The Other Unparalleled Exercise by Jan Dellinger | Gerard Trap Bar

by Jan Dellinger

Al Gerard

Al Gerard, originator of the Trap Bar, crossed this same bridge before Stuart. While we already know what solution this powerlifting engineer settled upon (the Trap Bar), examining the discoveries which brought him to it can shed much light on this whole issue.

Al Gerard & His Trap Bar

Hardgainer Magazine #25

As reported in HARDGAINER issue #25, which carried a detailed article authored by Paul Kelso focusing on the virtues of the Trap Bar, back problems prompted Gerard to seek some sort of less-damaging alternative for overloading his lower-body and lower-back musculature.

In point of fact, Al had suffered five prolonged episodes of nasty lower-back miseries, all of which, he noted, came as a direct result of heavy back squatting. Aside from these setbacks putting a decided dampener on his competitive powerlifting aspirations, there was always the worry that such conditions could become chronic.

Because he didn't know precisely what device or apparatus would ultimately meet his requirements, Al reasoned that a bio-mechanical study would be a logical first step. Fortunately, there was a substantial number of local high school athletes already actively involved with intense weight training workouts who were more than willing to participate.

When completed, this extensive investigation produced much valuable information which explained Al's penchant for recurring back injuries, demonstrated that not everyone benefitted equally from back squatting, and revealed that many individuals in the aforementioned category did respond favorably to heavy pulling movements and, more importantly, explained why these observations occurred.

Cutting to the crux straightaway, Gerard determined that individuality with regard to basic fulcrum-lever physics held the key. Specifically, due to wide variation in skeletal leverages, trainees possessing certain kinds of physical construction were at a greater risk of injury while back squatting. Moreover, generally speaking, the typical "squat disadvantaged" type of body build was characterized as having a short torso and long legs, especially inordinately long thigh bones.

Also, very tall trainees--even those with more balanced upper to lower body apportionment--qualified.

Further, Gerard noted that those with the "squat disadvantaged" structure innately tended to lapse into body positions which left them susceptible to spinal injury during back squatting. In fact, vulnerability generally peaked during the squat descent at and below the point where the upper thighs form a 300 angle with a line drawn parallel to the floor and through the knees.

The exact anatomical trouble spot was the spinal section from the fifth lumbar vertebra down to the coccyx, which would prematurely rotate under the rest of the spine during the bottom portion of the squat.

Naturally, the likelihood of aggravating this danger zone escalated greatly when very heavy weights were applied to the squatting movement. Of course, it occurred to Gerard that much of the danger could be avoided by limiting the descent depth to the 300-above-parallel point, among those who were inclined toward problems.

This tact was never in the "acceptable remedy" category because curtailing a squatter's range of motion can trigger another set of problems, especially among athletes who are competing in other sports.

For example, the muscles of the lower body are robbed of complete development. Even worse, optimal flexibility in the joints of the lower body would never be realized. Interestingly, limiting squat depth short-changes the knee of maximum stability and strength.

Some research studies have concluded that squatting to the depth where the upper thighs are parallel to the ground is required to fortify the connective tissues of the knee joint, and solidify its structural integrity. One such research project was conducted at Oregon State University in the early 1980s.

As a way of contrast, those participants in Gerard's study who possessed a squat-efficient kind of physical construction (relatively long torso and short lower body levers) could, as you would expect, readily achieve all of the criteria of textbook squatting technique--a very straight spine even at 150 below parallel when under a squatting load, a very upright torso position, and the ability to keep gravity (focal force) on their heels throughout the entire lift.

As this study progressed, Al attempted to alter lower leg positions of the leverage-disadvantaged squatters. (This would include heel elevation in some people, though for many such a measure increases the risk of injury to the knees.) While such measures did greatly reduce the spinal stress these lifters sustained while squatting, they increased the shearing forces to the subjects' knees to injurious levels.

Plus, these technique alterations radically lessened the amount of resistance the subjects were capable of squatting. Hence, the overload to their lower body musculature was diminished. Needless to say, Al quickly abandoned this "round peg in a square hole" approach when safety, first, and overload capabilities, second, were compromised.

In the same vein, more than a few professional and college strength and conditioning coaches do not force heavy back squatting on their athletes, especially the very tall ones, due to biomechanical considerations which can impact on one's risk of injury.

Typically, coaches who are acutely attuned to such possibilities give the leg press and/or Trap Bar deadlift prominence in lower-body routines. Of course, squatting on very specialized devices like the Tru-Squat apparatus, as well as serious work on various hip and back machines, may also be included. Bear in mind, these coaches are training athletes who are only looking to get muscularly larger and stronger for increased performance in their chosen sports, in addition to seeking balanced muscular development so as to minimize their likelihood of sustaining an on-field injury.

The coaches are not trying to cultivate elite powerlifters or bodybuilders... On To Part III >>

Part I - Part II - Part III - Part IV - Part V - Part VI - Part VII - Part VIII - Part IX - Part X - Part XI - Part XII

The Original Gerard Trap Bar

Search www.oldtimestrongman.com:

The Other Unparalleled Exercise (cont.)

by Jan Dellinger