Mastering Technique

Load up any additional weight plates that you’re going to use on the EZ bar and secure the plates with clamps. Set your feet to hip-width apart with your toes pointed ahead. Grip the EZ bar with your hands positioned right at the bends in the bar. Hold the bar down in front of your thighs. Your palms should face your legs. Keep your back straight as you push your glutes backward and bend your knees to lower the bar toward your feet. Continue until the weight plates make contact with the floor and then extend your hips and knees to return to a standing position. Deadlifts strengthen your lower back, glutes and quads

Weight Considerations

When deadlifting with an EZ bar, it’s important to understand the weight differences in the bar to be accurate with the amount of weight you’re lifting. An Olympic barbell, most commonly used during deadlifts, is 45 pounds. The EZ bar, however, is just 15 pounds. Keep this in mind when figuring out how many weight plates to put on the bar. Because of the significant weight differences between the two bars, an EZ bar may be better for those new to weight training.

Benefits of an EZ Bar

An EZ bar is thinner than an Olympic barbell, which can be beneficial for those with smaller hands or who are still building their grip strength. In addition, the bent shape of the bar places your hands in a more natural position. In some cases, a lack of grip strength can limit the amount of weight a person can deadlift.

Limitations of an EZ Bar

For those with higher strength levels, using an EZ bar to deadlift may not be ideal. The EZ bar isn’t made to hold as much weight. In addition, because it’s shorter than an Olympic barbell, there’s not as much room to place weight plates. Therefore, deadlifting with an EZ bar is fine unless you’re a more advanced lifter who needs to lift heavier weights to continue to develop strength.