Training Tips - The Original Gerard Trap Bar

Custom Trap Bars

The basic Gerard Trap Bar that we feature is more than enough for just about anyone. The handle-size, loading-capacity and overall dimensions will fit athletes of all sizes and shapes.

However, if you would like a "tricked out" Trap Bar, our manufacturer can probably make it happen. This might include custom dimensions, thicker handles, or a longer loading capacity. Just let us know what you need.

One feature that you might see on some of the knock-off versions is "high/low" handles a second set of handles welded a few inches higher above the regular handles, supposedly for taller athletes.

We have found through regular Trap Bar workouts in hundreds of strength programs all over the country and the world that these handles don't really create much of an advantage for taller athletes, nor are they useful in terms of the overall design which is why we do not feaure them here.

Labels: Gerard Trap Bar, Trap Bar Workout

- www.trapbartraining.com -

<< Training Tips Home

5 Trap Bar Movements for Super Strength

With the re-introduction of the trap bar has also come a lot of questions, -- and one of those question is which are the best exercises to do with it so that's what I'm going to cover today:

1. Trap Bar Deadlifts - Numero uno on the list is the trap bar deadlift, partly because this is the specific exercise the Trap Bar was created for
and partly because this exercise is so productive.

A lot of people don't like, or just cant get the bar over their knees when they deadlift which obviously is not an issue with the trap bar. In addition, the natural advantages of having the weight in line with the bodys natural center of gravity makes this exercise much easier on the back.

2. Trap Bar Shrugs - A very close second, and a tremendous exercise. Way back in the day I was taught to do shrugs on a trap bar, and after that, could not understand why anyone would use anything but a trap bar for shrugs since a straight bar just wasn't as comfortable when it got dragged against the thighs.

If you want to build strong, powerful traps, (especially important if you play football) this is the exercise you should be doing.

3. Trap Bar Upright Row - Like the shrug movement except you bend
your arms and lift the elbows as you pull toward your ears. This one really hits the traps and upper back hard, due to the extra range of motion provided by the trap bar.

4. Trap Bar Deadlifts using blocks - there are two ways to utilize blocks when training with the trap bar, to either increase the range of motion (ie
you stand on them) which provides even more leg and hip development. Very effective for building "drive" in the legs.

5. The second method for using blocks is to decrease the range of motion by loading up the trap bar and supporting it on blocks. The Gerard trap bar isnt long enough to use in a power rack, nor does it need to be. By cutting down the range of motion, you can really overload the "top of the pull" This is a real power movement, also great for getting used to handling heavy weights.

That should about cover it, every single one of these movements is top notch. Obviously the focus is on basic movements for the largest and strongest muscles in the body.

This is by design, since those are the areas you need to focus on for best results.

Labels: Gerard Trap Bar, Trap Bar Deadlift, Trap Bar Shrugs, Trap Bar Training, Trap Bar Upright Row, Trap Bar Workout

- www.trapbartraining.com -

<< Training Tips Home

Trap Bar Deadlift Form

1. Stand inside the Gerard Trap Bar with feet slightly narrower than shoulder width

2. The ankles should line up slightly behind the weight loading area

3. Squat down with your hips as low as comfortable

4. Bend at the knees, not the hips while keeping your back straight and tight

5. Keep your head up and look straight foreward

6. Concentrate on "pushing" your feet through the floor while maintaining proper form

Labels: Gerard Trap Bar, Trap Bar Deadlift, Trap Bar Training, Trap Bar Workout

- www.trapbartraining.com -

<< Training Tips Home

A Workout You Can't Get Anywhere Else

With the re-birth of the Gerard Trap Bar, we though we would do something specia... We had our good friend Dr. Ken Lesitner ( who is no stranger to "Hard Training") put together a special Trap Bar workout.

As you may or may not know, Dr. Ken was one of the original proponents of the Gerard Trap Bars when it came out back in the 1980's and used it to train many of his Champion Power lifters. Dr. Ken also wrote several articles about it in his Steel Tip Newsletter as well as Powerlifting USA Magazine.

Anyhow, if you want a copy of Dr. Ken's Trap Bar workout, the only way to get it is to purchase a new Gerard Trap Bar for yourself. -- And we will send you a copy. This will be one of the very best decisions you could ever make in your training career.

Labels: Dr. Ken Leistner, Gerard Trap Bar, Trap Bar Workout

- www.trapbartraining.com -

<< Training Tips Home

Will The Gerard Trap Bar Fit Me?

The Trap Bar will fit all athletes (Leistner Photo)
One unlikely concern that pops up from time to time is whether the Gerard Trap Bar will fit many larger athletes.

Not sure where this nonsense may have started but the fact of the matter is that the Gerard Trap Bar can be used by some of the biggest and strongest athletes in the world.

Tommy O'Riordin, pictured above, who trains with Dr. Ken Leistner, is 6'1" and weighs in at 290 lbs. and you can see there is plenty of room to spare as he uses the Trap Bar for rows and shrugs.

Labels: Dr. Ken Leistner, Gerard Trap Bar, Trap Bar Deadlift, Trap Bar Workout

- www.trapbartraining.com -

<< Training Tips Home

Why Not Just Use Dumbbells

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

- www.trapbartraining.com -

<< Training Tips Home