Hex bar deadlifts use a hexagon-shaped bar that goes all around you. This allows you to stand straight up with the weight plates at your sides instead of a bit in front of you, putting less stress on your body, especially your back.
However, many gyms don’t have a hex bar, and powerlifters may want to avoid them to gain proficiency in the traditional deadlift.
That said, the hex (or trap) bar deadlift is an underrated variation I often use with clients new to deadlifts because it’s more beginner-friendly.
In this article, I will go through everything you need to know about the trap bar deadlift, common mistakes, how it differs from regular deadlifts, and how to implement it into your training.
Table of Contents
How To Do a Hex Bar Deadlift
Here is a simple step-by-step guide to how to deadlift with a hex bar:
- Load the hex bar: Add your desired or prescribed weight to the hex bar and ensure that you put barbell collars on the end of the barbell. The collars will prevent the plates from sliding off.
- Stand in the hex bar: Stand in the middle with your feet roughly parallel or slightly pointed out. Depending on your body size, you can keep your feet about hip-width or shoulder-width apart. The taller you are, the more you may want a wider stance.
- Descend to hold the bar: With a neutral spine, bend at your hips and knees, stretch your arms towards the hex bar handles, and grab the middle of the handles.
- Breath and brace: Take a deep breath into your torso, hold your breath, and brace your core hard. If you are wearing a lifting belt, you should feel an expansion inside your belt.
- Stand up: Push your legs into the ground while pushing through your midfoot, and stand up until your hips and knees are fully extended. Exhale at the top or as you approach the top.
- Descend: Slowly return the hex bar to the floor while breathing in. Ensure you keep your center of mass over your midfoot and your back flat throughout the descent.
Check out 11 other deadlift accessories you can try for similar benefits.
Differences Between Hex Bar Deadlift and Barbell Deadlift
- Quads worked versus glutes, hamstrings, and lower back
- Neutral grip versus double-overhand grip
- Less stress on the lower back and less mobility at the starting position
The main difference between the hex bar deadlift and a regular deadlift is that the hex bar deadlift can allow your knees and hips to come forward more, turning it into more of a knee- and quad-dominant exercise.
The conventional deadlift requires keeping the barbell above mid-foot throughout the movement. During execution, you must push your hips and knees backward, making the movement very glute, hamstring, and lower back dominant.
With a hex bar deadlift, your hands are also at your sides in a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Meanwhile, with a conventional or sumo deadlift, you usually use a double-overhand grip (sometimes with a hook grip) or mixed grip. Many lifters find that the hand position in a hex bar deadlift allows them to lift more weight.
Another difference between a hex bar deadlift and a deadlift is that you typically start the hex bar deadlift with a more upright torso angle. As such, doing a deadlift with a hex bar puts less stress on the lower back and requires less mobility to get into a good starting position.
A standard hex bar weighs a little differently than a barbell – learn more by checking out How Much Does a Trap Bar Weigh?
Common Hex Bar Deadlift Mistakes and How To Avoid Them
1. Not Keeping Your Knees in Line With Your Feet
It is important to keep your knees in line with your feet throughout the movement. Some people may accidentally spread their feet too far out, causing their ankle and foot arches to collapse. As a result, they may find themselves shifting their center of mass too far forward.
2. Yanking the Barbell off the Floor
The hex bar deadlift can require a lot of effort, but the common problem is that some people yank the barbell off the floor so that their lower back rounds.
It is important to try to pull the slack out of the barbell first to let the whole body build up tension so that it is ready to engage to lift the bar off the floor. This dramatically reduces your risk of injury.
How To Add Hex Bar Deadlifts To Your Workouts
| Goal | # of Sets | Reps per Set | Frequency | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 3-4 | 3-5 | 1-3/week | 50-80% of 1RM |
| Strength | 3-4 | 5-8 | 2/week | 75-90% of 1RM |
| Size | 3-4 | 8-15 | 2/week | 50-80% of 1RM |
Putting the hexagon deadlift into your training will be useful, but knowing how to program it is another important consideration. Here is a guide that explains how to program the hexagon deadlift for different goals:
Power
- Sets & Reps: For explosive strength, you are not looking to train that hard, so the volume you do will be on the lower end. A good place to start is 3 to 4 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions.
