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Barbell Hex/Trap Bar Jumps For Power

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Kenny Croxdale

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Hex/Trap Bar Jumps For Power​

This is a follow up to...

Can you get the benefit of the power of the powerclean from a rack pull?

Barbell - Can you get the benefit of the power of the powerclean from a rack pull?

This is the power generated by barbell lifting ; Clean————-3430 watts Second Pull—-5260 watts Deadlift———-1200 watts If the second pull produces the most power could I get the power output benefit from doing a rack pull clean from my mid thighs?
www.strongfirst.com

No Trap Bar, No Problem

Dumbbells Jumps will evoke essentially the same effect as Trap Bar Jumps.

The Science Side 2: Hex Bar Jumps vs Olympic Lifts - Plymouth Performance Gym

What did they find?

The researchers found that for most of the athletes (14 of the 17) involved in the study the highest amount of power was produced using a load of either 10% or 20% of their Box Squat 1 rep max. (Optimal Loading Range for the Development of Peak Power Output in the Hexagonal Barbell Jump Squat/The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research (2014). In simple terms this means that, based on the results of this study, if you choose to use hex bar jumps to train lower body power you can’t go far wrong with using 10% – 20% of your Box Squat 1 rep max as a suitable load. In my opinion though the most interesting thing to come out of this study was actual the power output readings they recorded when performing loaded hex bar jumps. Here’s why.

Hex Bar Jumps vs Olympic Lifts

The reasoning behind the inclusion of the Olympic Lifts is sound and based largely on the considerable bank of evidence which demonstrates that huge amounts of power are produced when performing them. The problem is that they are highly technical, require a significant investment of time in developing decent technique and can be tough on the wrists, elbows and shoulders.

By contrast the hex bar jump is extremely easy to coach and comparatively easy on the small joints. I have been using hex bar jumps in my programs for a couple years now and have never had an athlete take longer than a few minutes to get to grips with them. Wouldn’t it be great if this simple to teach and learn, relatively safe exercise could compete with the Oly lifts when it came to training explosive power…

Power Outputs

This study recorded a maximum power output of 5,783.40 watts in the hex bar jump. The authors were not the first to have analysed the power outputs in hex bar jumps. In their 2012 paper entitled Effect of Load Positioning on the Kinematics and Kinetics of Weighted Vertical Jumps Paul Swinton (and colleagues) recorded a peak power output of 4,606 Watts when using a load relative to 20% of a Hex Bar Deadlift 1 rep max.

This is great information to have as it allows us to compare these reading with results from comparable studies done on the Olympic lifts so we can see how the humble hex bar jump stacks up!

In 2005 a team of researchers led by Naoki Kawamori published an article entitled Influence of Different Relative Intensities on Power Output During the Hang Power Clean: Identification of the Optimal Load. They recorded a peak power output of 4,281.15 Watts in the Hang Power Clean (one of the most commonly programmed Oly lift variations for athletic development). Both Hex bar jump studies showed greater peak power outputs than this!
 
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Slatersan said:
Do you think a hex bar jump has more carry over to the squat or deadlift?
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It has more carryover to the Squat.

Trap Bar Questions
Chris Thibaudeau

The body is put in the same mechanical position as the squat, which makes it a great quads and glutes exercise. And involves the upper back and traps just as much as the deadlift.

The high handle allow you to use more weight which means more stimulation on the upper back and traps but a bit less emphasis on the glutes and hams.

The lower handle is a great way to build the whole lower body: glutes, quads and hams specifically. But since you use a bit less weight it doesn't overload the traps as much.
 
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Chrisdavisjr said:
Squat stands are my next essential home gym purchase but I'd love a trap bar.
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Power Rack

If I might suggest, a Power Rack is more versatile than a Squat Rack; providing you have the space and it fits into your budget.

Chrisdavisjr said:
The fact that Mark Rippetoe is against them on principle makes me like them even more.
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Mark Rippetoe

1610985331011.png

You can most likely pick up a Trap Bar for free, if you drive around to the dumpster behind Mark's Wichita Falls Athletic Club.

I use to lift and referee with Mark in Texas, years ago.

I like Mark and some of his training ideas.

However, some of his views (like with the Trap Bar) indicate that he either needs to increase his medication or decrease it.

