Thread: When to work traps

Doesn't make much of a difference to me. I've done both.

It alternates for me between with shoulders and with back everytime I change my workout. Currently I am hitting them 2x a week for 3 sets at the end of 2 of my shorter workouts.

aight cool, thanks guys.

i do them on back day. they get real sore especially after doing deads

I do shoulders upper back and traps together!

I found for me that I had the best gains by doing traps on back day.

Deadlifts x 3
Barbell Rows x 3
Dips x 3 or Machine Lat Pulls
Seated dumbell shrugs ( 2 seconds on stretch in the up position) x 3

I like traps on shoulder day, but, hey, if it works out for you, do it

i like training traps a little more on back day than on shoulder day but truthfully are both great days i dont think that it really matters. as for right now im training traps on both back and shoulders(so im training them mondays and thursdays)

while were on the topic! what do you guys do?

i do 3 sets 6-10 reps dumbell shrugs
then 3 sets 6-10 reps gripless shrugs

Originally Posted by ReelBigFish

I've been doing a 3 day split that goes like this

Legs
Chest/tris/lateral delts
Back/posterior delts/traps/bi's
rest

I'm going to start doing shoulders with chest, but I'm wondering if I should work my traps on back day or with my shoulders.

i changed your routine a little, that is what i think works well.
actually i like to do biceps on a different day if at all since the back is so complex. good rowing can hammer rear delts, so a few isolations at the end can really make them pop. and anterior delts get too much work by most people in my opinion. all benching and flys use them to varying degrees. bent and low rows use some serious traps, so might as well keep all that together.

3 sets front BB shrugs,
3 sets rear BB shrugs (man those rock),
3 sets DB shrugs, DB's at my sides. NO SHOULDER ROLL.

upright rows !!

Originally Posted by TheCurse

i changed your routine a little, that is what i think works well.
actually i like to do biceps on a different day if at all since the back is so complex. good rowing can hammer rear delts, so a few isolations at the end can really make them pop. and anterior delts get too much work by most people in my opinion. all benching and flys use them to varying degrees. bent and low rows use some serious traps, so might as well keep all that together.

What certain lifts, work the lateral and posterior delts?
I do front and side DB Raises)all in one set, usually half of each.
And I did M. Press with DB's today(I usually do Barbell M.P.'s.
hers's my new split i'm starting and ya'll tell me what you think.

Oh and as far as traps I do power shrugs or reg. shrugs.

Chest/tris/ shoulders
Flat Bench
Close Grip
DB front and side raises
Inc. Bench
Mil. Press w/ tricep extension.

Back/Bi's
Shrugs
E Z bar curls
DB Rows
Lat pull downs
Seated Inc. curls

Legs
Squats
Stiff Leg DL
DL's
Calf raises
DB Lunges

again i'd drop the front raises, not neccessary in my opinion. Lateral delts i just do lateral raises, just making sure to lead with my elbow instead of my hand like a lot of us. i use dumbells and cables for the lateral raises, three sets of each usually.
Posterior delts ive been having success using a Freemotion machine, its just a cable apparatus but its really smooth, i set the pulley at about shoulder heigth and basically do a fly motion but in reverse. Also for the posteriors i'll take an incline bench, adjust it so if i bend over and put my forehead on the top of the back rest and flatten my back my torso is almost parallel to the ground, and from there use dumbells to do a reverse fly motion. make sure to put a towel under your forehead because there are some sweaty mofo's up in there who dont use a towel.

remember you dont need to use a lot of weight, if you have already hammered the compound exercises, all you need to do is focus on getting into the one small muscle, isolating it as best you can. mind muscle connection. its not just a phrase.
do that for a while and your delts might start to pop up and show their faces.

I do a full Upper/Lower split, but when I do seperate the BP's, I do traps with back. It just seems like a perfect fit for me (Back is pull, traps are pull also) Hope this helps!!!

You seem to be working toward a push/pull/legs split. If that is the case, then do traps on pull day. You should also work posterior delts on pull day for this type of split.