Can trap bar deadlifts replace squats?

[Nuthead007]

Hi,

So I have been doing the a strength program (Texas Method) with deadlifts, shoulder presses and bench press as the main movements.

I have a shoulder injury so I cannot do back squats - it hurts alot and it will only get worse.

I've been trying to train myself for weeks to do front squats by stretching, foam rolling and doing the exercise with just the bar and using straps. I just can't keep the posture towards the bottom and I'll still try to work on it.
I'm looking into trap bar deadlifts since they train legs more than conventional deadlifts, and they train the back less meaning I could possibly do both on the same day and avoid squatting.

My questions are the following:
Can I use trap bar deadlifts in place of the squat to strengthen my legs?
Does the trap bar deadlift work leg muscles as much (or close to) squats?
Does the trap bar deadlift work the lower back heavily, or just slightly? I intend to still do conventional deadlifts on trap bar deadlift days and I want to do the second exercise performed at or close to my maximum possible weight.
To emphasize legs I can take a lower position at the hips, which is a nono on conventinal. Is this safe for trap bar deadlifts?

[keyboardworkout]

A safety squat bar would be a better option.

[Nuthead007]

A safety squat bar would be a better option.

I believe my gym doesn't have one unfortunately.

[nemLifts]

My questions are the following:
Can I use trap bar deadlifts in place of the squat to strengthen my legs?
Does the trap bar deadlift work leg muscles as much (or close to) squats?
Does the trap bar deadlift work the lower back heavily, or just slightly? I intend to still do conventional deadlifts on trap bar deadlift days and I want to do the second exercise performed at or close to my maximum possible weight.
To emphasize legs I can take a lower position at the hips, which is a nono on conventinal. Is this safe for trap bar deadlifts?

Deadlifts work lower back the most, then sumo deadlifts, then trap bar due to the position of the torso. It's still a deadlift type movement pattern though so you wont be able to pull max loads if you're fatigued from deadlifts already. Same goes vice versa.

Why not do leg presses?

[supramax]

Hi,

So I have been doing the a strength program (Texas Method) with deadlifts, shoulder presses and bench press as the main movements.

I have a shoulder injury so I cannot do back squats - it hurts alot and it will only get worse.

I've been trying to train myself for weeks to do front squats by stretching, foam rolling and doing the exercise with just the bar and using straps. I just can't keep the posture towards the bottom and I'll still try to work on it.
I'm looking into trap bar deadlifts since they train legs more than conventional deadlifts, and they train the back less meaning I could possibly do both on the same day and avoid squatting.

My questions are the following:
Can I use trap bar deadlifts in place of the squat to strengthen my legs?
Does the trap bar deadlift work leg muscles as much (or close to) squats?
Does the trap bar deadlift work the lower back heavily, or just slightly? I intend to still do conventional deadlifts on trap bar deadlift days and I want to do the second exercise performed at or close to my maximum possible weight.
To emphasize legs I can take a lower position at the hips, which is a nono on conventinal. Is this safe for trap bar deadlifts?

Hinging doesn't replace squatting. Do a hang squat like this with the trap bar: https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a...umbbell-squat/

[SuffolkPunch]

There are a range of ways you can do trap bar deadlifts, involving more or less legs. But it takes discipline to engage the quads more and the back less. You essentially keep your torso as upright as possible and start each rep with your butt as low as possible. It's easy to slip though. I personally would prefer a hack squat (bar behind legs) but even that can be cheated to some extent.

Basically, I would not be happy with that as my only quad exercise, especially if you can get a full range of motion from the quads. If you really don't want to squat, do some leg presses or sissy squats instead so that you can use full ROM (better overall development and crucially, less problems with muscle knots and inflexibility)

[BeginnerGainz]

Simple answer, no. The squat is one of the basic principles of movement and should be trained accordingly.

Long answer, if you don’t like to squat, you don’t have to. If you aren’t in a sport that requires it, you can get by without it.

Before I couldn’t do a back OR front squat because of piss poor shoulder mobility. I still can’t do either, so I bought a safety squat bar. But before I did that I did heavy full ROM leg presses followed by back extensions to kind of replicate the effects of a proper back squat.