The Trap Bar is an effective training tool, when implemented for the right job.
 
wespom9 said:
Love this exercise. IMO a hex bar is worth it's weight in gold for the DL, farmer walk and this
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IME, zero carryover to Farmer's Walk. I differ from the majority on here in regards to valuing the Trap Bar. I found it to be nearly as useless as a Swiss ball. the only value I saw anyone get from the Hex bar was ego stroking, because you can load the thing until nothing else fits on it and pull away until you get bored, but no event or other lift abilities were in any way impacted at all. We ababdobed the use of them completely pretty quickly in favour of other more effective tools. That bar feels a little bit like a frame Carry, maybe, but nothing like Farmer's at all. If it works for somebody great, and if Rip hates it I really want to like it, it just never served a useful purpose for me or anyone else I trained with or around. I am unaware of anyone in the Strongman community using one when I was competing. At least anyone in the Pro's or higher end Am levels.
 
@Hardartery I think from your lens, you're probably right. I'm not really looking at it for transfer to strongman though. For the usual populations I work with,

For the youth athlete I work with, hex bar jump is very simple power exercise. Severely minimizes coaching needed for DL in large groups. Big win

For the older adult, its a great DL and carry exercise. MAYBE, if it's musculoskeletally proper, we do trap bar jumps.
 
Mike Boyle is another guy I follow that loves both the TBDL & TB Jumps for gen pop & athletes. He's gone as far to have it as the main bilateral leg movement for most.
 
the hansenator said:
I get the I impression that strengthening muscles and carry over to different lifts are two different things.
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I would say that strengthening muscles is one component of improving any lift. The other main component is the neural drive to activate motor units in an effective sequence to make a lift. To that end, specificity rules.
 
I'm a huge fan of trap bar jumps. Low skill requirement and offers a lot of benefits for power production.

Big fan of trap bar deadlifts in general too. Regarding where they are on hinge/squat continuum Greg Nuckols has a good article on the topic: Trap Bar Deadlifts are Underrated • Stronger by Science

"While it’s true that trap bar deadlifts are a little bit “squattier” than conventional barbell deadlifts, they’re much closer to a “hinge” than a squat. Let’s dig into the data."

And actually has it more of a hinge than sumo deadlifts:
 

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The nice thing doing weighted jumps with a trap bar, as opposed to dumbbells .... is that the plates, (preferably bumper plates, but doesn't have to be) can hit into the ground on the landing, softening the impact of a loaded-landing onto the athlete's joints (Bodyweight falling + the extra load). You still hold onto the handles, but let it "coast" into the floor

DBs, you are kind of stuck absorbing all of the extra force one way or another.

Also, traditional jump squats w/ a barbell are/were quiet popular ...but the landings .... IDK how many of those you want to do.

[video]
 
mbasic said:
The nice thing doing weighted jumps with a trap bar, as opposed to dumbbells .... is that the plates, (preferably bumper plates, but doesn't have to be) can hit into the ground on the landing, softening the impact of a loaded-landing onto the athlete's joints (Bodyweight falling + the extra load). You still hold onto the handles, but let it "coast" into the floor
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Dumbbell Jump Squats

Dumbbell Jump Squats essentially are the same as Trap Bar Squats

"The highest amount of power was produced using a load of either 10% or 20% of their Box Squat 1 rep max."

The research source of this is noted in the above post.

Based it, let's...

Do The Math

If your Box Squat is 300 lbs...

That would mean that your Trap Bar Jump is optimized with 30 to 60 lbs.

If you were to use Dumbbells, that would mean you hold 15 lbs to 30 lbs in each hand when jumping.

Three Type Of Jumps

1) Touch and Go Jumps

With this method you drop down with the Dumbbells and perform a Touch and Go off the floor, then explode back up.

2) Vertical Jumps

As in a Vertical Jump, like going up for a rebound in Basketball, partially drop down (not allowing the Dumbbells to touch the floor), then rebound back up.

3) Paused Dumbbell Jumps

Perform Dumbbell Jumps by partially dropping down, pausing for a few seconds and then jumping.

Jump Squat Training Percentages

Research show that optimal Training Percentages for Jump Squat is between 10 - 40% with around 30% being the sweet spot.

Jump Squat Math

That would mean if your 1 Repetition Squat was 300 lbs...

Your Jump Squat would be between 30 to 120 lb with approximately 90 lbs being the sweet stop. The impact force isn't going to be that high.

As an example, let look at...

Running Impact Force

Research shows the impact force in each foot fall in running is 3 - 5 time body weight.

That means that if someone weighted 200 lbs, their running impact with each foot strike is approximately 600 to 1.000 lbs.

A Jump Squats are not going to produce an impact force anywhere close Running Impact Forces.

Bouncing The Deadlift

In bounding the bar off the floor with any type of Deadlift, the majority of the impact is absorbed by the floor, not the lifter.

One of the main benefits with Bumper Plates is the recoil off the floor, when you allow the weight to free fall to the platform and then immediately follow it with a jump.

