7 Top Trap Bar Deadlift Alternatives

Using a trap bar for your deadlifts can be a helpful modification. Even so, you may want exercise alternatives with similar effects.

Trap bar deadlifts are where you lift a trap bar, also known as a hex bar, off the ground with a straight back. This exercise is typically done as a more back-friendly alternative.

Additionally, trap bar deadlifts also focus more on your quadriceps, and less on your lower back, hamstrings, and glutes, compared to the regular version.

Even with that in mind, the benefits of trap bar deadlifts are still similar to the regular version.

This exercise helps you strengthen your glutes, lower back, hamstrings, erector spinae, calves, forearms, upper back, and core muscles, can help you improve your posture, etc.

Whether you don’t enjoy trap bar deadlifts, you don’t have a trap bar, or you want an alternative for any other reason, these alternatives to trap bar deadlifts can offer you some or all of the same benefits.

1. Dumbbell or kettlebell deadlifts

One of the biggest reasons people are not able to do trap bar deadlifts is that their local gym or home gym does not have one.

Luckily you can also use more standard gym equipment like dumbbells or kettlebells to do a similar alternative.

Take the following steps to do a dumbbell deadlift:

1. Put two dumbbells horizontally to each other and slightly further than shoulder-width apart.
2. Stand up straight with your feet at more or less shoulder width in between the dumbbells.
3. Slightly fold your knees and tilt your upper body forward to grab the dumbbells on the ground.
4. Tilt back your upper body and stretch your legs at the same time until your upper body and legs are stretched in one straight line. When doing a deadlift it is very important to keep your back in a straight line during the exercise.
5. Slowly move back into the position of step 3.

Good technique is important in any exercise to avoid injuries but especially so for deadlifts. Before trying to deadlift the heaviest weights it is smart to improve your technique first by starting with light or no weights at all.

Doing dumbbell or kettlebell deadlifts this way is a way to simulate trap bar deadlifts. One potentially big difference is that the upper weight limits of dumbbells and kettlebells are a lot lower than a weighted barbell.

More experienced and possibly even intermediate lifters may find that this substitute does not offer the resistance needed for growing and strengthening their muscles a lot.

2. Leg presses

The leg press is a weighted resistance exercise that is often done on a leg press machine. Take the following steps to do one seated leg press:

1. Adjust the machine for your requirements. Put the desired weight on the dedicated holders of the leg press machine. If you are not sure how much would be right for you, start small and build up from there.
2. Take place in the leg press machine. Make sure your feet are flat on the pushing surface and about shoulder-width apart.
3. Slowly push up the weight until your legs are slightly less than stretched.
4. Lower the weight gain into the position of step 2 in a controlled motion.

Leg presses are definitely less of a compound trap bar alternative than other options on this list. You basically don’t have to use your lower back, erector spinae, upper back, forearms, and balance.

That being said, these differences can make the leg press exactly what some individuals are looking for.

Additionally, by taking away the balance aspect, you can focus more on training your leg muscles as much as possible. This can lead to more leg muscle gain faster.

3. Front squats

The next trap bar alternative is again more of a compound exercise. This time you need a barbell and a squat rack to be able to do the exercise.

Once you have these, take the following steps to do a front squat:

1. Find a squat rack and place the barbell at about chest height. Add the desired number of weight plates. If there are any safety bars adjust them to the right height.
2. Stand in front of the barbell, put the barbell on the front of your shoulders, and hold it there with your hands. Hold the barbell in position by letting it rest on the inside of your fingers. For this, you have to point your elbows forward and hand palms upward.
3. Unrack the barbell and take a few steps back so that you have room to squat. Stand up straight with your feet at more or less shoulder width.
4. Slowly lower your hips by bending your knees. How far depends on different factors like knee health but at your lowest point you want your hips to be at or lower than your knee height. You will likely have to bend forward for balance but keep your back in a straight line throughout the movement.
5. Push yourself up again into starting position by stretching your legs.
6. Rerack the barbell after your desired number of repetitions.

A typical barbell back squat requires you to put the barbell on the back of your shoulders. However, by positioning the barbell in front you have to bend forward less to keep your balance.

