Hi, listeners, old and new, coach Kevin Donne here with another weekly injection of fitness facts.

This week I'm answering a listener question about drinking caffeine before a workout.

But before that, let's hear from Chris in Australia, who wrote in to ask about trap bar deadlifts.

Chris writes, Hi, Kevin. I ask about trap bar deadlifts. Chris writes,

Hi, Kevin. I really enjoy your no-nonsense evidence approach to strength training. I'm an experienced lifter. However, I would like to know your thoughts on the hex or trap bar deadlift as a replacement

for conventional deadlifts. I have lower back and blue issues which were irritated by

conventional deadlifts, so I swapped over to hexbar deadlifts, and they seemed to be much better for me.

Does this variation still hit the same areas as the conventional deadlift, or do I need to add in

some additional exercises to make up for any deficiencies. Appreciate your help.

Thank you for writing in, Chris.

Well, the hex bar or trap bar deadlift is not something I generally prescribe to my clients.

In fact, I think the only time I've done so was to use it for heavy caries.

I am, of course, well versed in what people see as the benefits,

which are mainly that they put less pressure on the lumbar spine, which could be useful in any lifter with a low back injury, and that they are easier to learn and therefore more accessible to most people.

I have my own reasons for not using it. As you noted, the muscles being

utilised may be somewhat, although not hugely different. It's a hard thing to say definitively

because it depends on anthropometry. That being said, in the conventional deadlift the main

error that I see in the setup, is people being too far from the barbell.

She allows you to squat down to the bar rather than hinging at the hip.

When you squat down, the shins will touch a barbell and push it away from you to the wrong start position.

So it's a helpful way to know we're in the right

position because you have both visual and tactile feedback. In the hex bar or trap bar, there isn't

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