- Frequency: You will not need long, hard workouts when training the hex bar deadlift for explosive strength. Depending on whether you incorporate many other lower body exercises, you may consider training the lift 1 to 3 times per week.
- Intensity: You do not need very high absolute intensities and do not want to be close to failure. You need to have at least 5 or more repetitions in reserve. Aim for 50% to 80% of your 1 rep max.
Example Weekly Workouts
- Day 1: 3×5 @ 55% 1RM
- Day 2: Rest
- Day 3: 3×4 @ 65% 1RM
- Day 4: Rest
- Day 5: 3×3 @ 75% 1RM
Strength
- Sets and Reps: For maximum strength, consider using higher intensities so your reps are on the single-digit end. A good place to start is 3 to 4 sets of 3 to 8 repetitions.
- Frequency: Training the hex bar deadlift for maximum strength requires enough rest days between hard workouts, so consider training it 2 times per week.
- Intensity: Aim for 75% to 90% of your 1 rep max. You should keep 2 to 5 repetitions in reserve.
Example Weekly Workouts
- Day 1: 3×5 @ 80% 1RM
- Day 2: Rest Day
- Day 3: Rest Day
- Day 4: 4×3 @ 85% 1RM
Size
- Sets and Reps: Your rep range should be on the higher end to get higher volumes for hypertrophy. A good place to start is 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions.
- Frequency: Training muscle groups 2x per week is sensible for most people with muscle-building goals. You may want an easy session followed by a harder one, or you can have 2 moderate-effort sessions.
- Intensity: You can build muscle across a long spectrum of percentages. If you incorporate lower percentages, you may need to train closer to failure. If you use higher percentages, you can have more repetitions in reserve. You should keep between 2 to 5 repetitions in reserve. You should also aim for 50% to 80% of your 1 rep max.
Example Weekly Workouts
- Day 1: 3×8 @ 70% 1RM
- Day 2: Rest Day
- Day 3: Rest Day
- Day 4: 3×12 @ 60% 1RM
Not sure what the best kind of bar is for deadlifts? We provide a full guide on the different types of deadlift bars, including the hexagon deadlift bar and others.
Hex Bar Deadlifts Muscles Worked
When utilizing the proper hex bar deadlift form, you can target the following muscles:
- Glutes: These are your buttock muscles located at the back of the hip area. They are responsible for extending your hips. These are most active at the top of hex bar deadlifts.
- Hamstrings: The hamstrings are located at the back of the thigh bones. These muscles cross the knee and hip joints. In the hex bar deadlift, they assist the glutes in extending your hips forward.
- Quadriceps: The quadriceps are located at the front of the thigh bones and are responsible for extending your knees.
- Adductors (inner thighs): The adductors, or hip adductors, are located on the inner thighs. They stabilize the hip and help the glutes and hamstrings extend the hips in the hex deadlift. They are most active at the bottom of the lift.
- Back extensors: The back extensors are the muscles along the middle and lower back. They keep your back from rounding during the hex bar deadlift. Individual muscles that make up your back extensors include the erector spinae and quadratus lumborum.
- Lats: The latissimus dorsi (lats for short) is a large, flat muscle on each side of your back. The lats help stabilize your back during the hex bar deadlift. They also work to extend the shoulders as you bring your arms down to grab the handles.
- Traps: The trapezius muscle (traps for short) runs along the base of your neck and the middle of your upper back. In the hex bar deadlift, the traps help you bring your shoulders down and back and keep them in position throughout the entire lift.
The front squat is another lift that targets your quads. Learn more about the differences between front squats and hex bar deadlifts in Trap Bar Deadlift vs. Front Squat: Differences, Pros, Cons.
