Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Kirsten Yovino, CPT Brookbush Institute
FACT CHECKED
The conventional deadlift proudly sat as the king of exercises in the past. There was very little opposition to this assessment, with the only other contender perhaps being the back squat as the #1 exercise. However, we’re not going to get into a debate of deadlifts and squats, as a "new" exercise that is more comparable to the barbell deadlift has crept its way into the field of strength and conditioning, and that is the trap bar deadlift.
On that note, we are going to closely compare and breakdown the differences between trap bar deadlifts vs barbell deadlifts to see which one’s better and/or right for you...
To be clear, the entire debate is silly as both are awesome and do a damn good job serving their purpose. In fact, the trap bar deadlift and barbell deadlift are both very hard to beat, and both should sit on top lists of 'best exercises'.
Nevertheless, there are quite a few differences between them that need to be addressed so that you know how to use both of them appropriately to reach your specific goals. We also want to address some of the silly misconceptions surrounding the trap bar and barbell deadlift.
So, in this article, you’re going to learn:
- What is a barbell deadlift? And correct form.
- What is a trap bar deadlift? And correct form.
- Trap bar vs barbell deadlift differences (i.e. muscles worked, benefits, ratio).
- How to choose between the two.
What Is A Deadlift?
When people hear “deadlift,” they will automatically think of the conventional barbell deadlift. There’s nothing wrong with this as that is what people are talking about more often than not. However, the “deadlift” can refer to one of the different variations of a movement that involves bending over and picking a load off the ground. For example, here is a non-exhaustive list that contains different types of deadlifts:
- Conventional deadlift
- Sumo deadlift
- Landmine deadlift
- Axle bar deadlift
- Trap bar deadlift
- Farmer carry deadlift
All different. All deadlifts. The common theme that unifies these movements is that they all consist of picking up a heavy load from a dead stop on the ground. Also, no matter which version you pick, there are tons of deadlifting benefits. That being said, the load or implements don’t even need to be the same. Therefore, let’s look at what makes the conventional barbell deadlift and trap bar deadlift unique.
Related: How Many Reps On Deadlifts Should You Do
What Is A Barbell Deadlift?
The barbell deadlift is the classic conventional deadlift. This is what most people think about when they hear “deadlift”. All you need is a barbell and some weight plates to perform one. From there, you will bend down and pick it up. Well, it’s a bit more technical than that, but we’ll go over that below.
The barbell deadlift is usually the primary movement that one performs to satisfy what’s called the hip hinge movement. In fact, it’s one of “The Big Three” exercises that make up the sport of powerlifting, which are the three movements that allow you to move the most weight; the other two being the back squat and bench press. Technically, you can also perform sumo, but let's save that for another article.
Regardless, the barbell deadlift is easily one of, if not the most important, exercise there is.
How To Perform A Barbell Deadlift:
- Load a barbell with an appropriate load.
- Stand in the middle of the deadlift with your shins a couple inches away from the bar.
- Push your hips back and allow yourself to descend towards the bar. Your shins should remain vertical while your knees flex to allow your hips to sink.
- Keep a straight back with your scapula retracted.
- Continue dropping while being sure your shoulders do not come forward or backward.
- As you reach the bottom, your shins will move forward slightly to touch the barbell.
- Grab the barbell just outside of your leg.
- Before you pull, be sure you are sitting back and your hamstrings are loaded. Your hips should be above your knees and your back straight.
- Begin lifting the load by pushing down with your legs. As the barbell travels up toward your knees, your back should remain relatively close to the same angle.
- The barbell should remain on your legs the entire way up.
- Once the barbell hits your knees, begin extending your hips and torso.
- Lift the load all the way up until your body is fully extended.
What Is A Trap Bar Deadlift?
The trap bar deadlift is the cool new kid on the block and has quickly become a favorite exercise. Many people have actually started swapping out the conventional barbell deadlift with the trap bar deadlift as they believe it’s better suited for their needs.
