Tip The Strength Test Real Lifters Can Pass Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip The Strength Test Real Lifters Can Pass Are you strong Like really strong in a real-world kinda way Take this test and find out by Charley Gould May 23, 2019May 10, 2022 Tags Deadlift, Powerlifting & Strength, Tips, Training Lead Photo Credit: Daniel Bernhardt The 1RM Trap-Bar Deadlift Test As a serious lifter, you should be able to pass this test: Set up a trap bar with 2.5 times your bodyweight. Now, get one good rep. That's it. So, a 200 pound man should try to hit a 500 pound trap-bar deadlift. Trap-bar deadlifts aren't inherently "better" for testing strength than traditional squats or deadlifts, but they have a number of unique benefits. Squats are mostly knee-dominant, with some help from the posterior chain. Deadlifts are mostly hip-dominant, with some help from the anterior chain. There's definitely overlap between the two, but it's hard to determine who's stronger: a guy with a 500 pound squat and a 400 pound deadlift, or a guy with a 400 pound squat and a 500 pound deadlift. A trap-bar deadlift can settle the debate. It's a hybrid movement that combines the best of the squat pattern with the best of the hinge pattern. Rather than focusing on one side of the body, it requires a great deal of strength from both the posterior and anterior chain. On top of recruiting the entire musculature of the lower half, trap-bar deadlifts require significant upper back and grip strength. Plus, no lift translates more directly to overall athleticism and performance like the trap-bar deadlift. For example, a vertical jump requires exerting maximum force into the ground, which is exactly what it takes to lift a maximally loaded trap bar off the floor. Can t Do It Make trap-bar deadlifts your primary strength focus on lower-body days. Squats and conventional deadlifts obviously help, but nothing boosts your trap-bar deadlift more than the lift itself. Heavy singles, sets of 3-5 reps, and dynamic effort sets with bands or chains will go a long way. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip Forget the Foam Roller Do Quad Smashes Feeling beat up after leg day? Try this to work out the tightness and free up your mobility. It Hurts Fix It, Legs, Mobility, Tips, Training Calvin Huynh August 14 Training More Thoughts From the Weight-Room Floor A veteran lifter weighs in on building bigger arms, how to assess your weak points, and overcoming the tyranny of bad advice. Powerlifting & Strength, Training Jack Reape March 19 Training Tip Use This Workout to Build Your Puny Calves To add size to the calves you must remove the stretch-reflex and perform loaded stretching. Tips, Training Christian Thibaudeau October 19 Training Tip There Are No Wrong Squat Depths Stop arguing. How low you go depends on your goal. Here's your guide. Christian Thibaudeau May 3