I personally like the trap bar dead lift, but I never used it much as only 1 gym in the past few years had the bar.

I haven't ridden much since 2015. Been focusing on my career with my free time. When I did, I never did any of the group road rides. I was either in the gym, on the spin bike, or at the track. When I did ride road, the miles were on the Silver Comet for easy conditioning miles.

I agree that it doesn't tax the back as much. I have a herniated disc and the trap bar wasn't as harsh on my back.

Regarding what is "best": I've heard even different teammates on the same national team on different weight training regimens including different machines (leg press vs squat).

I had success with:

- Normal low-bar back squat
- Leg press
- Spin bike strength training

And I'm talking a complete year training each one exclusively as my main strength exercise. And each season was pretty good. Strength and power were not my limiting issues.

The key is to do something regularly and progressively.

This can't be overstated. Every year, I see roadie friends in off-season trying to add power by either lifting or "big ring climbing" a handful of times over a couple months. Complete waste of time. I've become quite enamored with lifting, and for a variety of reasons, think everyone can benefit from it. But if you aren't going to do it consistently, there really is no point.

The OP of the trap bar question is also in Atl. Should have been more clear to whom I was addressing the question.

Hey! I live in the Inman Park/Little 5 Points area, so I end up at Stone Mountain a lot as well as Vinings and the Silver Comet. The Peachtree Battle ride is no more as far as I know. There are some rides I do that travel those roads though, mostly out of Atlanta Cycling. Airport ride starts in a couple of weeks, that's always a fun one......

Thanks for all the advice guys. I agree that the trap bar doesn't take the place of a true squat as outlined in Starting Strength. To me, it is more akin to a front squat, maybe a little more posterior chain involvement than that, but still pretty close. I'm trying to go deeper with them by using 35 pound plates as the largest diameter plates, but I know I'm not getting as deep as I could with a back squat. I'll be joining the Y soon, so in the meantime I'll use what I got, maybe alternate between deads and the trap bar. I think what is most important is that I'm consistent with it like you guys said.

I would REALLLY love to do get a power rack and just build on a good home gym. The problem is space, we live in a loft, so a power rack would take up so much room it would be crazy. If they made space saver power racks, then we might be talking...

there are some DIY ideas floating around the internet if you're willing to mess around with building your own.

Atlanta guy checking in. I've been going to the YMCA for about a year now. the gym at the east lake location is great. they have a nice power rack and leg press machine. I usually do back squats, calf raises, glute bridges and leg presses as my lower body routine, but I might try trap bar deadlifts after reading this thread. I always see the trap bar sitting in the corner at the Y, and I never really knew what it was until now!

Awesome, yeah, I was pretty sure they had a good setup. Maybe I'll see you in there sometime. Do you do any of the in-town group rides?

Yeah, with my builder/mechanical skills it would probably collapse under the weight of just the bar. I have a hard time putting together IKEA products, let alone building something that's supposed to help keep me from being crushed.

I lived in Home Park and then Peachtree Hills late '80s to mid '90s. The Wed night Peachtree Battle ride starting at E Rivers Elementary was a regular training ride for me. Occasionally did the Pizza ride out of Decatur on Thursdays which went around Stone Mountain. Good times.

This is a few years old but it may give you some ideas (or keywords to search):

Power Rack Review

FYI, there is nothing wrong with doing front squat. I had a coach (Olympic medalist) put that into my program as the main lift. So, don't dis it. Also lots of collegiate football programs are moving from back squat to front squat. It seems that they see the same strength gains in the legs while using lower weights and lower numbers of weight training back injuries.

Basically, front squat is good.

Get a squat stand then, they hardly take any space and are cheaper too ;)

It's what Olympic weight lifters use most of the time.

An exercise in minimalism: My family and I are living in Japan again, and due to my location and work schedule, it's not possible for me to join a gym. I'm trying to work out at home, but small space has me limited (for now) to a set of dumbbells with a total load of just 40kg. I've been doing single leg squats with them but I just can't seem to hit the quads hard enough to induce any DOMS, so I'm afraid this isn't doing much.

Suggestions for other single leg stuff I can do? TIA

pistol squats would add more of your bodyweight to the squat than a single leg squat, wouldn't they? and there are always jump squats....

Put the spouse or a kid/s on your back.
Squat Jumps and Lunge Jumps.
Single leg squat jumps.
Hold the weights.
Bring the jump/explosion into it.


I assume your other leg is already resting on a chair. - single leg reverse Russian.
https://athleticperformancetc.files....t-622x4851.png

I have one of these. I use it when I'm doing step-ups on my plyo box:

http://www.mirweightedvest.com/images/SJ40-2.jpg

I use half of the max weight. You insert/remove the steel bars to adjust the weight.

Yep, that's how I' doing it now. Thanks for the additional suggestions, also doing stair bounding, so I'm getting some explosiveness/plyo in there.

Ah, a weight vest, I hadn't thought of that! thanks Carleton. Let me google the price...

Recently I came across some info about sprint runners doing squat sessions with about 50% or 1rm weight but doing 20-30 reps. the high reps lower weight reduced the fatigue running into track time but still built muscle. I did a session a couple of weeks ago. First time I've ever felt like a spew while doing weights!

Yeah, recently I'm doing a lot of sets of 20. It hurts, but it's a different kind of thing to doing heavy sets of 5. We'll see how this works out once the season rolls around.

On the positive side, now that I don't have to go outside for a workout, I have no excuses for missing a workout! This became a serious challenge when my son was born (he's now 5), but now I can "lift" (hesitate to even call it that...) every day if I want to. I just start my workout when he's in the bath, get him dressed and in bed, then I finish up after he sleeps. Home gym highly recommended for parents!

Off-season lifting going very well. Basically stopped riding at the end of July, so lifting better be going well! Had a couple cyclists over on Black Friday for a lifting party. Much grunting and high fives ensued.

Four fifty for the cat 1 (ex?) roadie:

^dag yo!