Thread: lagging traps, need a good excersize!!!

remember that the traps run all the way up the middle back and up the back of the neck. I hit the middle fibers with exercises like bb row, and the low pulley row. and hit the upper fibers with bb and db shrugs, making sure to get a nice full ROM and finish off with a 20-30 sec static hold...

I see so many people in the gym doing bb shrugs with entirely too much weight and they use almost no ROM...might as well be just do a static hold...

Keep in mind that traps(like calves) are hugely dependent on genetics. I have always had big both throughout my life, even when I wasn't lifting. For my lifts, I start with 3 sets of dumbell shrugs, pausing for up to 1/2 of a second at the top of each. I do at least 12 for each set. I then do barbell shrugs with a varied grip. I do 4 sets, switching my grip each time(one under, one over). I do 10-12 each time for those, pausing again at the peaks, and holding for about 5-10sec on the last rep of each set.

I do barbell shrugs, heavy deadlifts will trigger them as well.

Moved to the correct forum.

best 2 ex. for traps arent even shrugs IMO. people usually use way too much weight (as mentioned above) and rarely get a full ROM and/or contraction.

IMO the best 2 ex. are upright rows and esp. deadlifts. Deads made my traps grow like no other. give those a try. Use perfect form on the upright rows (at the top of the movement have your elbows go as high and back as possible) while using your traps/shoulders pull the weight up, and not your bi's.

I think upright rows are closer to dangerous than a staple movement. With cheat shrugs working so well, I dont think using wussy weights is the name of the game when it comes to a muscle that lives for abuse like this one. I like to go heavy to where I can control the weight, but I rarely use anything light enough that I can hold at the top.

Thats just my opinion though, I used to have very flat traps and they are slowly working their way to becoming one of my best assets.

I think Im halfway with LAM and Mudge on this one. BB front shrugs, back shrugs, and DB shrugs are all I ever do. As heavy as possible where I cant still get a full ROM is all I do.