Trap bars are an extremely underutilized piece of equipment in the gym.
And a lot of it has to do with people not realizing that there’s other movement that can be done with the bar outside of shrugs.
In this video, ALLMAX athlete PhamFlexx provides us with some exercises to do with the trap bar as well as some tips for each exercise.
1. Trap Bar Shrugs
The first exercise Pham covers is the trap bar shrug. He notices a lot of guys bounce their shoulders when doing this exercise, utilizing momentum to carry the weight up and down.
Instead, he recommends getting a full stretch and a full contraction with every single repetition. On the way up, try to touch your ears with your shoulders.
2. Trap Bar Deadlift
The next exercise is the trap bar deadlift.
When performing this movement, you want to make sure you keep your back straight.
The trap bar deadlift is a great alternative for those who have issues with the barbell deadlift variations.
3. Trap Bar Row
The third exercise using a trap bar Pham demonstrates is the trap bar row.
You perform this bent over row variation like you would any other row variation. The neutral grip, however, can alleviate some tension on the shoulders and allow for a more natural pulling motion.
4. Trap Bar Split Squat
The second to last exercise shown is the trap bar split squat. This exercise focuses on the quads, hamstrings and glutes.
When lowering the weight, Pham likes to hover above the ground and avoids any contact between his knee and the ground.
5. Trap Bar Jump Squat
The final exercise, trap bar jump squats, is a bit more advanced than any of its predecessors. This exercise is perfect for building explosiveness.
Lower yourself nice and slow until your hamstrings are parallel to the ground and explode up. When jumping, try to land in the same spot on the way back down.
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