Alternatives To The Trap Bar Deadlift
It's hard to pick an exercise that trains more muscle groups simultaneously than the deadlift. The best options if you can’t do a trap bar deadlift are either a sumo deadlift with a barbell or a conventional deadlift with a barbell.
Sumo Deadlift
The sumo deadlift is similar to the traditional barbell deadlift, with a few minor changes. Your feet will be wider than your shoulder width, and your arms will come down inside your legs. This can feel a little weird and take some getting used to, but don't worry—the form is easy to learn.
You should approach the barbell with similar cues in mind. Stay as upright as possible, keep your shoulder blades rolled down and back, and focus on driving through the floor.
If you want to dig deeper into other deadlift-style exercises, check out The Best 15 Deadlift Alternatives For a Stronger Pull
Conventional Barbell Deadlift
This is the barbell variation most people think of when you say ‘deadlift’. Due to the nature of the exercise, it’s super important that you feel confident in your form when you do conventional deadlifts. I’ve seen far too many people injure themselves because they load far too much weight on the bar and are lifting with their egos.
The main things to keep in check are keeping your core tight and back flat. Your shoulder blades should stay down and back. Focus on driving through your legs and pushing your hips forward to complete the deadlift.
To learn more about the differences, check out Trap Bar Deadlift vs. Conventional.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is a Good Hex Bar Deadlift Weight?
On average, I’ve seen that people can roughly trap bar deadlifts 10% more than their conventional deadlift. This is backed up by this study that reported that participants could trap bar deadlift roughly 9% more than conventionally.
Is a Hex Bar Better for Deadlifts?
The hex bar can be better for deadlifts because it is an easier learning curve to master and offers more freedom on how you want to execute it. It enables you to put less stress on your lower back. The hex bar deadlift is also more intuitive to execute.
Is Deadlifting With a Hex Bar Safer?
Deadlifting with the hex bar can be safer for your back because it allows you to move tension away from the lower back and onto the legs. It’s also typically easier to learn hex bar deadlift technique.
What Are The Benefits of Hex Bar Deadlifts?
Hex bar deadlifts offer several key benefits, including reduced stress on the back by allowing a more upright torso position, thus focusing the effort on the knees and quads. They're simpler to learn due to the straightforward vertical push required, making them accessible regardless of one's training experience.
Unlike traditional deadlifts, they don't demand extensive hip and hamstring mobility, offering flexibility in starting positions to target different muscle groups. They also enable safer training close to failure and are shown to develop lower body power more effectively, which is beneficial for sports requiring high force output.
For these reasons, the hex bar deadlift is a fantastic deadlift alternative for anyone who does not want to overload their lower back.
References
- Swinton PA, Stewart A, Agouris I, Keogh JW, Lloyd R. A Biomechanical Analysis of Straight and Hexagonal Barbell Deadlifts Using Submaximal Loads. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2011 Jul;25(7):2000–9.
- ESCAMILLA RF, FRANCISCO AC, FLEISIG GS, BARRENTINE SW, WELCH CM, KAYES AV, et al. A three-dimensional biomechanical analysis of sumo and conventional style deadlifts. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2000 Jul;32(7):1265–75.
- Lockie RG, Moreno MR, Lazar A, Risso FG, Liu TM, Stage AA, et al. The 1 Repetition Maximum Mechanics of a High-Handle Hexagonal Bar Deadlift Compared With a Conventional Deadlift as Measured by a Linear Position Transducer. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2018 Jan;32(1):150–61.
About The Author: Norman Cheung ASCC, British Powerlifting Team Coach
Norman Cheung is a powerlifting and accredited strength and conditioning coach under the UKSCA. He has been coaching powerlifting since 2012 and has been an IPF Team GB coach since 2016. He has experience coaching various lifters, from novices to international medallists and international university teams. Alongside coaching, he takes an interest in helping powerlifters take their first step into coaching. He currently runs his coaching services at strongambitionscoaching.com.
