In Part 1 we discussed the main differences between deadlifting with the trap bar vs. doing so with the straight bar, and also examined the primary muscles recruited through each pull. Part II will touch on some of the training implications - aka the, “How does this affect ME?” question.
I like lists, so what follows are, in list form, some key points surrounding each deadlift variation.
The Trap Bar
1. I previously stated that the trap bar tends to be easier to learn how to deadlift with, and while I still stand by that claim, it doesn’t mean the trap bar can’t be royally screwed up if unaware of what to feel or look for.
I’ve been in the strength and conditioning field for a very short time; luckily I have luck on my side and ended up surrounded by very smart people. Whether it’s coaching, watching my colleagues coach, reading, or training myself I consistently learn something new every day. With that said here are 3 awesome things I’ve learned both as a coach and as someone who trains.
Keep things simple…
If you’re an inexperienced lifter or you’re dealing with an inexperienced athlete don’t try and get to crazy; you’re not and their not as advanced as you think. Squatting (bodyweight, goblet, barbell), deadlifting (kettlebells, trap bar, straight bar), and pressing (pushups, bench press, overhead press) are the best ways to gain strength, power, and body awareness. If you are just starting out or are coaching someone who is just starting out you will be much better off refining these motor patterns, using progressive overload, and coupling them with unilateral movements like split squats, stepback lunges, bowler squats, single leg balancing. I don’t care if someone is 8 years old or 50 years old these movements form the foundation for athletics and everyday life and should be learned proficiently. Things like powercleans or Turkish getups are awesome but they are advanced. I see absolutely no need to give them to someone who cannot squat, deadlift, or do a pushup correctly. Milk the simplicity of the other exercises for all their worth; you or your athlete will be better for it in the long run.
Get Experience Under the Bar…
In one of the first conversations I ever had with Sarah was her telling me I need to compete in powerlifting. Her reasons were it would help me learn more about strength and conditioning and it would make me a better coach. I wasn’t quite sure how competing would do both those things but I started training for powerlifting anyway. Time has gone on since then and looking back I completely understand what she was talking about. You cannot be a coach or a trainer unless you get experience under the bar. I was re-watching the EliteFTS BIG seminar with Jim Wendler the other day (which everyone should watch) and he said two things that really stuck with me. Keep in mind I’m paraphrasing here but he said something along the lines of “I have authority on the subject (strength training) because I’ve had a bar on my back, not because of a certification I have or something I read” and later “everything you want to know about lifting can be learned through training”. These are bold statements but they are absolutely true.
If you’re a coach you need to try everything out, you need to get some scratches on you or no one will take your advice. It’s like a tennis player telling you how to improve your golf swing because they read an article about it once, doesn’t make any sense. And if you’re just trying to train stop reading internet articles all day long and go put a barbell on your back and squat it, go pull something heavy off the ground and then press something off your chest or over your head. You can listen all you want to this guy or this girl but the truth is you will NEVER know what works until you do it yourself. Get under the bar!
Don’t Ever be Content and Always Have Fun…
This is where I feel people lose it. No one should be content whether it’s your knowledge base, your numbers, the money your business brings in, your teaching abilities, it doesn’t matter always strive to be better. If you’re a coach you shouldn’t ever come to a place where you say “I know everything I need to know” because you don’t. The greatest strength coaches in the world still educate themselves and then apply it. This is what’s going to make you and your athletes better. If you’re just a person trying to get stronger that’s great but once you hit a specific goal, don’t stop there, make a new one. I’m not saying don’t be happy about what you’ve done because that’s ridiculous. You should be happy about what you’ve accomplished and you should reflect on those achievements but strive for more.
This leads into my next point of having fun while you’re doing all of this. There hasn’t been one day where I haven’t had fun training or coaching. Are there days where I’m tired and don’t necessarily feel like going to train? Yeah, but by the end I had fun and am glad I did it. And as far as coaching or teaching for that matter, if you’re not enjoying helping people get better and realize their potential than you need a new career. That has been the best part of coaching and teaching for me is that I can truly have fun. I can joke around with the clients and athletes and I can help them reach their goals. People want to be so serious and mope around all the time, I don’t get it. We have all had some bad stuff happen in our lives but its our ability to overcome that makes life great. Life is truly short and we need to enjoy it and have some fun while we’re living it. With that said, I’ll leave you with this… because it’s funny!
Which bar is more appropriate for your deadlift training goals?
“What’s your thought/preference on straight bar deadlifts vs. trap bar deadlifts?”
I hear this question constantly, but because both lifts closely resemble one another, and because both lifts are used so often, I can understand why it can be a confusing topic.
So, what exactly are the differences? Which of the two bars is easier to learn? Which variation will add more muscle mass? Which option will be place less stress on the low back? Which variation will provide a greater stimulus for the hips? Which bar would Wolverine and Batman choose, respectively? Hang tight, as I’m about to answer those questions and then some.
The p90x system has popularized the phrase “muscle confusion” with claims, within the infomercial, referring to the “training science of muscle confusion.”
My question is this: Is “muscle confusion” based in “training science?” Oh, and, what the heck is “training science?”
