- Trap bar deadlifts are a knee-dominant variation that targets your quads more. They’re also easier to learn and have a lower injury risk.
- Conventional deadlifts are more hip-dominant and recruit more glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and lats.
I’ve successfully implemented both in my athletes' training, but you must understand key movement differences to make the right choice.
By the end of this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the trap bar and conventional deadlift to help you decide which suits your goals better.
Want to improve your deadlift technique?
Table of Contents
Trap Bar Deadlift vs. Conventional Deadlift: 9 Differences
There are more similarities than differences when discussing the trap bar vs. barbell deadlift.
Both have their strengths and weaknesses, benefits and drawbacks. To help you decide which is best for you, we assembled the nine main differences between these two movements.
1. Trap Bar Uses a Different Type of Barbell
The biggest difference between the two deadlift variations is using a deadlift trap bar vs. a barbell.
The trap bar deadlift (also known as a hex bar deadlift) uses a hexagonal-shaped barbell that allows you to step inside and perform the movement. A conventional deadlift uses a straight barbell.
The trap bar has a few different characteristics from a regular barbell, such as having handles that enable you to hold the bar with your hands at your sides instead of in front of you. This alters how your muscles are activated and how your technique can adapt.
This bar allows a more upright torso position, with less hip hinging and more quad dominance. Compared to the conventional deadlift, the trap bar deadlift has a six-degree increase in knee flexion (i.e., knee bending).
Wondering what the differences are between a deadlift barbell vs. a trap bar? Learn more about them and other deadlift bars in 5 Different Types of Deadlift Bars & Their Uses.
2. Trap Bar is Easier to Learn
The trap bar deadlift has a more vertical trajectory, a more upright body position, and a lower range of motion. Those characteristics make learning the movement easy, even if you’re a beginner, and it is one of the greatest trap bar deadlift benefits.
Most people only need to think about standing up and going back down, which takes less attention and focus, making it a convenient alternative to the conventional deadlift.
We discuss which deadlift variations are easier and harder than others in Which Type Of Deadlift Is The Hardest? (7 Examples).
3. Trap Bar Deadlift May Be Safer for Your Spine
During a conventional deadlift, there’s more hip hinging and less quad dominance, and the torso is almost facing the ground compared to the trap bar deadlift.
The body position of the conventional deadlift will put more pressure on your spine when pulling up the barbell, which could compromise your lower back stability if you’re not strong enough.
Although this is not the case for everyone, it could increase the injury risk if you don’t take care of the technique first.
Some back rounding in specific scenarios during the conventional deadlift should not occur with every deadlift rep. Learn more in Is It Okay To Deadlift With a Round Back? (Powerlifters Say Yes).
4. Conventional Deadlifts Could Scratch Your Shins
Keeping the bar closer to the body is better for deadlift efficiency. However, this increases the chances of skin-to-bar contact during conventional deadlifts, making shin scratches and bruises an ordinary occurrence.
This differs from the trap bar deadlift, which has your legs further away from the bar.
Some lifters use longer socks or shin guards when performing conventional deadlifts. This is also why powerlifting competitions require athletes to wear knee-high socks during deadlifts.
5. Trap Bar Uses a Different Hand Placement
The trap bar has two settings, high and low handles. Both settings use a neutral grip, meaning that the palms of your hands face the outer part of your quads. The high-handle setting has 22 degrees less vertical displacement than a conventional deadlift.
The neutral grip is the only grip available for the trap bar deadlift.
On the other hand, the conventional deadlift has multiple hand placement options, such as the following:
- Overhand: The palms of the hands face you, and the knuckles point down. It’s easy to learn, but the bar might slip during heavy loads. Some lifters also use a hook grip with an overhand grip.
- Mixed grip: The palm of one hand (ideally your dominant hand) faces toward you, and the other points away from you. This grip requires more mobility but will prevent the bar from slipping when doing heavy reps.
Learn more about the different grip styles in the conventional deadlift in How to Maximize Your Deadlift Grip (Never Fail Again On Grip).
6. Trap Bar Allows for Heavier Loads
During a trap bar deadlift, the bar travels less from the starting to the end position and needs less range of motion to complete the movement. This makes it easier to work your way up to a heavy weight while minimizing injury risk.
Another factor is the upright torso position and the ability to use more quads. These two elements are crucial for injecting power into the movement and moving heavier loads more easily.
