Following on from my last article about the benefits of the trap bar for over-50s, let’s look at a few exercises that go beyond basic strength. These movements are designed to build explosive power, improve coordination, and help you move better in everyday life or sport — whether that’s sprinting up stairs or staying quick on your feet during a game of tennis.
Important: These exercises are only recommended once you’ve built a solid base of strength with standard trap bar movements like the deadlift or carry. Once that’s in place, here are three of my go-to choices.
Trap Bar High Pull – Power From the Ground Up
The High Pull is a full-body movement that builds explosive strength from your legs all the way through your shoulders. It’s especially useful if you want to feel faster, more reactive, and stronger in everyday actions like lifting, reaching, or even sudden direction changes.
What It Helps With:
Quick reactions and sharp movements
Strength across hips, glutes, and upper back
Builds your ability to generate force fast – which declines with age unless trained
How It’s Done:
Stand inside the trap bar with your core braced and back flat
Push through the floor like a jump, keeping the arms straight
As you reach full extension, shrug the shoulders and let the bar rise to chest height
Reset before the next rep
Why It’s Great:
Easier to learn than Olympic lifts
Kind on the joints, especially the wrists and shoulders
Helps you feel powerful and stable — even as you get older
What It Trains
• Explosive power through the hips, glutes, and hamstrings (triple extension).
• Upper body strength via the traps, shoulders, and upper back.
• Rate of force development — how quickly you can produce force, key in most sports.
• Coordination and timing, as it requires fluid movement between lower and upper body.
Why Athletes Use It
• Power transfer: Builds the same kind of explosive strength needed for sprints, jumps, and changes of direction.
• Lower technical demand: Easier to learn and safer on the lower back than Olympic lifts.
• Versatility: Great for in-season or off-season strength and power blocks.
• Joint-friendly: Neutral grip and trap bar shape reduce strain on wrists and shoulders.
Trap Bar counter Movement Jump – Teaching the Body to Explode
This is a controlled, low-level jump using the trap bar. It’s not about jumping high — it’s about training your body to produce force quickly. That’s key for avoiding falls, reacting to uneven ground, or improving speed.
What It Helps With:
Jumping ability and leg drive
Improving bone density through impact
Explosive power with minimal joint stress
How It’s Done:
Stand tall inside the trap bar
Dip slightly at the hips and explode upward into a small jump
Land softly and reset — this isn’t about max height, but crisp, controlled effort
Why It’s Great:
Mimics real-life movement patterns
Builds strength and power together
Keeps you light on your feet — which is vital as we age
What It Trains
• Lower-body power (glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves)
• Rate of force development (RFD)
• Vertical jump mechanics
• Force production with load — critical for sprint starts and explosive take-offs
Why Athletes Use It
• Explosive carryover to sprinting and jumping sports (e.g. football, rugby, basketball, boxing).
• Builds power without high technical skill (unlike Olympic lifts).
• Easier on the spine and shoulders thanks to neutral grip and central load.
• Great for contrast training (e.g. pairing with bodyweight jumps or sprints).
Trap Bar Clean Pull – Explosive Strength Without the Complexity
If you’ve ever watched athletes perform a clean or snatch at the Olympics, this is a simplified version that offers many of the same benefits, without the technical demands or risk to your joints.
What It Helps With:
Boosting speed, jump height, and total-body power
Improving force transfer through hips, legs, and shoulders
Safely training triple extension — the key to staying explosive
How It’s Done:
Set up like a trap bar deadlift
Drive up powerfully, then shrug at the top with arms straight
Reset each rep to keep it clean and explosive
Why It’s Great:
Perfect for anyone who wants results without technical frustration
Helps build explosive capacity for real-life tasks like lifting, carrying, or reacting quickly
Great addition to your weekly lower body workouts
What It Trains
• Glutes, hamstrings, quads
• Calves (via ankle extension)
• Traps, upper back
• Core (stabilisation)
Why Athletes Use It
• Teaches power generation from the ground — key for sprints, jumps, tackles, and punches
• Neutral grip and central load reduce shoulder, wrist, and spine strain
• Simple progression for those not ready for cleans or snatches
• Effective in both off-season (strength-power) and pre-season (speed-power) phases
Final Thoughts: Why This Matters for Over-50s
Explosiveness isn’t just for young athletes — it’s a critical part of staying mobile, strong, and confident as you age. These trap bar exercises let you tap into that power safely, without the stress of complex lifts or high-impact movements.
Want Help Adding These to Your Routine?
If you’re over 50 and want to train smart — not just hard — I can help you tailor these exercises to suit your current ability, goals, and lifestyle. Just get in touch below or send me a message — and let’s build power that lasts.