Here is a portion of the p90x pitch:
Alright, muscle confusion… sounds good. Let’s see what a search of scientific research journals pulls up for me:
Only 10 results – hmmmm – that’s not usually a good sign…
Serotonin Syndrome – Muscle Rigidity and Confusion in the Older Adult.
Renal failure in a patient with…
Confusion between physicians & dentists about muscle-type pain…
Preventing falls and fall-related injuries in hospitals.
Nothing related so, I’ll stop there and spare you the rest of the list.
Sadly, “muscle confusion” doesn’t seem to be based anywhere in science.
Well, let’s go ahead and see what kind of research supports “training science:”
Basic science research and education: a priority for training…
Training and career development in clinical and translational science: an opportunity for rehabilitation scientists.
Science in Mental Health Training and Practice…
Eating for Performance: Bringing Science to the Training Table.
Not quite what I was looking for, but the list goes on and on.
Perhaps most perplexing is that a comprehensive research journal search with the phrases “muscle confusion” and “training science” yield absolutely no results! Tony Horton, have you lied to us all?!?
In fact, there are only two papers that come up relating to p90x – one is from Men’s Fitness (let’s throw that one out). And the other is from FireRescue Magazine, more detailed than Men’s Fitness, yes, but a far cry from the “training science” research I was hoping to find!
Okay, let’s give Tony Horton one more chance and find out what papers he has authored:
Another head-scratcher, neither “Tony Horton” nor “Anthony Horton” returned any results.
Oh well, I guess I’ll have to answer my own question from the top of this post.
So, what does “the training science of muscle confusion” mean?
My take is that it is essentially a nonsense term/phrase used for marketing to laypeople.
“Training science” can probably best be relabeled as exercise science (now this is a real phrase… in fact entire bachelor's degrees are labeled as such). Personally, I think exercise science is as easy to understand as “training science,” so I don’t know why they wouldn’t market it correctly in this way.
“Muscle confusion” seems to be very much a dummy term. From the marketing, it seems like the p90x folks are alluding to their programming and the manipulation of variables (sets, reps, mode, method, etc.). The actual term is “periodization” and this can take on a variety of shapes and sizes to elicit the result you’re looking for.
Perhaps the marketing magic-makers think the layperson is not capable of learning new words like “periodization?”
The bottom line?
I’ve watched the p90x DVDs and I think the creativity of exercises and simple exercise progressions are quite good.
Personally, I know at least 50 people (all happen to be current or former high-level athletes) who have tried p90x. None of them have completed the program.
I think it is shameful the way the fitness industry allows itself to market to people’s egos, fears, and insecurities. This product is no different.
If you want to try it, go for it! It’s way better than sitting on the couch and a gigantic step-up from Jane Fonda tapes or going to a commercial gym to mindlessly wander around. But, I must say it is an extremely aggressive way to start a training program and, much like CrossFit, you may be best served to begin a training program that is moderately paced and conservatively planned to get you prepared for the full regimen.
Remember, in the world of strength, conditioning, and fitness, it is NEVER an all or none proposition. Any system that makes you feel that way, guarantees results, or sets a time limit on your progress should likely be avoided.
Here’s a list of things to keep your busy mind occupied and focused on something positive instead of dwelling on the issues that are probably keeping you up in the first place:
Eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Why not? Who cares that it’s 2AM? They’re delicious and will probably make you feel a little bit better about being awake.
Take the bull by the horns: address whatever is keeping you from falling back to sleep. Returning emails, addressing little projects, addressing little parts of big projects, etc. Can’t hurt, right?
Listen to music.
Turn on SportsCenter. It’s sports, it’s on 24-hours a day, it’s usually pretty positive and inspiring.
Do something enjoyable/out of the ordinary.
Here’s my early morning play-by-play after Arabella woke up at 1:17AM (you start remembering the exact time after about the 300th occasion you’ve been roused by crying in the dead of night):
Lay awake in bed for approximately 60-minutes mulling over small, but important and irritating, “issues.” Eventually, I officially acknowledged I’m not going back to sleep.
Go downstairs and make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (see #1 above). It was delicious.
Return a few emails.
Fill out SAPT product survey: I filled out a review on one of SAPT’s excellent products (if you’re reading between the lines, yes, that means I buy them, too… at full price). They actually are excellent and I actually enjoyed pouring some positivity out in a way, which for me is very non-traditional.
Rediscover my love for Britney Spears. I'm totally serious right now.
Make adjustments to my program for women’s basketball (Mason).
Realize I can do a blog post on not sleeping – begin that.
Fill out testing roster for women’s soccer (Mason) and go over testing protocol and setup one more time to ensure things go smoothly in the morning.
Finalize this blog post while watching highlights of Pro Bowl players on SportsCenter.
Seriously though, here are some Actual Recommendations for Improving Sleep Patterns:
Exercise daily: this helps reduce stress and expend the extra energy that may be stored up.
Eat sensibly: throughout the day and before going to bed. It’s best to steer clear of large, dense meals right before trying to sleep.
Set yourself up for some relaxing wind-down time: take a shower, drink some water, and get into bed with a good book (again, something relaxing).
Allot 7-9 hours for uninterrupted sleep.
Avoid allowing young, fitful sleepers occupancy near your bedroom. I’m hoping to surmount this problem in about 5 years.