7. Trap Bar Is Better for Sport-Specific Training
The body and hand positioning in the trap bar deadlift allows for explosive movements that are impossible with a conventional deadlift, such as jumping.
The trap bar perfectly suits athletes who want to maximize their peak power, velocity, and force.
8. Trap Bar Deadlift Requires Less Joint Mobility
When comparing the trap bar deadlift vs. the barbell deadlift, the trap bar deadlift requires less mobility on your ankle, knees, and hip joints. This is due to the body positioning being more centered in the trap bar, which is the opposite of the conventional deadlift, where the bar is in front of you.
This difference makes the trap bar deadlift ideal for people with limited joint mobility, such as injured, elderly, and beginners.
9. Each Deadlift Activates Different Muscle Groups
Because the trap bar allows for a more upright position, it predominantly targets the quads and traps.
On the other hand, the conventional deadlift has more hip hinging, which is why it recruits more muscle fibers from the glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, and lats.
These muscles, independent of the deadlift variation, keep the body strong and stable throughout the complete range of motion.
Muscles can’t be completely isolated. However, the amount of fiber recruitment differs between the barbell vs. trap bar deadlift. It’s important to mention that even if one variation favors one muscle group over the other, it doesn’t mean other muscles are not targeted.
Is the Trap Bar Deadlift or Conventional Deadlift Better?
Whether the trap bar or regular deadlift is better depends entirely on your personal goals. The trap bar deadlift is safer if you’re a sports athlete looking to improve power and speed with lower injury risk. The conventional deadlift is the right go-to to develop muscle mass in your glutes and hamstrings.
Either way, both variations are phenomenal and will improve your strength, power, speed, and muscle mass.
We also discuss whether trap bar deadlifts or front squats are better in Trap Bar Deadlift vs. Front Squat: Differences, Pros, Cons.
Trap Bar Deadlift: How To, Muscles Worked, Common Mistakes, Benefits, and Drawbacks
If a trap bar deadlift is better for you, then here’s a quick guide to get started. You can read our full post for more.
- How To Do It: Position yourself inside the trap bar with feet hip-width apart, hinge at the hips, and adopt a squat position to grasp the handles. Lift by extending your hips and knees to standing, maintaining a neutral spine throughout the movement.
- Muscles Worked: The exercise primarily targets the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, lats, trapezius, and spinal erectors. These muscles contribute to lifting the weight, maintaining posture, and stabilizing the movement.
- Benefits: Ideal for beginners due to its reduced risk of back injury and its effectiveness in quad activation. It also benefits sports-specific training, enhancing power and speed due to its unique bar path.
- Drawbacks: One major drawback is the necessity of a trap bar, which may not be available in all gyms. Additionally, gains in trap bar deadlift might not directly translate to improvements in other lifts, like the conventional deadlift.
- Common Mistakes: According to Bengtsson et al., most deadlift-related injuries are caused by chronic fatigue, heavy loads, and poor lifting technique. Common mistakes include standing too far from the bar, which can cause uneven load distribution, and performing the movement with locked knees, which limits glute engagement. Other errors include letting the hips rise too fast and rounding the back, leading to strain and injury.
- Programming Recommendations: Depending on your goals, incorporate the trap bar deadlift up to three times per week with varying loads and speeds. Pick one day for heavier loads (70-85% of your one rep max), one for lighter loads (50-65% of your one rep max), and one for speed (40-60% of your one rep max).
Conventional Deadlift: How To, Muscles Worked, Tips, Common Mistakes, Benefits, and Drawbacks
If a conventional deadlift is better for you, then here’s a quick guide to get started. You can read our full post for more.
- How To Do It: Stand with feet hip-width apart, close to the bar, hinge at the hips while keeping your back straight, and grip the bar with an overhand grip. Lift the bar by pushing through your heels and extending your hips and knees until fully upright, ensuring your neck and spine remain neutral.
- Muscles Worked: This exercise targets key muscles, including glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, erector spinae, latissimus dorsi, forearms, trapezius, rhomboids, and abdominals. Each muscle group contributes to the movement by extending the hip, stabilizing the spine, or controlling the motion during the lift.
- Benefits: It offers a more comprehensive range of motion than other variations, enhancing muscle growth and functional strength. It also provides substantial carryover to other lower body lifts and improves muscular and mobility strength through deeper movement patterns.
- Drawbacks: It can be stressful on the lower back, especially for those with pre-existing conditions, and may lead to muscle imbalances due to the mixed grip often used. Using a mixed grip increases the risk of biceps tears, but lifting straps can mitigate this issue.
