Trap Bar Split Stance RDL

Description

How to Do Trap Bar Split Stance RDL

1. 1
   Setup

   Load a trap bar to an appropriate weight and step inside, centering your body. Assume a split stance with one foot forward and the other foot back, about 2-3 feet apart, ensuring your front foot is directly under the trap bar handles.

2. 2
   Setup

   Grip the trap bar handles with a neutral grip, aligning your shoulders over your hands. Keep your chest up, shoulders pulled back, and core braced, with a soft bend in your front knee.

3. 3

   Initiate the movement by hinging at your hips, pushing your glutes backward as if reaching for a wall behind you. Allow the trap bar to descend straight down, maintaining a slight bend in your front knee and keeping your back leg relatively straight but not locked.

4. 4

   Lower the trap bar until you feel a deep stretch in the hamstring and glute of your front leg, or until your torso is roughly parallel to the floor, ensuring your back remains neutral.

5. 5

   Drive through the heel of your front foot, powerfully extending your hips and squeezing your glutes to return to the upright starting position. Keep the trap bar close to your body throughout the ascent.

6. 6

   Complete all repetitions on one side before switching your lead leg and performing the same number of reps on the other side.

Tips

• Emphasize the front leg by actively driving through its heel; this ensures the majority of the work targets the glute and hamstring of the lead leg.
• Maintain a rigid torso and neutral spine throughout the entire range of motion by keeping your core tightly braced and chest proud.
• Control the eccentric phase by slowly lowering the trap bar for a count of 2-3 seconds, maximizing time under tension and muscle engagement.
• Keep your gaze fixed on a spot about 3-5 feet in front of you on the floor to help maintain balance and a neutral head position.

Common Mistakes

• ×Rounding the lower back: To fix this, actively brace your core and keep your chest lifted throughout the movement, ensuring your spine remains neutral.
• ×Squatting instead of hinging: Focus on pushing your hips directly backward at the start of the descent rather than bending your knees excessively, which targets the glutes and hamstrings more effectively.
• ×Losing balance: Improve stability by widening your split stance slightly and focusing your gaze on a fixed point on the floor, engaging your core for overall control.