To perform a trap bar deadlift, you will need a trap bar. Also known as a hex bar, a trap bar is shaped like a significant metal hexagon with two collars on either side to load plates. If you need to brush up on your geometry, a hexagon is a 6-sided shape with two parallel lines connected by two lines on either side. Further, a set of handles in the middle are generally raised and allow the trainee to lift the load. The lifter will stand in the middle of the trap bar and bend down to pick up the load. This situates the body right in the middle of the load compared to the barbell who is behind it. Therefore, the trap bar deadlift has higher vertical forces compared to the barbell deadlift as the body is not having to “pull” the weight.
Again, looking at how the trap bar deadlift is performed to understand the differences with the conventional barbell deadlift.
How To Perform A Trap Bar Deadlift:
- Load the trap bar with the desired weight.
- Stand in the middle of the trap bar so that your legs are equal distance from the handles.
- Bend down to grab the handles. You should grab the handle so that your hands are in line with your feet.
- Sit your but back until your shoulders are directly over your feet. Be sure to keep a tight back and load the legs.
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From here, you have two options of how to set up the legs:
a) Keep your shins vertical to hit the muscles in a more similar way to the barbell deadlift. This will require more hip flexion and more hamstring
b) To concentrate on the quadriceps, allow your knees to come forward. This creates more knee flexion, thus more quadricep. In fact, performing the trap bar deadlift in this manner will elicit biomechanics moving towards the squat. - Next, you will simply stand up with the load similarly to the barbell. Be sure to “tighten” your body before standing up. Do this by pulling up on the load to “get the slack out”
Trap Bar Deadlift vs Barbell Deadlift: Main Differences
These are both great movements, yet several significant differences distinguish them from one another. We want to list the significant differences that can affect your decision-making when determining what to do:
- The trap bar deadlift usually has a smaller range of motion. Keep in mind that different companies manufacture trap bars that follow their own blueprints. These are not Olympic barbells that have a standard. The handles on the trap bar are usually raised, which means you need to bend down less to grab them. This also means a shorter range of motion. In general, the best movement is one that has a larger range of motion, so in that sense, the conventional deadlift is better. However, this is more of a theory than a fact, as ROM is not the only factor that dictates the quality of a movement. However, a shorter ROM has other benefits, such as #2.
- Because the ROM is shorter on the trap bar deadlift, it’s much easier for more people to get into position. This is because the mobility required to perform the trap bar deadlift is not as high as the barbell deadlift.
- In addition, it’s much easier to get into position because the handles are out to the side on the trap bar. Further, the weight is pulling directly down rather than forward. These attributes work together with the shorter ROM to make the trap bar deadlift much easier to learn.
- Since the trap bar allows a neutral grip, lifting heavier loads is significantly easier without reverting to the wrist strap. This also helps the average lifter to be able to lift more than the barbell, especially when combined with the lower ROM.
- The torso will sit much more upright during the trap bar deadlift. Again, this is due to the smaller ROM as well as the torso not having to reach forward to grab the bar since the handles are direct to the side. This can significantly decrease the load on the spine and lower back. This makes it a great choice for anyone with a weak back or lower back pain.
- While not a massive issue for training, the trap bar deadlift is never seen in competition. Further, there is no standard for trap bars, so they vary significantly depending on the manufacturer. Not a massive issue, but when compared to the barbell deadlift, the trap bar deadlift is nowhere near as “established”.
- As mentioned above, the trap bar deadlift is often easier to learn. This is mainly due to a lower degree of mobility being required and the fact that the movement pattern is easier for most people.
Trap Bar Deadlift vs Barbell Deadlift: Muscle Worked
Some of the considerable confusion between the trap bar deadlift and barbell deadlift comes from an incorrect belief about the muscles being used or an oversimplification. As mentioned above, allowing the knees to come forward during the trap bar deadlift can shift the biomechanics towards a squat. However, it’s still not a squat! That being said, many people will hear something similar and will incorrectly assume that the trap bar is a squat.
When talking about squats and deadlifts, we need to realize a continuum exists - a movement doesn’t just become a deadlift or squat - it can lay somewhere in the middle or along the way.
