Trap Bar vs Conventional Deadlift
That is the question…
CORE Physical Therapy and Sports Performance, PC
Shane Lentz, Strength Coach intern
Edited by Dr. Mark Rathjen PT, DPT, CSCS
2017
In the article titled “Trap Bar Deadlifts are Underrated” by Greg Nuckols, he compares and contrasts trap bar deadlifts with conventional deadlifts and pitches the idea that the trap bar deadlift is the better option for most lifters. The link to the article is http://www.strongerbyscience.com/trap-bar-deadlifts/.
First we need to define both types of deadlifts. A conventional deadlift uses a straight barbell. In a conventional deadlift, you stand behind the bar, grip it, and pull it to lockout. Trap bars take on a hexagonal shape and are sometimes referred to as “hex bars”. Trap bars have two sets of neutral handles: one at the same level as the rest of the bar (low handles), and one set that’s elevated (high handles). In this deadlift, you stand inside of the bar, grab one of the sets of handles, and lift it.
Quotes from the article are in bold and italics.
“There are more (important) similarities between the barbell deadlift and trap bar deadlift than there are differences.”
In both movements, heavy weights are lifted from the floor using comparable loads, the hip hinge pattern is trained, similar ranges of motion are achieved, and similar degrees of muscle activation are attained.
“The differences between the trap bar and barbell deadlifts are primarily a matter of degree.”
Both movements use comparable loads, but most people can deadlift more weight with a trap-bar, especially when using the high handles. While both deadlifts train the hip hinge pattern, the barbell deadlift exhibits slightly greater peak spine and hip moments and the trap bar deadlift exhibits a larger peak knee moment. Lastly, while both show similar degrees of activation in the muscle groups they train, the trap bar deadlift displays higher quad activation, while straight bar deadlifts display higher hamstring and spinal erector activation.
“A 2011 study by Swinton et al. reported peak joint moments in the conventional and trap bar deadlifts with loads ranging from 10% of 1rm to 80% of 1rm. The average deadlifts in this study were 244.5kg (539lbs) for the conventional deadlift, and 265kg (584lbs) for the trap bar deadlift. All the submaximal testing with both bars used were based on barbell deadlift 1rm numbers.”
“We can also look at joint ranges of motion. It varies a bit study-to-study and between various styles of the squat, but you tend to see about 100-120 degrees of both knee and hip flexion at the bottom of the squat, for roughly equal knee and hip ranges of motion. For the conventional deadlift, you tend to see ~100-110 degrees of hip flexion, and only about 50-60 degrees of knee flexion, for almost double the hip range of motion. And the trap bar deadlift? The joint ranges of motion for the knee and hip are, on average, within 2-6 degrees of what you see in the conventional deadlift.”
A common argument in the fitness world is that one should train with conventional deadlifts instead of trap bar deadlifts because the trap bar deadlift isn’t a true hinge pattern. The argument continues to propose that if one is already training the squat pattern, then using the trap bar deadlift is a waste of time because it doesn’t train the hinge pattern well and doesn’t train the squat pattern as well as squatting itself.
While it is true that the trap bar deadlift is “squattier” than the conventional deadlift, it is primarily a hinge pattern, and not close to a squat pattern. The trap bar deadlift still places almost twice as high of demands on the hip extensors (glutes and hamstrings) than the quads, and has joint ranges of motion that are similar to the conventional deadlift.
“Finally, reiterating something from the study that reported the peak joint moments in both the conventional and trap bar deadlifts: All the weights used were based on the participants’ conventional deadlift maxes. However, they deadlifted 8.4% more weight with a trap bar.”
“The peak spinal flexion moment was 9.2% higher for the conventional deadlift, and the peak hip flexion moment was 8.4% higher for the conventional deadlift. If the participants would have used the same relative load with each bar (i.e. 80% of trap bar 1rm vs. 80% of conventional 1rm) instead of the same absolute load, the demands on the hip extensors and spinal erectors probably would have been nearly identical.”
From my own research, I found a study by Camara et al. (2016) that compared EMG activity of the quads, hamstrings, and low back musculature in the trap bar and conventional deadlift. All participants performed submaximal percentages based on their 1RM for each exercise. The results showed that the conventional deadlift displayed higher activation of the hamstrings and spinal erectors while the trap bar deadlift showed higher quadricep activation. It is important to note that the difference in hamstring and spinal erector activation between the exercises is less than 15 percent, while the difference in quadricep activation is higher, at around 25 percent.
To combine all the previous information, the trap bar deadlift is a hip hinge pattern that appears to work the back and hip extensors almost as much as the conventional deadlift, with the added benefit of some extra quadricep activation. Now that’s what I call a bang for your buck exercise!
Editors note: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU?
It will be important to note the argument that the trap bar dead lift is more sports specific and better mimics the demands of popular sports. In my opinion, and the opinion of popular research that the trap bar carries over to vertical jump performance, sprinting and leg drive for agility sports much more than conventional deadlifting can. Also, I would argue that the trap bar deadlift is easier to teach, less shear force on the spine and safer for MOST athletes to perform.
Pros for Trap bar
Easier to teach
Less back strain
More sports specific to jumping and sprinting
Higher max load
Cons
Less carry over to olympic lifting
Requires a specialty bar
Trap bar or Conventional?
Whats best for you?
It ultimately comes down to you, your sport, and your anthropomorphic proportions. For the majority of athletes, the Trap bar wins this duel. 
For further insight and discussion, take a look at a similar article