Join the forum discussion on this article, or comment below. - (3) PostsIt all started one day at a new training center I was visiting. This was an intense place, designed for football teams to do strength training. Far more advanced than my home gym (especially back then) and it made my regular fitness center look like a badminton club.
- Some exercises are simply better with a hex bar/trap bar
I saw these absolutely huge guys doing shrugs with these odd-shaped bars. They were hexagon shaped so the lifter stood in the middle of a hexagon hole. (See picture to the right.)
I asked one of them what it was called. “A hex bar,” he answered.
Ok, nobody won any creativity awards for that name.
But what amazed me was the range of motion it allowed for the shrug. I waited until he was done and sidled over to try for myself. Holy cow – I was in love!
See, I’ve always loved working my traps, and I love the way big traps look. But doing shrugs with a barbell had range of motion issues. Doing them in front hit my “jewels” and doing them in back hit my butt.
And shrugs with dumbbells are a real challenge because of grip issues. Once you start shrugging heavy, it’s really hard to hold on to those 150 lb dumbbells. (And forget about using straps with dumbbells. Not only is it awkward. You’ll also get made fun of like a 5th grader picking his nose. And someone might even give you a wedgie.)
Using the hex bar for shrugs was perfect – I could lift heavy, get a full range of motion, and grip issues were negligible.
Next Up: Trap Bar Deads
Feeling stoked, I moved on that same day to try an exercise I had vaguely heard about, but then saw a football guy doing: hex bar deadlifts (a/k/a trap bar deads).
Basic movement is like a deadlift. But your arms are to the sides because of the hex bar shape. And there is no barbell scraping your shins! The center of gravity is a little farther back as well, which is great for beginners on the deadlift because it makes it easier to keep your back at the desired 45 degree angle. (Too many beginners, without proper instruction, mangle the traditional deadlift which can cause injury.) Of course, you can still hurt yourself with the hex bar if you aren’t using proper form.
Doing deadlifts with a trap bar is almost like doing dumbbell deadlifts but you can go much heavier.
My first set of trap bar deads was pure pleasure (meaning, it was total hell, except it felt safe). My love for the hex bar deepened.
Buying A Hex Bar
So I went out and purchased a hex bar for my home gym. I can’t imagine not having now, and highly recommend you add it to your arsenal if you have a home weight room.
There are various options and prices. I know, you are probably looking for something cheap, but if you lift heavy don’t go too cheap.
Search for hex bar and trap bar on the web and you’ll see prices from $129 to $229. Of course, shipping charges will add to that significantly. The higher priced versions usually are a better grade of steel (stronger) and have an extra set of handles (hi and lo handles). The lower set comes in handy (no pun intended) if you are really short so that you can get a more full range of motion.
If you can find a used hex bar locally, that’s the best option. However, I couldn’t find any in my entire state on Craig’s List. You might have better luck.
You’ll also want to weigh your bar – there doesn’t seem to be a standard weight, like 45 lb barbells. Mine weighs just under 60 pounds.
Using A Hex Bar
Whether you use one at a commercial gym, or buy your own, you want to start out with lighter weight than you think you can lift. That’s true of any new movement, because the different angles of force may recruit different supporting muscles. You won’t have fun if you get injured.
And as annoying as it may seem, you should use the collars. You might think it’s cooler or “more advanced” to skip them but trust me, you’ll look like a fool if you tilt a little and plates end up sliding off. That crashing sound isn’t just the plates hitting the floor – it’s your ego shattering as a reminder that it’s better to be safe than stupid.
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January 11th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
I visited a different gym today because I knew they have two pieces of equipment I had never used and wanted to try – squat cage and Stair Mill. Turns out they also have a hex bar. I did a couple of sets of deadlifts with it, and it is pretty cool. I weighed it on the scales, and it is 45 pounds. It sat higher than I’m used to with 45-pound plates and the higher handles. I’m more used to either dumbbells or a curl bar with nothing bigger than 25-pound plates. If this were my regular gym and not one I’d have to join, I’d be using this all the time for deadlifts (probably putting 25s on it rather than 45s). And the squat cage was great; none of the locations of my regular gym have those, and I don’t like the Smith machine nearly as much. Not blown away by the Stair Mill; I’d rather walk up real stairs (or run).
January 13th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
I just saw a video where this is referred to as a “diamond bar”.