It elicits a quazi-plyometric action; allowing you to Jump higher with a slightly heavier load.

The Issue With Jump Squat Training

One of the main issue with this type of training is the many individual preform the movement with loads that are too heavy.

Performing the movement with a load that is too heavy defeats the training objective; it elicits a completely different training effect.
 
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Your math doesn't add up Kenny.

If a common footfall running= 600#t-1000# of "force" .... what pray tell is the "force" falling 18 inches from the sky with an extra 50#-200# of weight "in tow". I mean when a person runs or jogs their center of gravity shouldn't be wildly oscillating up and down if you have some modicum of decent non-spastic running form.

Those pounds-numbers ("foot fall") are derived from Newtons. And then you have to look at total force over time.
Its ~6.77x BW for a CMJ....but the shocking thing is look at the amount of TIME the impact forces occur on the landing.
The chart on the left is the Ground Reaction Forces over time of a Counter Movement Jump on dry land.
The dip just prior to the 1001 time mark is the subjects dip, and downward arm swing, force is being unloaded.
Look at the amount of force as the subject jumps/apply downward force ....then compare to the nasty, near vertical
spike at the landing. Point is all of the jumping force that applied over the course of 1001 to 2001, is the then
reabsorbed in a mere fraction of time (@3001), with higher peak forces.

10.1177_1941738111403872-fig2.jpg


Most people (athletes) can box squat a lot more than 300#. And then later on you cite 10-40% of 1RM of squat. For an athlete than squats 500#, that would be an addition 50-200#. Lolz at jumping with (2) 100#DB, compared to the trap bar.

You can let the high handled trap bar "coast" into the ground and some of the force is taken by bumper plates hitting the floor.
This probably even encourages the athlete to land softer than normal.
The dumbells and/or barbell-on-traps .... you can't.
 
mbasic said:
Your math doesn't add up Kenny.
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It is not my math

Southern Methodist University Research
phys.org

New study connects running motion to ground force, provides patterns for any runner

Researchers at Southern Methodist University in Dallas have developed a concise new explanation for the basic mechanics involved in human running.
phys.org phys.org

Running Impart Forces

mbasic said:
10-40% of 1RM of squat.
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Speed Training

This is the percentage parameters that are optimal for the development of Speed in a Traditional Exercise; such as Squat, Bench Press, etc.

Research Source: Special Strength, Yuri Verkhoshansky

500 lb Squat Speed Training Example

Base on Speed Resistance Training that would mean a 500 lb Squatter would perform Jump Squat with 50 to 200 lbs, with the sweet spot around 30%, which would be 150 lbs.

Power Training

Power Training in Traditional Exercises is between 48 to 62% of a 1 Repetition Max.

Research Source: Ebben, National Strength and Conditioning Research Journal.

Anecdotal Data: The Westside Powerlifting Training Protocol

500 lb Squat Power Training Example

Base on Power Resistance Training that would mean a 500 lb Squatter would perform Power Squat with 240 to 310 lbs.

mbasic said:
Most people (athletes) can box squat a lot more than 300#.
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Vague Statement

Most if vague. The number of athletes who can Squat 500 lbs is dependent on multiple factors.

mbasic said:
You can let the high handled trap bar "coast" into the ground and some of the force is taken by bumper plates hitting the floor.
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Impact Absorption

The impact force in allowing the bar with Bumper or Metal Plates is going to be primarily absorbed by the weighted bar.

One of the primary difference between Bumper and Metal Plates is the Rebound. Bumper Plates provide more of a Rebound off the floor; a sling shot effect off the floor.

mbasic said:
The dumbells and/or barbell-on-traps .... you can't.
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Yes, You Can

The same effect can be elicited with Dumbbells or a Barbell.

It is a learning, timing issue.

Box Squat With A Plyometic Rebound

With this method of Box Squatting a Plyometric Bounce is performed.

Essentially, a Free Fall is performed in a Box Squat rather than sitting with a pause on the box.

Performing the Box Squat with a Bounce evokes and develop the Stretch Reflex.

The key to learning how to perform a Box Squat with a Bounce is a learning process.

Learning how to land on box and rebound of it.

The same is true in learning obtain a recoil off the floor with Dumbbells or a Barbell.

Source: Squatting: To Be Explosive, Train Explosive. Powerlifting USA

Heavy Plyometric Deadlifts

Most of my Deadlift Training years ago were performing it with a bounce with Metal Plates and sometimes Bumper Plates.

My best Competition Deadlift with the "Plyometric Deadlift Training" approach was a 573 lb/260 kg at a body weight of 181 lbs/82.5 kg
 
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