The trap bar deadlift has become a very popular movement among gymgoers primarily because it allows people to lift very heavy. Naturally, the question arises how heavy can humans really go? The trap bar deadlift world record is 1221 lbs or 553.84 kg held by Adam Colorado.
Table of contents
Everything You Need To Know About The Trap Bar Deadlift World Record
The World Deadlifting Council (WDC) is an international weightlifting organization that focuses on deadlifts and all the variations. Adam Colorado is listed as the trap bar deadlift world record holder with a trap bar deadlift of 553.84 kg or 1221 lbs. They most recently had their 2022 Silver Dollar Deadlift event where Adam Colorado took third place.
Find The Best Trap Bar
After years of testing, we assembled a master list with the best trap bars for every home gym owner
Trap Bar Deadlifts: Pros
There are lots of reasons why trap bar deadlifts have gotten so popular over the past few years. You should read over these benefits and decide if the trap bar deadlift is right for you:
It Easier On Your Lower Back
In terms of trap bar deadlift benefits, the primary one is injury prevention for your lower back, When you are doing a deadlift with a hex bar, the weights are situated directly at your sides as opposed to in front of you during barbell deadlifts. This means that the trap bar allows the weight to be more in line with your own center of gravity.
In practice, this means that there will be less sheer force on your lumbar spine when you are moving the weight. Also, trap bars tend to offer a higher starting position so you do not have to bend down as much.
I am a large proponent of the straight bar deadlift but will be the first to admit that lower back injuries are common especially if proper form is not used. The trap bar relieves some of the risks by putting you in a much safer position.
No More Bicep Tears
When you are doing a barbell deadlift, you can either take an overhand grip or a mixed grip.
The overhand grip is fairly safe for your biceps. The problem is that the overhand grip often becomes the weakest link in someone’s deadlift. Meaning that their grip strength caps their deadlift.
Advanced lifters find that a mixed grip allows them to lift more weight. However, if you use a mixed grip, you are putting your bicep in a very vulnerable position. Bicep tears are not uncommon using this grip and should be a cause for concern.
There is no need to use a mixed grip with a trap bar. In a neutral position, your biceps are much safer.
Less Technique To Learn
If you are a serious lifter, you will know that lifting is NOT as easy as it looks. To master a lift you need to spend time learning the movement power and acquiring the needed mobility.
And while the same could be said for a trap bar, it is much easier to learn. You do not really need a whole lot of mobility to technique.
For the most part, you can really just get inside it and lift it up. This makes it a great choice for beginners or anyone who does not want to worry too much about their form.
You Can Lift More Weight
Due to the weight being at your sides during a hex bar deadlift, you will find that you easily lift more weight than you with a regular bar.
Simply put, trap bars allow you to put more total weight on your muscles. This can lead to more muscle growth and stimulus.
Furthermore, the gains you see on trap bar lifts will almost certainly translate to your other lifts as well. I know for a fact that when my trap bar deadlift goes up, my conventional deadlift and squat have gone up as well.
Build Explosivity
There is a reason that hex bars are used a lot by professional sports teams and that is because they build explosiveness and power like nothing else.
A study conducted at Robert Gordon University concluded that the use of a trap bar resulted in significantly greater peak force, velocity, and power during deadlifts compared to a regular straight bar.
Carryover To Deadlift And Squat
The other great thing about trap bar deadlifts is that they provide direct carryover to both the squat and plateau. Since the trap bar deadlift is similar to a blend of both movements, it can help you break through plateaus on both exercises.
Trap Bar Deadlifts: Cons
While the trap bar deadlift has lots of upsides, there are some cons you should first consider to get the full picture. As with any lift, there are limitations and reasons why you may not want to do it:
Less Emphasis On Hips and Lower Back
The first one is that the trap bar does not have as much stimulus provided to your hips and overall lower back musculature.
In essence, while there are a straight bar and regular bar deadlifts, work many of the same muscles as the trap bar. There are some key differences in terms of the muscles that are worked.
Many people, including myself, described the trap bar deadlift as incredibly similar to a squat. The majority of the load during a trap bar deadlift is actually placed on your legs, especially your hamstrings, quads, and glutes.
Now, this is a lot different from a straight bar deadlift, where a lot more load is placed on the back and lower back especially. So if you’re somebody that’s trying to target that area for one reason or another it’s something to take into consideration.
Less Stability
Secondly, the trap bar is just less stable. If you think about it from a simple point of view, the trap bar is a lot larger in terms of its footprint due to its hexagonal shape.
It’s a lot harder to balance a bar that big way especially when you have weight on it.
When you first do a trap bar deadlift, it may seem incredibly easy to lift the weight up and it may seem all-natural once you go to the top of the lock opposition, you will notice that the bar may sway a little bit.
This is because the space within the bar itself that allows you to stand in it means that there is no place for the bar to rest. It is up to you to stabilize the bar completely.
In comparison with a straight bar when you do a deadlift, the bar rests against your thighs, and everything feels nice, tight, and stable.
So those that have balanced issues or are perhaps not looking for this type of stimulus may be may prefer the straight bar deadlift as a whole.
Less Variation
The thing about the trap bar is that it has a set frame and grips. This means that there is way less potential for variation and customization. With a regular barbell, you can go as narrow or wide in your grip and stance as you want.
Aside from less exercise variation, it also means that the bar may not fit people of all body types. People that are large or taller, may have trouble fitting inside the frame of the trap bar.
FAQs
What is the heaviest trap bar?
Can you deadlift more with a trap bar?
Daniel Mesa, CPT, is a trusted fitness expert and founder of FitDominium. With his extensive experience and commitment to helping others, Daniel is the go-to source for reliable fitness advice and recommendations.