[Nuthead007]

Deadlifts work lower back the most, then sumo deadlifts, then trap bar due to the position of the torso. It's still a deadlift type movement pattern though so you wont be able to pull max loads if you're fatigued from deadlifts already. Same goes vice versa.

Why not do leg presses?

I have been experimenting with this but the leg press machine doesn't have long enough bars at the side to hold enough weight for me to do strength reps (5 reps at max or close to max effort). Plus its bad for your knees if you go past ROM by accident which is pretty easy to do.

Hinging doesn't replace squatting. Do a hang squat like this with the trap bar:

Isn't that essentially a trap bar deadlift with low hips?

There are a range of ways you can do trap bar deadlifts, involving more or less legs. But it takes discipline to engage the quads more and the back less. You essentially keep your torso as upright as possible and start each rep with your butt as low as possible. It's easy to slip though. I personally would prefer a hack squat (bar behind legs) but even that can be cheated to some extent.

Basically, I would not be happy with that as my only quad exercise, especially if you can get a full range of motion from the quads. If you really don't want to squat, do some leg presses or sissy squats instead so that you can use full ROM (better overall development and crucially, less problems with muscle knots and inflexibility)

For a strength program, sissy squats are not useful since they don't conform to weekly progressive overload in the same way that the other large compound movements do.

Thanks I will look into hack squats.

[Nuthead007]

I found an interesting graph that shows Squat vs Hinge movements. Does this mean that Sumo DL would be better than Trap bar DL for working legs?

I can't post links. Google "squat hinge continuum" for graph.

[nemLifts]

Interesting graphs, I dont think it takes into account for different body positions for each exercise though. The way I see it is that the more upright the torso in the starting position and throughout the movement, the higher the quad involvement.

[Garage Rat]

I'll add my two cents.
Yes you could use the trap bar as a leg movement if you wanted but each rep would have to be precise.
Suffolk punch's answer above is right on IMO.
You can maneuver the trap bar so the leverage make s you use more leg and it basically has to stay in the same position.
As mentioned,Staying fairly upright with the mid bar line(where the weights are) stays at the hip/upper quad area.
I would stop each rep on the floor,(no touch and go)so you can be sure your starting from the same spot each time.
If you drift forward with the bar your low back will become more engaged not what you want for targeting the legs.
I've always thought of the trap bar as a hybrid compound movement ,not a real deadlift or squat but a combo of both.
I hope this helps you some.

[TheShadowMan]

Might give barbell hack squats a try? Easy on the back, and hits lower body hard. Can do em without a rack also.

[sowilson]

work on getting your shoulder fixed (aka Orthopedic Surgeon). If your shoulder is injured, almost any load (deadlift, SSB squat, trap bar) on it is going to further injure it. You could try belt squats.

[Nelg1993]

How about walking lunges?

Got great leg strength and mass bc of them when I couldn’t squat. Also have a shoulder injury. Also counts as a loaded carry, great core and stability exercise while training grip strength.

Btw, go visit a PT for that shoulder.

[Nuthead007]

Thanks for responses guys.

Might give barbell hack squats a try? Easy on the back, and hits lower body hard. Can do em without a rack also.

Yes I tried them today and they seem to work very well. They are very uncomfortable though but hopefully that will improve as I get used to the mechanics.

work on getting your shoulder fixed (aka Orthopedic Surgeon). If your shoulder is injured, almost any load (deadlift, SSB squat, trap bar) on it is going to further injure it. You could try belt squats.

How about walking lunges?

Got great leg strength and mass bc of them when I couldn’t squat. Also have a shoulder injury. Also counts as a loaded carry, great core and stability exercise while training grip strength.

Btw, go visit a PT for that shoulder.

Yes I will try and get physio with the doctor to see whats going on with the shoulder, although I suspect there is a 6-9 months ish wait time.

It's injured in a specific way that only hurts doing backsquats (and also upright rows but I don't do them anymore). I think its impingement since I fail a test for it.

I had lunges in my last workout and for me since I am flat footed, they are more of a balancing act going side to side, so it would be more for stability which at the moment isn't what I am aiming for. It could be a useful exercise to add into my active rest day, though.

[supramax]

... Isn't that essentially a trap bar deadlift with low hips?...

Only if you squat your deadlift.