The deadlift is an exercise that should always be included in our muscle training routines, due to its great transfer in the improvement of sports performance and the gain in strength and hypertrophy that it can bring.
Sometimes, we see athletes performing the deadlift with the hexagonal bar and we wonder what differences the work with said bar will bring instead of the typical straight bar that is always used. Therefore, you know the benefits that the hexagonal bar provides when performing the deadlift.
4 reasons to use a hex bar in the deadlift
1. Body position
When we observe an athlete performing deadlift with the straight bar and another with the hexagonal bar, we see that the body position is not completely the same, especially in the snatch phase.
After evaluating the differences in the posture of the two exercises, it is shown that most of the joints do not receive a different stimulus, but a difference between the two types of bars is perceived in the knee.
The flexion of the knee is differentiated, being greater with the hexagonal bar, specifically 79º, compared to 73º that occur with the straight bar. This difference in knee flexion causes the exercise to be modified and closer to the squat technique, involving a more upright trunk.
2. Weight on the bar
Although many users claim that they are capable of lifting more weight by deadlifting with a hexagonal bar , the truth is that studies carried out do not find a clear difference in terms of the load between one bar and another.
Those who claim that they benefit from lifting by the hexagonal bar, rely on the fact that the load is closer to its mass axis, so the resistance to overcome will be less.
As we have mentioned before, there is no concrete evidence on this theory, but it is true that more and more people are using these bars to perform heavier lifts.
3. Efficiency
The grip on the bar changes from prone to neutral when you decide to do the exercise with the hex bar, so the grip benefits.
A better grip will reduce lifting fatigue, so you can work with a high load for a longer time. By saving energy in your grip, you will improve your strength and the exercise will be much less fatiguing.
4. Muscle involvement
If we look at the literature, we can affirm that the hexagonal bar gives a greater involvement to the quadriceps , specifically the vastus lateralis, unlike the straight bar, which is observed a greater stimulus in the hamstring muscles.
Another difference that we can list would be the stimulation of the lumbar area, where when using the hexagonal bar it would be less, therefore for people with problems in that musculature it would be an option to consider.
Conclusions.
The deadlift is always a basic exercise that should be the foundation of your training. Whichever way you do it, you will benefit from many aspects.
If you are one of those who always use the straight bar and want to add a different stimulus, we advise you to try to use this type of hexagonal bar from time to time to perform the lifts. It is a different and equally effective way, which will provide you with extra benefits to those you are obtaining.
Reference
- Beardsley, C. Why is the hex bar deadlift valuable for training athletes? For Medium. (Revised June 2018).