In turn, this leads to less lower back engagement and more quadriceps engagement. Since most people do trap bar deadlifts to reduce lower back engagement this makes front squats a good alternative.

One potential downside is that front squats don’t work your grip muscles, are a bit more difficult when it comes to technique, and require a squat rack.

4. Sumo deadlifts

Even if you don’t have a trap bar available, you can switch the stance of your feet and legs in the regular deadlift to get a more similar alternative. Take the following steps to do a sumo deadlift:

1. Stand up straight in front of a weighted barbell with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart with your feet pointing about 45 degrees outward.
2. Slightly fold your knees and tilt your upper body forward to grab the barbell on the ground. Point your upper legs outward in the same direction as your feet.
3. Stretch your legs and tilt back your upper body in one movement until your upper body points straight up and your legs are stretched. When doing a deadlift it is very important to keep your back in a straight line during the exercise.
4. Slowly move back into the position of step 2 by first tilting your upper body forward (with a straight back) and then folding your knees.

Similar to dumbbell or kettlebell deadlifts, it is important to implement the right technique for sumo deadlifts. Especially when using heavy weights.

Compared to regular deadlifts, sumo deadlifts will focus less on the lower back and erector spinae muscles and more on the quadriceps.

Trap bar deadlifts are different in a similar way but to a larger extent than sumo deadlifts. For that reason, sumo deadlifts may not be the ideal alternative for individuals who have lower back issues.

5. Hack squats

The hack squat machine is a leg gym machine that is basically a machine squat at a slanted angle. It has a platform to put your feet on and a shoulder pad to lift the weights.

To use it you simply adjust the machine for your personal size, select your desired weight, put your feet on the pad at about shoulder width, and put your shoulders under the pads.

After that, unlock the safety and move the weight down and up like you would with a normal squat.

Hack squats are a relatively lower back-friendly way to train leg muscles like your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.

Potential downsides of this trap bar deadlift alternative include that it does not work your forearms, upper back, and balance to the same extent.

6. Hip thrusts

Hip thrusts are similar to glute bridges but instead of doing them on the ground, you will need a bench or any other stable object of the right height.

Take the following steps to do a hip thrust:

1. Sit right in front of the bench or other object you will use with your back slightly over the edge. Make sure the object is stable. Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width in a position where your knees will be at 90-degree angles in the next step. You can hold weight at hip level if you want.
2. Move up your hips until your body is in a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
3. Slowly lower your body again.

Hip thrusts are a trap bar deadlift alternative that mainly engages your glutes but this exercise does engage your lower back and hamstring muscles to some extent. Even more so if you hold any hip thrust equipment on your hips.

That being said, most people only should do hip thrusts to isolate their glute muscles. For these other muscles, there are plenty of more effective exercise alternatives.

On top of that, you engage your quadriceps, calves, forearm muscles, and upper back muscles a lot less with hip thrusts. This exercise can also require a bit more equipment and time to set up than hex bar deadlifts.

7. Regular barbell deadlifts

This last exercise option likely already came to your mind but it is worth mentioning. Trap bar deadlifts can offer benefits in some areas to a certain extent but the two deadlift variations are still relatively similar.

If you only have a weighted barbell available this exercise could still be a good choice, even if you have to use less weight than you would like to. Take the following steps to do a regular deadlift:

1. Stand up straight with your feet at more or less shoulder width in front of a weighted barbell.
2. Slightly fold your legs at the knees and tilt your upper body forward to grab the barbell on the ground.
3. Tilt back your upper body and stretch your legs in one continuous motion until your upper body and legs are stretched in one straight line. When doing a deadlift it is very important to keep your back in a straight line during the exercise.
4. Slowly move back into the position of step 2 by first tilting your upper body forward (with a straight back) and then folding your knees.

As mentioned before trap bar deadlifts work your quadriceps more and lower back, erector spinae, glutes, and grip muscles less than the regular version. By substituting it with a regular deadlift you get the reverse effect.

If you are not sure whether your body would be able to deal with regular deadlifts, you likely want to talk to an expert before giving it a try or switch to more back-friendly deadlift alternatives.