The deadlift is a pure hip-hinge movement meaning the primary muscles involved are the:
- Erector spinae
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
These muscles, collectively known as the posterior chain, pull the hips forward during extension. On the other end are squats which tend to be more quadricep dominant. Even still, you can adjust a squat to alter this, such as when performing a low bar squat to hit the hamstrings and glutes more. Also, consider that both the squat and deadlift work every muscle in the lower body; the difference is to just to what extent.
Therefore, the barbell deadlift is a true hip-hinge movement.
As for the trap bar deadlift, while it somewhat similar to a squat, it’s still closer to the deadlift. How much also depends on how you perform the movement (i.e. more or less hip hinge and more or less knee flexion).
A great study actually specifically looked at this to compare the hip to knee force ratio of the barbell deadlift vs the trap bar deadlift. Basically, the study looked at the force applied to the hip joint, which would be produced by the posterior chain muscles, and the knee joint, which would be produced by the quadriceps. The ratio of hip-to-knee for the barbell deadlift was 3.68:1 meaning the posterior muscles worked 3.68X more than the quadriceps! As we said, a true hip-hinge! On the other hand, the ratio of the trap bar deadlift was 1.78:1. While not as high as the barbell deadlift, it’s still posterior dominant. To better illustrate this, realize that sumo deadlift, the other official deadlift, has a 1:1 ratio.
Yet another study examined the range of motion in the hips during the barbell deadlift and trap bar deadlift. We would expect the trap bar deadlift to have a smaller range of motion as there would be less hip flexion. Remember, during the barbell deadlift, the body must go lower, which can only be done if the hips move back further - this results in the bar moving farther vertically, and the hips joint moving further. And that’s exactly what this study showed. However, it’s not a huge amount. Trainees who performed the trap bar deadlift had a range of motion in their hips within 2-6 degrees of the barbell deadlift.
All this being said, the barbell deadlift and the trap bar deadlift actually train the same muscles. However, the barbell deadlift will definitely be more hamstring and glute-focused. The trap bar deadlift will also be hamstring and glute-focused, just not to the same extent, as the quads will get more work.
Trap Bar Deadlift vs Barbell Deadlift: Ratio
We also need to consider that you will be able to lift a heavier load with the trap bar deadlift. Studies have confirmed what most people expect, that you can raise about 15% more with the trap bar deadlift when compared to the barbell deadlift. This is something to consider when looking at exercises as greater loads can generally transfer into better strength gains and athletics.
Trap Bar Deadlift vs Barbell Deadlift: What’s Better For Athletes?
At first glance, the obvious answer would be the barbell deadlift, as that’s the only lift that is performed in competitions. However, you would be wrong. While the barbell deadlift is seen in strength sports, we are talking about non-lifting athletes such as football players. In that case, it actually seems as though the trap bar deadlift has a better transfer to performance.
A recent study from 2017 wanted to see how a trap bar deadlift altered movement patterns and variables compared to the barbell deadlift. Other than lifting more weight, this study found that the trap bar deadlift had more significant numbers in:
- Mean force
- Velocity
- Power
- Total work
All of these are directly related to better athletic performance.
Trap Bar Deadlift or Barbell Deadlift - Which One Should You Do?
So which should you train? This is a difficult question to answer, but there is enough reason to believe that the trap bar deadlift is the better option unless you are a powerlifter or doing specific training to lift more on the deadlift. This has nothing to do with the idea that the barbell deadlift is too dangerous. This is solely based on looking at the numbers and taking everything we know into account.
The obvious answer would be to just train both - either switching things up every couple months or session by session - but if you could only pick one, it seems that nostalgia is the only thing to make us want to choose the barbell deadlift. It’s a tremendous hip-hinge movement that still works the posterior extensively. However, you are able to lift a heavier load, perform more total work and improve acceleration while not putting as great a stress on your lower back.
All that being said, both are fantastic hip-hinge movements, and the question of trap bar deadlift vs barbell deadlift is null. Do both if you can and reap the benefits!
Related:
- Romanian Deadlift vs. Deadlift: What's the Difference?
- Best Deadlift Variations & Muscles Worked
- Sumo Deadlift vs. Conventional: What's the Difference?
- Differences Between the Deadlift vs. Squat Explained
Garett Reid
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