Beyond-Brawn-2nd-Edition

BEYOND BRAWN
to use a relatively wide stance (perhaps for knee comfort or care), you may
not be able to use the regular Trap Bar safely, because the fixed gripping sites
restrict stance width. A custom bar (trap bar or shrug bar) would be needed,
with wider gripping sites.
10.55 While barbell squatting can be done in almost any gym, the Trap Bar deadlift
requires a special rhombus-shaped bar, which few gyms have despite it
costing no more than $200. e Trap Bar should be a required piece of
equipment for all gyms. It is a wonderful training tool, and far more valuable
and less expensive than many pieces of equipment that most gyms consider
to be essential, but which in reality are either useless, downright harmful, or
only marginally useful at best.
B 34
e Trap Bar is not only terrific for many people who do not squat
well with a bar over their traps. It can also be terrific for people
who do squat well, but perhaps do not straight-bar deadlift well.
However, depending on your leverages, the Trap Bar deadlift may
not work your lower back adequately enough by itself. Stiff-legged
or partial deadlifts may be needed too. And strength built by the
Trap Bar may not necessarily carry over to the straight-bar deadlift,
depending on the individual.
10.56 Very few people have experienced the tremendous benefits of the Trap Bar
deadlift. is is purely because the exercise is a recent innovation and Trap
Bars are so few and far between.
10.57 e Trap Bar deadlift is the equal of the squat for many hard gainers. And
for some trainees it can be a more productive exercise. In fact, it has the
potential to be the number one productive exercise for many hard gainers.
10.58 It is imperative that you know how to deadlift safely and correctly in all
its important variations. Otherwise you will get hurt and never be able to
profit from the deadlift. See THE INSIDER’S TELL-ALL HANDBOOK ON
WEIGHT-TRAINING TECHNIQUE for how to perform all the important
variations of the deadlift.
10.59 Easy gainers often have a “squatter’s body”—a mesomorphic structure with
legs and arms that are short relative to torso length. (is barrel-chested
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