Most gym exercises fall into one of two categories: those that look impressive and those that actually build real strength. Bicep curls and cable crunches have their place, sure — but they're not the foundation of real functional strength that carries over into many areas of life.

This distinction matters at any age, of course, but it matters most once you're past 50 years old, when the goal in the weights room can shift from aesthetics to longevity. It’s here when you're not just training to look a certain way, but to stay strong, mobile and independent for the decades ahead. That might involve these three stretches to hit the whole body, using one of the best sleep trackers to improve workout recovery, or looking for full-body muscle moves like this one.

At this point, you can't afford to waste time on movements that don't give back. You need to train smarter, not harder, and choose an exercise that can hit multiple muscle groups in a single, clean rep — what’s commonly referred to as a compound exercise.

The trap bar deadlift

According to performance trainer Tom Hall, who specialises in 1-2-1 and online coaching for performance across a range of disciplines, there’s one exercise that’s not flashy, challenges your back, grip and core strength, yet rarely gets the credit it deserves: the trap bar deadlift. For Hall, any serious coach would prescribe this exercise to an older adult looking to build real, lasting strength.

So what makes the trap bar deadlift earn its place at the top of Hall's list? It starts with the position you load from. "Lifting from the floor, for total body strength, or from slightly raised handles, we go to the base of our hip hinge," says Hall, "so we get as much of that angle and glute flexion as you can."

Add a knee bend into the setup and you immediately bring more of the body into play — "you get leg drive and quad activation," he explains. The cue Hall returns to is simple: think about pushing the ground away, rather than pulling the weight up. "You're pushing the ground away as hard as you can," he says. It's a subtle mental shift, but it changes everything about how the body organizes itself under load.

Watch the video below for an illustration on how to perform the trap bar deadlift, or scroll down for our step-by-step instructions:

How trap bar deadlifts build muscle

The trap bar deadlift demands the whole system works together in unison. Your lats (the large, flat, triangular muscles on your mid-to-lower back), have to be switched on to create upper back tension, while your core braces to protect the spine and your grip holds it all together. With the trap bar deadlift, nothing is passive.

What also sets it apart from other hinge patterns is how accessible it is (i.e. easier to pick up than a standard barbell, with less stress on your lower back), without sacrificing what matters. Research suggests you can typically shift around 8% more weight on a trap bar than a conventional deadlift, placing it — in Hall's words — "between a squat and a conventional deadlift," making it "a good catch-all exercise."

It also demands less technical precision to perform safely than a Romanian deadlift or a conventional deadlift, which means less time spent drilling form and more time building functional strength.

"It’s easier to do and to coach," says Hall, "so we can make better strength gains quicker." For anyone over 50 looking to train efficiently without a long runway of skill development, that's a significant advantage. Here’s how to get it right:

How to do the trap bar deadlift

1. Step inside the trap bar and position your feet hip-width apart, with the handles level with the middle of your foot.
2. Hinge at the hips and bend your knees to reach the handles — don't just fold forward from the waist.
3. Grip the handles hard. Before you lift anything, pull your shoulders back and down.
4. Take a breath, brace your core and switch your lats on. Think about creating full-body tension before the bar leaves the floor.
5. Drive the ground away from you. Push through your feet as if you're trying to press the floor down, letting your hips and shoulders rise together.
6. Lock out at the top with hips fully extended, glutes squeezed and spine neutral — don't hyperextend or lean back.
7. Lower the bar under control by reversing the movement: hinge at the hips first, then bend the knees as the weight descends.

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A freelance writer and former Deputy Digital Editor at Men's Health, Ed specializes in health and fitness. He has previously written for WIRED, British GQ, ASOS, Runner's World, Esquire, Lululemon and many more.