Trap Bar Deadlift

The trap bar deadlift is a compound pull performed inside a hexagonal bar, with the handles at your sides instead of in front of your shins. That single change moves the load into line with your centre of mass, so the torso stays more upright and the lower back takes less shear than on a straight bar. The trade-off is a slightly more quad-driven pull, which is why it is often the first deadlift variation taught and a common choice for athletes who need the strength without the technical cost. You set the feet at hip width, hinge to reach the handles with a neutral grip, then drive through the heels and stand tall. Lower it under control rather than dropping it: the eccentric is where much of the work happens. Set the handles at the height that lets you reach them without rounding, and treat the first rep as the one that sets the position for the rest of the set.