-Trap Bar Training Tips -

In response to the recent re-introduction of the Gerard Trap Bar, Jeremy wrote in:

"Hey John the Gerard Trap bar seem pretty cool but if you think about it all you have to do to get the same results is by using dumbbells. Just put a dumbbell in each and squat, and you will have to control to dumbbell in each hand so it might actually be better."

Jeremy, fair enough, and I'll be the first one to tell you that the dumbbell deadlift is a highly underrated and very underutilized exercise, however, in some respects, it does not hold a candle to the Trap Bar for some exercises.

Here are a few reasons as written by Paul Kelso in the Kelso Shrug System, published back in 1992:

1. It is sometimes difficult to get the bells into position without a spotter as many men can handle enormous poundages.

2. A lot of effort is bled off into the lats and other torso muscles as the trainee tries to stabilize the weights and keep them in the "groove."

3. Very few gyms stock dumbbells over 150 pounds.

And a bit of my two cents:

The Trap Bar was devised to handle some big poundages, 400 + at least in the deadlift and likely more for the shrug Movement.

As Paul mentions, few gyms stock dumbbells that heavy - few gyms stock dumbbells over 100 pounds and according to some news reports I've read, you just may get kicked out if you try deadlifting at all!

Now, as for the Trap Bar itself, it provides several unique, (as in cant be had with the normal choices) advantages:

According to Al Gerard as reported in Kelso's book:

1. The Gerard Trap Bar is designed as a deadlift training bar which provides reduced lower back stress and kneeshearing forces... It could be very useful to Olympic style lifters for increasing the drive off the floor. This would also be of aid in training the Squat, when using the deadlift movement on blocks

2. The Trap Bar may be used in place of equipment or in addition to that already in use.

3. Because of the Trap Bar's Balance, it provides leverage advantages that result in increased training intensity which everyone is looking for.

4. The Trap Bar is safer to use with certain high poundage movements; this is especially true in home gyms.

And finally, I believe the Trap Bar will become a standard piece of equipment in the Iron Game, and will bring back lost enthusiasm for a loft of people who, like yself, were getting a little discouracged because of lingering physical problems. Besides, it's fun to use. I also expect to see some deadlifting records broken as the word gets out about the Gerard Trap Bar."

Quite an interesting prognosis from something written over a decade and a half ago --no matter how you slice it, the Gerard Trap Bar is a winner.

Labels: Gerard Trap Bar, Trap Bar Workout