- Common Mistakes: Common errors include rounding the back, letting the hips rise too fast, and not keeping the bar close to the body, all of which can lead to inefficiency and injury. To maximize effectiveness and reduce injury risk, it's crucial to maintain a tight core, flat back, and correct hip and knee alignment.
- Programming Recommendations: Deadlifting twice weekly with adequate rest and varying intensity provides a balanced approach to strength development and recovery for general lifters. Powerlifters might incorporate the conventional deadlift 3x weekly with varying intensities and volumes to optimize strength gains. For example:
- Day 1 (high volume – high intensity): 5 sets of 5-8 reps at 80-90% of your one-rep max
- Day 2: (low volume – medium intensity): 3 sets of 3-5 reps at 70-80% of your one rep max
- Day 3 (high volume – low intensity): 5 sets of 8-12 reps at 50-60% of your one-rep max
Is the Trap Bar Deadlift or Conventional Deadlift Better?
Whether the trap bar deadlift vs. regular deadlift is better depends entirely on your personal goals. The trap bar deadlift is a safer choice if you’re a sports athlete looking to improve power and speed with lower injury risk. The conventional deadlift is the right go-to if you’re interested in developing more muscle mass in your glutes and hamstrings.
Either way, both variations are phenomenal and will do wonders for your overall strength, power, speed, and muscle mass.
We also discuss whether trap bar deadlifts or front squats are better in Trap Bar Deadlift vs. Front Squat: Differences, Pros, Cons.
When Should You Do Trap Bar Deadlifts?
Trap bar deadlifts are excellent for developing speed, power, and explosiveness. These qualities are ideal for sports athletes, especially as the season gets closer.
In other words, you want to do trap bar deadlifts at the end range of a training cycle to bias more sport-specific adaptations.
In another scenario, if you’re coming off a spine-related injury, including a trap bar deadlift at the beginning of the training cycle is adequate. The trap bar allows for less range of motion and a more upright torso, putting less stress on your spine.
If you’re a powerlifter or bodybuilder, adding trap bar deadlifts at the end of the training cycle can be beneficial, especially during deloads to allow for an active recovery session.
You’ll be able to rest while still keeping your posterior chain somewhat active.
When Should You Do Conventional Deadlifts?
If you’re an athlete working in the off-season, you should start your training cycle with conventional deadlifts. This will put the focus on building strength on your posterior chain.
Since conventional deadlifts require more joint mobility, it’s a solid strategy to emphasize that aspect early in training before moving on to more sport-specific training with the trap bar.
Any time is the right time to include this variation for the general population. For those interested in developing a more aesthetic physique, doubling down on the conventional deadlift is a must.
Conventional deadlifts will expose the muscles to a greater range of motion, adding more stress to the fibers and improving muscle quality and volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Trap Bar Deadlift Easier Than a Conventional Deadlift?
Yes, trap bar deadlifts are more accessible than conventional deadlifts. When comparing a deadlift with a trap bar vs. a barbell, the trap bar allows for a more upright torso position while requiring less hip and ankle mobility, making it ideal for beginners and people with poor joint mobility.
Can You Deadlift More With a Trap Bar?
Most people can deadlift more with a trap bar. This bar allows for less vertical displacement with a lesser range of motion. Those qualities represent an opportunity to add more weight to the deadlift while preserving a solid technique.
Does the Trap Bar Deadlift Help With Your Conventional Deadlift?
Trap bar deadlifts can help with conventional. All deadlift variations will have some degree of carryover to another. However, the starting position is the most difficult part of the conventional deadlift. Getting better at the trap bar will not help with your starting strength in the conventional deadlift.
What Is a Good Trap Bar Deadlift to Conventional Deadlift Ratio?
Most lifters will notice a significant difference between their trap bar deadlift vs. deadlift weight. A healthy trap bar to conventional deadlift ratio is 2:1 for most of the population.
Each scenario should be addressed individually, but this ratio works effectively. You want to be exposed to both movements while prioritizing those with higher returns and lower injury risk.
About The Author
Mauro Castillo is a General Medicine doctor with a master's degree in Sports Training and Business. He's been working in the fitness industry for the last seven years. He practiced CrossFit for 4 years before owning his own CrossFit and personal training gym. He's currently working at a sports facility, helping athletes become better mentally and physically. You can connect with Mauro on LinkedIn, IG, or X.
