Trap-Bar Deadlift

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Step inside the center of the trap bar with feet hip-to-shoulder width apart.
2. Hinge at the hips and bend the knees to reach down and grasp the handles with a neutral grip (palms facing in).
3. Position your shins vertically or slightly forward, ensuring your chest is up and your spine is neutral.
4. Engage your lats by 'pulling the slack' out of the bar until you feel tension in your arms and hamstrings.

How to do it

1. Inhale and brace your core, then drive through the mid-foot to extend your hips and knees simultaneously.
2. Exhale as you reach a full standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top without hyperextending your lower back.
3. Lower the bar by hinging at the hips and bending the knees under control until the plates touch the floor.
4. Maintain a controlled tempo (1 second up, 2 seconds down) and reset your breath and tension between reps.

Form checklist

• Keep a neutral spine throughout the entire movement; do not round your lower back.
• Ensure your knees track in line with your toes and do not cave inward.
• Keep your chest up and shoulders packed down to maintain upper back tension.
• Drive through the floor with your legs rather than pulling the weight with your arms.

Pro tips

• Imagine pushing the floor away from you rather than pulling the bar up to maximize leg drive.
• Focus on 'breaking the handles' to further engage your lats and stabilize your torso.
• If using a bar with dual handles, use the low handles to increase the range of motion and quad activation.

Make it harder

• Add a 2-second pause just 1-2 inches off the floor to eliminate momentum and build positional strength.
• Perform the movement from a deficit by standing on a small platform or weight plate to increase the range of motion.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the trap-bar deadlift work?

The trap-bar deadlift primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius, and also works the abs, erector spinae, and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the trap-bar deadlift?

The trap-bar deadlift uses trap bar and weight plate.

Is the trap-bar deadlift good for beginners?

The trap-bar deadlift is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Axle DeadliftIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Band DeadliftBeginner · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Clean DeadliftIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Clean PullAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius