Thread: Is it just me or.......

Well, in a word, no. Don't really do upright rows, but, I feel like shrugs hit my traps WAY more than deadlifts. My form might suck, or, I might just have a pussy ass back, so I get deadlifts more in the low back high ass and hammies. Idk, I'm an anomoly with some shit

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Oops, retard moment. I always knew upright rows as high pulls. Yeah, those seem to be useless to me for traps

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IDK. Maybe Im crazy. Upright rows just feel like they do more damage than good. Shrugs were ok I guess but nothing compared to blown out feeling and look I get from Deads.

Deadlifts and cleans work your Traps better than anything IMO. I never do upright rows..it is just too unnatural of a movement for me. I do throw some heavy shrugs in there once and a while, but Deads are what will blow your traps up.

Originally Posted by GMO

Deadlifts and cleans work your Traps better than anything IMO. I never do upright rows..it is just too unnatural of a movement for me. I do throw some heavy shrugs in there once and a while, but Deads are what will blow your traps up.

I agree. So its not just me.

Wide grip upright rows are a staple of my delt/trap day. I feel it in my traps and medial delts really well. I'm not a fan of heavy dumbell shrugs, but there's a good shrug machine at my gym that always feel great on my traps. Deads will provide them with a good stretch, but there's no contraction of the muscle. possibly some isometric contraction at best.

Originally Posted by GMO

Deadlifts and cleans work your Traps better than anything IMO. I never do upright rows..it is just too unnatural of a movement for me. I do throw some heavy shrugs in there once and a while, but Deads are what will blow your traps up.

Exactly. Doesn't get any clearer than this.

I agree with the OP. I feel shrugs require too much recovery time... and for an iso move, shit's just not worth it.

Whenever I've done shrugs my upper back was sore for days, and oly lifts are a better trap builder anyway.

Upright rows look very awkward, I'm a big fan of face pulls attached at the top of the cable machine, or on the floor.

As long as you lead the pull with your elbows and not your hands on upright rows, it isn't awkward at all. I wouldn't write it off its def a good exercise for me.

Lifting fat chicks greatly increases overall trap size. But yeah I feel them more doing deads

I really enjoy shrugs I find it more fun then anything.

i do shrugs but bent over slightly, like maybe 10-15 degrees at most. I think it hits more of the trap but I also dont do super heavy weight shrugs, I've tried both and noticed that the slightly bent over one with higher reps burns em out. I also like using the nautilus sitting row machines in the gym with elbows out and wider grip and I always shrug back and completely stretch forward with em and it also works on them. My work out partner loves heavy shrugs and he gets something out of them, I dont.

there is the seated bent over laterals, (like Arnold used to do) and if I focus on the bent over portion and dont come up too too much, I get the side delts, some rear and alot of trap, using the shrugs to burn em off at the end of the workout.

I found many articles saying that 'Upright Rows' & 'Shrugs' can be harmful.

You r correct about Dead lifts and cleans.

I also found wide grip pull ups and side ways neck bending work my traps.

Originally Posted by bentoverrows

I found many articles saying that 'Upright Rows' & 'Shrugs' can be harmful.

You r correct about Dead lifts and cleans.

I also found wide grip pull ups and side ways neck bending work my traps.

Sideways neck bending. Sounds intense. How does one learn to do this movement.

Originally Posted by Work IN Progress

....do shrugs and upright rows just seem like a waste of time and energy. Deadlifting is by far the best trap workout I get. Upright rows are rough on the shoulders and shrugs just dont seem to produce anything besides neck thickness.

Do you's feel like I do?

Agree 100%. Never liked upright rows, and Traps are worked very well with deadlifts, IMHO.

Yes i agree with the Op too, I used to do shrugs reguler without much success.

since i started doing DL and defo Cleans/ Hang Cleans ive gained a overall broader set of Traps

you could maybe throw in some shrugs at the end of a workout after doing these other lifts but i dont bother and have seen great gains.

Hang Cleans as recomended by Built

I should start doing hang cleans.

Originally Posted by Work IN Progress

I should start doing hang cleans.

Excellent exercise.

I throw shrugs in every now and again but deads and cleans really are just too damn good to give them a permanent place.

Originally Posted by Work IN Progress

I should start doing hang cleans.

From pins or blocks FTW!

For the most part, ya deads are superior for strength and muscle development in the entire posterior chain (though I never neglect direct back training in the form of rows and chinups).

Still, accessory shrugs can't hurt to help strengthen your grip. And, when I say grip I don't just mean your forearms and palms but your traps and shoulder girdle in general (not to mention core).

Farmer's walks are another good one for trap/grip strength.

I never do upright rows. Once in awhile I super-set shrugs with dead-lifts.