Exercise library
Trap Bar Deadlift
The trap bar deadlift uses a hexagonal bar that centers the load, making it a more beginner-friendly, knee-driven deadlift variation.
BarbellLegsIntermediate
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Focus
- Legs
- Level
- Intermediate
- Suggested sets
- 3–4 sets of 5–8 reps.
- Muscles worked
- QuadsGlutesHamstringsTrapsLower back
How to do it
- 1Step inside the trap bar with your feet hip-width apart.
- 2Hinge down and grip the handles at your sides with a flat back and braced core.
- 3Set your hips, lift your chest, and take the slack out of the bar.
- 4Drive through your whole foot to stand tall, extending hips and knees together.
- 5Lower the bar under control back to the floor, keeping it close, then repeat.
Tips & tricks
- Keep the bar centered and let it travel straight up and down.
- Push the floor away rather than pulling with your back.
- Keep your chest up and your spine neutral throughout.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the lower back as you lift.
- Letting the hips shoot up before the bar moves.
- Jerking the bar off the floor instead of a smooth pull.
