hinge, trap bar, glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings
The trap bar deadlift lifts a hexagonal bar from the floor while you stand inside it, holding handles at your sides. The load sits in line with the body, so the legs share more of the work than with a straight bar. It suits beginners learning to lift from the floor and anyone who wants to pull heavy with a simple setup.
Setting up
- Load the bar on the floor and step into the middle, feet about hip width apart.
- Bend the knees and hips and grip the handles at their center, arms straight.
- Lift the chest, flatten the back and pull the slack out of the bar.
- Start with a weight you can lift for five reps with a flat back.
How to do a trap-bar deadlift
- Brace the belly with a big breath.
- Push the floor away with the whole foot and stand up.
- Let the hips and chest rise together, arms straight.
- Finish standing tall with the hips and knees straight.
- Lower the bar the same way, hips back and knees bending, until the plates touch the floor.
Breathing. Breathe in and brace before each lift and breathe out at the top or as you lower.
Muscles worked
- Mainly
- Glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings
- Also
- Lower back, traps and forearms
Common mistakes
- Rounding the back at the start. A rounded back takes the load, so lift the chest and pull the slack out of the bar before it leaves the floor.
- Hips rising faster than the shoulders. Then the legs stop helping, so push the floor away and let the chest and hips rise together.
- Standing off center in the bar. An uneven grip tips the bar, so line the ankles up with the middle of the handles.
- Leaning back at the top. Finishing tall is enough, so stop when the hips and knees are straight.
Guide
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Guide