Sumo Deadlifts? Hex Bar Deadlifts? Or Rack Pulls?- Which One Is Easier On the Back?

[Texas Ranger]

Guys, from your own personal experience which one is easier on the lower back while hitting the hamstrings & glutes hard?

[Texas Ranger]

I forgot to add that I used to deadlift heavy once a week, but had to give them up 8-10 months ago due to a job change. I'm a route salesamn and am on my feet 11-14 hours a day. Conventional deads used to drain me for days! I'm getting the urge to start deadlifting again. There's nothing like picking up some heavy iron! I'm just looking for an option that's a "little" less taxing on the lower back.

[Cards]

You could try sumo dead lifts. It should help to take some of the pressure off your lower back.

[thecityalive]

With a rack pull, you could do those sumo as well. Remember training only impartials may lead to less desired results (say if you wanted to get your actual deadlifts from the floor up)...but they will certainly be better on your back than from the floor. Hex bar depending on if you have a super hex bar (one with both a regular and high grip) may also vary based on where you place your grip. Generally, I feel the hex bar movement in my quads more and use it as a barbell hack squat alternative.

[BULK_BOY]

For me, Hex DL Bar.

I miss that piece of equipment. Damn gym closing.

[D-RAS03]

I do rack pulls for now to strengthin the lower back as I hurt it a while back. I have seen good results so far but will be going back to deadlifts at some point.

[chevelle2291]

may wanna give rdls a shot too.

[patricky]

Hex bar all the way man.
Rack deadlifts are garbage for anything other than assistance work. Sumo places a lot of load on the spine.

For functional strength hex bar is as good as any other deadlift. And you can use huge weight too Make sure to get one without the raised handles.

[Tom Mutaffis]

If you are trying to avoid strain on your Low Back then why not use movements like Leg Press, Standing Leg Curl, etc.?

For a deadlift variation I would go with a Trap Bar (Hex Bar) and potentially pull off of blocks or using higher handles to further reduce the chance of injury. I would also use low rep range and lower weights with short rest periods to increase intensity (pulling lower reps will reduce risk of injury, but the short rest periods will keep it challenging).

My advice if you have an injury is to avoid deadlifting all together until you have healed, and if you want to train your posterior chain you can use machines and perform isolation movements where your back is supported/neutral.

[D-RAS03]

Hex bar all the way man.
Rack deadlifts are garbage for anything other than assistance work. Sumo places a lot of load on the spine.

For functional strength hex bar is as good as any other deadlift. And you can use huge weight too Make sure to get one without the raised handles.

Got a link to where to buy one?
And does using a hex bar really have the same benefit as a normal deadlift? And less lower back pain. That's my biggest problem.

[thecityalive]

Tom Mutaffis found a deal on regular trap bars for $85 shipped here

http://www.amazon.com/Cap-Barbell-We...3416255&sr=8-5

[D-RAS03]

Tom Mutaffis found a deal on regular trap bars for $85 shipped here

http://www.amazon.com/Cap-Barbell-We...3416255&sr=8-5

Awesome thanks man. How does doing deadlifts with them put less pressure on the spine/lower back?

[thecityalive]

Physics, really.

Think of your body as one big lever moving mass. In a straight bar deadlift, your body is placed behind the center of mass in which your hip acts as the pivot point for the motion. The center of mass is still going to be at the bar, but because you are positioned further away from this center of mass, your erectors have to work more to execute the lift.

In a hex/trap bar deadlift, your body is positioned directly center of the weight, which changes the angle you have to move. Your hips are closer in line with the center of mass (of the weight) and enables you to be more mechanically efficient. The result of this reduced angle causes less stress on the erectors and becomes more of a leg-centered movement.



Weight lifting is just a game of physics and knowing how to be the most efficient at it (imo).

[D-RAS03]

becomes more of a leg-centered movement.

Will it still work the muscle groups as well as a regular deadlift? Your statment above kinda confused me. And thanks for the great write up.

[thecityalive]

Yes. You are still going to see some benefit in your erectors, the hex bar just swings the ratios towards the quads a bit more.

[D-RAS03]

Yes. You are still going to see some benefit in your erectors, the hex bar just swings the ratios towards the quads a bit more.

Awesome. Thank you.

[Texas Ranger]

If you are trying to avoid strain on your Low Back then why not use movements like Leg Press, Standing Leg Curl, etc.?

For a deadlift variation I would go with a Trap Bar (Hex Bar) and potentially pull off of blocks or using higher handles to further reduce the chance of injury. I would also use low rep range and lower weights with short rest periods to increase intensity (pulling lower reps will reduce risk of injury, but the short rest periods will keep it challenging).

My advice if you have an injury is to avoid deadlifting all together until you have healed, and if you want to train your posterior chain you can use machines and perform isolation movements where your back is supported/neutral.

I'm leaning towards buying a mega hex bar. I've heard ALOT of good things about it.