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If you're new to lifting, the trap bar exercises are a great way to start. It allows compound lifts that can help strengthen your entire body and build muscle mass. You can add a unique movement to your routine.
In this article, we'll discuss the best trap bar exercises for beginners.
Best Trap Bar Exercises for Beginners
Here are six best exercises you can do with a trap bar:
#1 Trap Bar Deadlift
When you're looking to get started with trap bar deadlifts, it's important to keep in mind that this exercise is a great way to strengthen your entire body. If you're new to weightlifting and want an exercise that will help improve your strength and flexibility, this is a great place to start.
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It's also important to remember that different people have different bodies, and what works for one person may not work well for another. That's why it's important for beginners to use a lighter weight when first learning how to do trap bar deadlifts. When they become more comfortable with the movement, they can increase their weight till they reach their desired level of challenge or intensity in their workouts.
If you've only done straight barbell deadlifts, this movement might feel a little alien to you, but don't worry. After a few reps or sets, you'll start to get the hang of it.
#2 Bent Over Row
If you're looking for a way to incorporate some heavy, compound exercises into your routine, the trap bar deadlift is for you. This trap bar exercise combines two movements—the deadlift and bent-over row—into one powerful exercise that can help build up muscle strength in the back of your body.
To perform this trap bar exercise, stand with your feet hip-width apart, and hold the trap bar with an overhand grip (your palms facing each other). Bend at both knees and hips till they form a 90-degree angle, and keep them there throughout the movement.
Keep your back straight as you pull the weight up to waist level before lowering it under control.
#3 Overhead Press
The overhead press is a great trap bar exercise to start with. It's simple and effective, but it can be tough initially if you're not used to lifting heavy weights.
Here are the key points of this movement:
- Start with the trap bar at shoulder height. If you're using bumper plates, make sure they're on their edge so that you don't have any issues with them flying off during your set-up.
- Keep your back straight and shoulders back throughout the motion. Squeeze those glutes.
- Keep your elbows tucked in close to your body as much as possible while pressing overhead. That will help keep tension on the muscles being worked instead of allowing momentum from swinging or pushing forward without control.
- Lower down into position before repeating for each rep.
- Remember that this move is meant to strengthen specific muscles, so it should be done slowly enough that those muscles are engaged during every repetition.
#4 Shoulder Shrug
Shoulder shrugs are an excellent trap bar exercise for strengthening your traps. When you do them with a trap bar, it's important to remember that you need to keep your shoulders down and back at all times. That will help ensure you're using the muscles of your upper back (traps) and not just those in your neck and shoulder girdle.
To perform this exercise, stand in front of the bar with a shoulder-width grip (or slightly wider). Lift the weight up by driving through your heels and extending at both ends till you're standing straight up.
Lower under control to complete one rep; for multiple reps, lower only about halfway between each lift before returning to full extension.
#5 Farmer's Walk
Here's how this trap bar exercise is done:
- Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Hold the bars at chest height, arms straight and palms facing down.
- Without hiking the weights up, walk forward for 20 steps or till you reach a predetermined distance.
- Reverse direction, and walk back to the starting point while holding onto the trap bar handles.
#6 Floor Press
Performing the floor press is simple. Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and palms facing inwards towards each other.
Lift the trap bar over your chest. Keep the weight centred over your shoulders as you lift it off of the ground, pressing it directly upwards till it reaches shoulder level before lowering it again to its starting position.
The trap bar allows you to perform this exercise in an extremely comfortable way. It's a great option for beginners who may have trouble performing a traditional bench press with a barbell or dumbbells.
Takeaway
The trap bar exercise is an exceptionally great tool for beginners, as it allows to strengthen the entire body while performing compound lifts in new ways. The handles on the trap bar allows you to safely lift more weight and work in different planes than traditional free weights.
The trap bar is also great for working in new ways, such as by using partials (lifting a partial amount of weight) or unracking the bar with a wider grip and lower stance. Because of its versatility, you can use the trap bar for almost any exercise that can be performed with dumbbells or kettlebells.
