Barbell or Trap Bar Deadlift? Find Out Which is Best for You!

I had a great question come in this week, “Is the barbell or trap deadlift better?”

Such a great question, especially when you see both in the gym. How do you know which one is right for you?

Barbell deadlifts are more of a posterior exercise meaning it targets the glutes, hamstrings, erectors and upper back to stabilize the bar. There is also lat involvement to help keep the bar pulled into your body. In the barbell deadlift the hips are the prime movers, meaning the hips hinge first and then the knees follow to complete the movement.

Trap bar deadlifts target glutes, hamstrings, erectors, upper back and lats. They ALSO target the quads. The primary movers in the trap bar deadlift are the hips and knees meaning the hips and the knees bend simultaneously. The trap bar is ideal for all abilities as it sets people up in a natural position to pull and it is easier to go heavy because the quads are involved.

At Get Fit NH, we primarily use the trap bar deadlift. It is the safest variation overall for a large group personal training setting.

We might give a barbell deadlift to a client who has knee challenges and is unable to squat for the trap bar and again, because it is overall more hip dominant and posterior focused.

That was a long winded answer, but one is not better than the other and they truly aren’t that different. They’re both a hip hinge pattern, but one offers more grace so we primarily choose trap bars because of that.