If you’re not using a trap bar, or a hexagonal bar, then you’re leaving strength and muscular development gains on the table. In my years of experience as a coach, I can tell you that it’s one of the best tools in the gym. It allows you to lift heavier, more safely, which ultimately builds more muscle. In this article I’m going to answer a lot of questions about trap bar training, like how heavy is a trap bar, as well as how to program this movement correctly. I’ll also recommend several free fitness programs to build strength and muscle mass. Keep reading for more.
I’m going to come right out and say it. The trap bar deadlift is the best lift that allows you to lift the most weight in the gym. Compared to a conventional deadlift, the trap bar deadlift is much more flexible, and it allows for a variety of hand positions. You can grab the high handles (raised handle) or low handles, which are both neutral grip orientation.
Some of you might recall that I actually wrote an article a few months back highlighting the key benefits of trap bar deadlifting. I also reviewed a several scientific studies that demonstrated it’s efficacy. While I don’t have time to go through the whole article, I will recap some of the high points below.
Trap Bar Deadlift Benefits Overview
- Force, maximum power, and acceleration are all higher on the trap bar deadlift
- Less hamstring use and more quad use with trap bar deadlift
- Trap bar deadlift more of a deadlift than sumo deadlift
- Ideal for heavy weights and high volume WODs
- Able to lift 8.4% more with a trap bar deadlift
- Trap bar deadlifts had higher strength and power output compared to standard barbell back squat
- One of the best exercises for overall athletic performance
- How heavy is a trap bar, approximately 60lbs
If you want all the details, as well as the specifics from the research studies, make sure you check the original article out. Before we get into the details of using this speciality bar, we need to cover some commonly asked questions, like how heavy is a trap bar?
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How Heavy is a Trap Bar ?
The vast majority trap bars weigh around 60 pounds. Hex bar weight is the same. Take one of the extremely popular Rogue TB-2 Trap Bars, which comes in at exactly 60 pounds. This is a traditional style bar, made with high and low handles, and is one of the best trap bars you’ll find. Most importantly, it has enough collar length to add in a lot of weight plates.
You’ll find that cheaper trap bars don’t have long enough collars to load more than 300 pounds or so. That may sound like a lot, but remember that you can lift more weight with this type of bar than any other. Research shows the increase is about 8-10%. If you’re deadlifting 315 pounds with a normal straight bar, then you’ll probably be right around 340 with the low handles on a hex bar, and 365+ lbs with the high handles.
Here is a list of popular bars, and their listed weights. If you’re looking to pick up a quality hex or trap bar for your home gym, then you’ll find that most of them are right around 200-$400. You can pick up cheaper ones, but you’ll find that they probably aren’t a quality piece of equipment.
Popular Trap Bars and Their Weights
- Rogue TB-2 : 60lbs
- Sorinex Diamond Bar : 70lbs double handle variant
- Titan Fitness Rackable Hex Bar: 60lbs (fits in power rack)
- Rep Fitness Open Trap Bar: 60 lbs depending on handle choice
The majority of these bars are conventional hexagonal shape barbells. However, the Rep Fitness Open Trap Bar features a unique design. It has a C shape bar, with dual handles. This provides added value, in that you can actually use it to squat, and press like a cambered bar. In effect, open hex bars are two barbells in one.
Now that we’ve answered how heavy a trap bar is, and covered different styles of trap bars, let’s review how we can use these specialty bars for maximum benefit. Before we do that, don’t forget to join the email list below, and I’ll send you a fat loss, and strength bonus guide.
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How to Lift With a Trap Bar Correctly
Fundamentally most uses of the trap bar are for deadlift variations. Research shows that performing the hex bar deadlift transfers more of the load to the quads, and consequently, it decreases the load on the lower back. This places less stress on the area where most athletes are prone to injury, while strengthening it simultaneously. This is a win win in my book, as lower back issues are a common problems for many strength athletes.
It’s important to point out that just because most athletes and coaches use traditional hex bars for deadlifting, that doesn’t mean that’s all they’re good for. It’s good for several different types of lifts, and training styles.
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One of the best uses for the trap bar is for power development. I often load the bar with a 60% of 1RM load, and have athletes lift explosively or even jump (with lighter loads) to develop lower body power. This is great for field sport athletes that need to sprint fast, and don’t have time to learn high skill olympic lifting. I recommend 3-5 max effort jumps with a 30% load for maximum power development.
The trap bar is also great for loaded carries. This is a great movement for tactical athletes, who need to develop a lot of core stability and grip strength. You can load the trap bar fairly heavily and take it for a 10-20 yard walk. Any longer and it you start to lose the benefit to both grip and postural strength.
How to Deadlift with a Trap Barbell
While this is the most common exercise folks do with this bar, many athletes actually do the deadlift in one specific way. If you’ve ever done a trap bar deadlift, it kind of feels like a half squat, half deadlift. This stance, with your chest higher than traditional deadlifts, is what you’ll commonly see performed.
However, there is no reason why you can’t do things like Romanian Deadlifts, or Stiff Leg Deadlift with a hex bar. It’s a matter of how far back you start the lift with your hips. This bar gives you the freedom to start in a half squat, all the way to a strict hamstring hinge movement. Don’t be afraid to play around with different starting positions, to see what works for you.
Now that we’ve covered how much a trap bar weighs, variations of the bar, and some basic exercises you can perform, let’s review some programs you can use to build strength and muscle mass.
Programs to Build Strength, Mass, and Functional Fitness
I’ve been writing programs and workout plans for many years, and I have something for just about everyone. In this section I’ve put together a quick list of my most popular muscle building programs. If you want to see which order I recommend following for each of the programs, then check this article out.
- The 8 Week Functional Bodybuilding Hybrid Program
- 6 Weeks of Muscular Growth for Functional Fitness Athletes Program
- 12 Week Free Bodybuilding Program
- 10 Week Functional Power Building Program
- The 11 Week High Intensity Bodybuilding Program
- The 7 Week Free Strength Training Program
- The 6 Day Split Pure Power Strength Plan
Some of these programs are designed for functional fitness athletes who want to build muscle, and maintain their conditioning. Other programs, like the 12 Week Free Body Building Program, are traditional hypertrophy focused programs without any metcons in sight.
I recommend follows a few of these links to see which plans seem aligned with your goals. If you’re the type of athlete that really enjoys having all the details, like percentages, specific warm ups, and coaching advice, then check out some of my premium programs.
Final Thoughts
It’s a mistake to relegate the hex bar to a beginner only piece of equipment. It is an incredibly valuable training tool. You can lift heavier than you otherwise might, while protecting your lower back. I still recommend wearing a lifting belt on your heaviest lifts. You can find a list of great belts here.
Don’t be afraid to try out new exercises with this barbell. It is a very flexible tool, and you can find some really innovative lifts if you look around on Youtube.
I also want to emphasize that there is nothing wrong with a straight bar deadlift. In fact, if you plan on competing in an event that has normal deadlifts, then you need to be proficient at that lift. However, if you want to be generally strong and fit, then there is no reason why you can’t use the hex bar as a replacement for the traditional deadlift.
If you have any questions or comments put them in the comments section below. Now get out there and get training!
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