Trap Bar Romanian Deadlift

How to perform the Trap Bar Romanian Deadlift

1. Stand inside the trap bar and grip the neutral handles at the sides with a tall posture.
2. Because the load sits at your sides rather than in front, the bar path stays closer to your center of mass.
3. Soften the knees and push the hips back, lowering the handles down the outside of the legs.
4. Use the more upright torso the centered load allows to keep stress off the lower back.
5. Descend to a strong hamstring stretch with a flat back, then reverse the hinge.
6. Drive the hips forward to stand tall, squeezing the glutes at the top.

Suggested working range: 8–12 reps. Default progression: double progression.

Common mistakes

• •Squatting the weight down because the neutral handles tempt a knee-dominant pattern.
• •Rounding the back despite the friendlier centered load position.
• •Setting the hips too low at the start so the hamstrings never reach a stretch.
• •Standing off-center in the trap bar so the load tips toward one side.

Variations & alternatives

Swap in a related movement if equipment, recovery, or progression demands it.