Traditional exercises should be included in your workout routine if you want to get stronger. But that doesn't mean you can't jazz up your old favorites with a new setup or equipment.
That's where an open trap bar comes in!
The versatility of an open trap bar is one of its most appealing features. Open trap bar exercises offer excellent variations over a traditional barbell, so you can take your strength training to the next level.
Versatility is extremely important in a home gym, and trying new things can keep you motivated and push your body to keep getting stronger.
Besides, who doesn't love an open bar? 😉
Bells of Steel offers two sizes of trap bars, but in this article, we'll focus on the industrial version, which is larger, beefier, and rackable.
Let's go over some of the unique features of the Industrial Rackable Trap Hex Bar and how you can use it to train your lower body like never before. The Industrial Rackable Trap Hex Bar is a heavy-duty bar with a built-in bar jack, making it easy to add plates and adjust the weight as needed.
It's also rackable, which means you have more space between collars. It sits perfectly across your j-cups when racked.
The open design of the trap bar gives you access to a lot more movements in addition to the iconic neutral grip. This bar gives you the versatility you need to develop overall strength and safety in your lifts.
We could go on and on about the differences between our trap bars — and we have. Check out the Regular vs Industrial Trap Bar Comparison to learn more about the differences between this and our regular Open/Trap Hex Bar.
Now that you know about the Industrial Open Trap/Hex Bar features, it’s time to get into some of the best lower body exercises you can do with this must-have piece of equipment. Unlike a traditional deadlift, where the bar is in front of you, the trap bar's unique design allows your hands to align with your center of mass.
The trap bar deadlift is an excellent alternative to the traditional deadlift because it targets the hamstrings, glutes, back, and quads while reducing the strain on your spine.
- Step inside the bar, and place your feet approximately hip-width apart.
- Hinge down and grab the trap bar handles on both sides.
- Lift your chest and squeeze your shoulder blades together to bring your spine into neutral alignment while keeping your pelvis and core engaged.
- Then, drive your feet through the floor, stand up, and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
- Hinge back slowly until the weights touch the floor.
- Repeats for reps.
The Romanian deadlift (RDL) is a trap bar deadlift variation that targets the posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings). It's easier on the lower back because you're standing in the center of gravity as opposed to having the bar in front of you.
- Deadlift the bar to an upright position — this will be your starting position.
- Keep your legs straight with a slight bend in the knee.
- Push your hips back slowly until you feel a hamstring stretch.
- When the trap bar reaches just below your knees or around your shins, stop. Don't let your back round.
- Return to a standing position and lock out the lift by squeezing your glutes.
- Repeat for reps.
One of the best things about the trap bar is that you can use it to do "squats" without loading your spine. By shifting back on your heels and getting deeper in the movement, you can better engage the anterior chain.
You can either extend your range of motion or intensify your quad workout by flipping this versatile bar over and grabbing it from the bottom to increase the depth. Alternatively, you can stand on a couple of bumper plates or Stackable Pull Blocks for a deficit. This works great if you have long arms!
- Place your feet in the center of the trap bar at hip-width apart and grip the handles.
- Hinge back and get into a squatting position with thighs parallel to the floor and chest upright.
- Push through your heels to stand up, fully extending your hips and knees.
- Reverse the movement.
- Repeat for reps.
The open part of the trap bar is a great feature because it enables unilateral workouts like split squats and reverse lunges. Having a trap bar handy is an excellent substitute if your home gym has tight space or if you have limited weights available.
- Hold your trap bar by your sides and stand with your feet about hip-width apart.
- Take a step back, bend your legs, and lower your back knee to about an inch above the floor.
- Return to the starting position by stepping forward with your rear leg.
- Repeat for reps.
The trap bar is also great for building explosive power. Trap bar jumps with a light weight will help you develop explosive power during heavy deadlifts. Because a trap bar deadlift places you naturally in a more upright position, it will activate your legs more than a traditional deadlift to really get those muscle fibers twitching.
- Place your feet shoulder-width apart inside the trap bar, toes pointing forward.
- In a quarter squat position, bend your knees and lower your hips.
- Jump explosively, extending your hips, knees, and ankles.
- Shrug your shoulders as you reach the peak of your jump to bring the trap bar up with you.
- Return to the quarter squat position by landing softly on the ground.
- Repeat for reps.
The Industrial Rackable Trap Hex Bar is excellent at presenting a new external stimulus and compelling your body to adjust by doing something different. It allows you to train your lower body through a variety of exercises.
Whether you want to replace traditional barbell movements or mix up your workouts, the Industrial Rackable Trap Hex Bar has you covered. 🙌
The exercises we've gone over are just the tip of the iceberg; you can get creative with the trap bar and devise your own exercises.
So, go ahead and try out the trap bar to take your lower body training to the next level.
