- Gym equipment such as trap bars and mine attachments can help make your workout even more effective.
- These uniquely shaped objects could open up new workout methods for building muscle and strength.
- Battle ropes are also useful for training to build dynamic strength and improve stamina.
Have you ever wondered about that strange looking object in the corner of your local gym? Don't be embarrassed. You may be considering your new favorite workout equipment.
According to Steve Stonehouse, NASM-certified personal trainer and vice president of programming at Body Fit Training, trying out new strength-training equipment can make your gym routine fun and rewarding, and help you consistently achieve results. That's a great method.
“What I love about fitness is that people are so adaptable,” he told Business Insider. “It opens up another set of exercises.”
Equipment like trap bars and landmine attachments may not be as popular as squat racks and ellipticals, but they can help unlock new levels of strength and muscle-building potential, Stonehouse said.
Trap bars help you perform deadlifts safely
Most people are familiar with the barbell deadlift, which is an understandably popular exercise because it can work almost every muscle in your body at once.
However, you may be less familiar with the variation using hexagonal trap bars (hence the name hexagonal bars). Although it looks a little funky, trap bars make deadlifts easier and safer, Stonehouse says. To use this, step into the center of the hexagon and lift it up. This will help you avoid common deadlift mistakes, such as putting your weight too far forward and twisting your back.
“The advantage is that you can stand in the middle of your weight instead of behind it,” Stonehouse said. “It can redistribute your weight and relieve pressure on your back.”
As a result, it can be a great option for beginners, although Stonehouse points out that some purists argue that you should first learn proper deadlift form with the traditional version. For experienced athletes, it can also be helpful to challenge yourself with heavier loads while keeping the risk of accidents low.
“Even if someone is very good at barbell deadlifts, I like to try the trap bar first as I increase weight,” he said.
Landmine Exercises Take Your Profits to the Next Level
Behind the stack of weight plates and dumbbells, you might find a small device that looks like a partially hinged barbell. The mine attachment allows you to secure one end of the bar to create a more fixed path for the weight.
“With a clearer path of motion, I can now handle heavier weights than I could with a barbell and plates,” Stonehouse said. “It's between machine weights and free weights.”
Gym machines are safe and easy to use, but they are very limited in how you move them. In contrast, free weights like dumbbells allow you to make a full range of movements for gains, but require more skill and effort to control.
In less nerdy terms, this means you can safely use more muscles in movements like presses, rows, rotations, and thrusters, giving you the best of both worlds.
Battle ropes will increase your stamina and get your heart rate up all at once.
A staple of functional fitness gyms and high-intensity training classes, battle ropes are a fun and easy way to build strength and stamina at the same time. To use, grab one end of the rope and slam, rotate, or shake the rope to create ripples all the way down.
Stonehouse said a unique feature of battle ropes is that the weight varies as the rope moves toward the anchor, creating changes in the waves as it moves toward the anchor.
The dynamic movement helps you level up from jump squats to jump slams, and the resistance of the rope works your muscles while also helping to get your heart rate up.
Stonehouse said battle rope exercises are usually done over time and can be an easy and fun way to build strength.
“If you're feeling stressed, there's nothing better than slamming the shit out of a heavy rope for 60 seconds,” he said. “It's hard to go wrong with that.”
