shrug/trap bar, anyone own one?

djhex36

New member
shurg/trap bar anyone own one?

does anyone own those special shurg/trap bars that go all the way around you? if so do u recommend them over normal dumbells/bars. and are they good for deadlifts? thanks
 
I know I've read somewhere in IA's posts that he recommends them and he's listed at least one recommended site. Might be worth a search.

I do not own one, but have used both olympic bar and shrug bar for deadlifts and prefer the shrug bar. I have much more skin on my shins/knees, and I can pull more weight with the shrug bar.

~Todd
 
I like the olympic bar better, personally. I prefer dumbells for the side-shrugs. Can definately put more weight on the shrug bar though.
 
supersoldier said:
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I used one of these at my old gym and I am ordering one for the gym I train at now. They are the best for deadlifts.
 
I've been so close to buying one for years, I really should. I could leave it at my gym, but I also have a home gym I use, so I'm tempted to see if it fits in the car fairly easily :D

I've used them before though and really like them, just never got around to buying one.
 
I bought one almost a yr ago, I weighed 160lbs then, Now I am at 197....... lol, you could say I use it religously. You can go MUCH heavier with it vs. the reg olympic bar, it is the best thing I have evr bought equipment wise. I would reccommend it to anyone wanting to pack on some mass :D
 
I tried deadlifting with it once. I didn't like the grip distance since its set and you can't change it - it was too wide and hurt my shoulders.
 
The trap bar isn't the same for normal deadlifting on an Olympic bar. Stick with the Olympic bar. The trap bar is a waste of money.
 
From your other posts, it sounds like you're a powerlifter so buying a trap bar would be a waste of your money since pulling a lot of weight on a trap bar would do little for the technique that is so vital to your sport. However, 75+% of this board are bb'ers (or wannabe's).

~Todd
 
Well, regardless of what the want to be, the trap bar is not as effective. It's that simple. You can get a great workout from a trap bar but it's not really gonna build what you can with deads. Maybe for someone with injuries etc but anyone else? No way would I recommend it.
 
djhex36 said:
does anyone own those special shurg/trap bars that go all the way around you? if so do u recommend them over normal dumbells/bars. and are they good for deadlifts? thanks
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I got one about 6 months ago and I love it and so do all my training clients.

The clients I train in my facility are all over 35 years old, with a couple of them in their mid-50s. None of them are interested in BBing or powerlifting (nor am I..I'm 42 and have had some low back problems in the past), so in this case, the arguement that an Olympic bar is more advantageous is moot.

IMHO, it's a great piece of equipment to have on hand and not a waste of money at all. I got mine off eBay. If you go there and type "shrug bar" in the search field, a couple of them come up today, from the same company mine came from.
 
Future said:
Well, regardless of what the want to be, the trap bar is not as effective. It's that simple. You can get a great workout from a trap bar but it's not really gonna build what you can with deads. Maybe for someone with injuries etc but anyone else? No way would I recommend it.
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how can you say this? I consider my trap bar the BEST piece of equipment I have ever bought!!! I have added nearly 40lbs to my frame this year, and I give my deadlifts alot of credit for this!
 
If you powerlift, which apparently Future does, you NEED to do regular deads. If you are primarily a bodybuilder, the trap bar will usually provide better results. I doubt Future has used one to any degree, and if I were forced to pick only one movement for overall mass the trap bar deadlift would win hands down.

Iron Addict
 
thats how i build on my deadlifts, that bar is sweet, at my gym though, im like one of the only guys who uses it. its great for doing really heavy weights, cause i dont wanna fall over, and the grip width is perfect for me cause i have a wide grip.
 
My 2$.

I have been using a shrug bar for the past 2 years and it is a godsend for those of us with bad leverages or injuries.We had a debate at the rountable where some actually call it a squatlift rather than a deadlift,as most get superb thigh stimulation.One thing that you must be weary about is that you might not hit the low back musculature as you would with bent leg deads so hypers would be a wise choice.

On the issue of width the "shrug bar" allows more space than the trap bar and the magnufacturer can make it to your specifications.Good luck.
 
i have started to use strait bar... IMO its a good bit harder than the "shrug bar" i would say use the strait if you are a PLer like Iron Addict said.
 
Absolutely the best piece of equipment I ever bought or used.

If you're a competitive powerifter you'll want to keep using the Olympic bar, but for the pure benefit of the exercise this can't be beat. Trouble with the DB are they rub against the sides of you in deadlifting.

I took mine with be to and from the gym for three years untill that one closed up - people looked at me like I was nuts. But it was worth the trouble as I worked up to 405 X 18 last year on my 51 st birthday at 188 ( damn, just couldn't get 20 which was my ultimate goal !! )

I still use it at home as the new gym I go to still doesn't have one despite having just about every other piece of equipment and machinery in existance. I just do my deads at home instead of carrying it to the gym and back.

Anyway, I saw this thread and couldn't help putting in my two cents as I LOVE the Shrug bar !
 
i talked my school into ordering one for our gym and it should b e there this week. i talked them into it months ago when i read all of ia's stuff. they only order certain times. my question is do you do them the same as a normal deadlift? what form should be used or what would be something to watch for that says you're doing them wrong? i'm sure you don't have to bend over to clear the knee's, but is it just keep back straight and stand up?
 
The gym I used to go to had one with two sets of grips, one thin and one thick. They were both the same distance, one set about 8-10 inches or so above the other. You had to flip the bar over to use the different grip. Does anybody know who makes that bar and where I can get it?
 
Not familiar with that one. The two I know of is the 'original' Trap Bar put out by Al Gerard and the Shrug bar by PDA ( Piedmont Design Associates ). The trap bar is a triangle while the Shrug bar is more of a Hexagon shape. Either one will do and I'm sure you'll progress with either one and love the results.

I have the Shrug bar. I had no modifications done on it concerning the grip position as the 'standard' was fine with me and I'm only 5'6". These guys at PDA were great to deal with and took less than a week for me to get my bar and begin killing myself with it !
 
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