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Okay, everybody always says to "go heavy on shrugs" but I see guys at the gym that "go heavy" and the stupid suckers aren't even able to move the weight. They just strain against it and think they look tough with 315 on the hex bar. Does go heavy really mean put enough weight on that you can't move the bar? I do shrugs with enough weight that I can't do more than ten, but with a weight I can shrug all the way up to my ears. Which is better? I'm so confused... ;)
Be smart about your weights on shrugs. Those idiots take that saying literally. I would increase your weight and shoot for between 6-8 reps on shrugs.
I say go for about 12-15 reps in shrugs, it works for me. Also try some behind the back shrugs and deadlifts they work well.
Will doing shrugs work the full Trapezius muscle? Or do the lower fibres need a different exercise to get worked?
Are shrugs all you need to get full massive Traps?
Excellent question. The Traps form a diamond like muscle from your neck down through the center of the back. Shrugs work the upper area that goes around your neck. By heavy on shrugs people mean a challenging weight that you most likely will fail somewhere between 5-12 reps. Full ROM and proper form is always superior to cheating your ass off and barely moving the weight. Also so you know the lower area of the traps is worked in exercises like rows, deadlifts, cleans, etc. So shrugs aren't all you need but they are a solid exercise which along with some of the exercises listed about and some presses will build up solid traps. Hope i helped.
Do lots of heavy deadlifting, making sure to lock out each lift with shoulders back, and you will have nice traps. For the shrug, people who load lots of weight on the bar, only to move it by standing on their toes, don't know what their doing. Heavy to me means 4-6 reps with full ROM and good form. If I am not deadlifting, I will work some days heavy and other days light at 10-15 reps. If I deadlift, no shrugs needed. I also much prefer dumbell shrugs to barbell because I get a better range of motion.
But soon enough, you will find most gyms don't have dumbells that are heavy enough for 4-6 rep sets.
AND ESPECIALLY DO NOT DO THOSE SHRUGS WHERE THE
DUDES SHRUG UP THEN MOVE THEIR SHOULDERS AROUND.
man thats gotta be hard on the joints while not
giving you any benefits!
upright deads and bb/db rows will help work your lower traps
Im not a huge fan of running between two or three exercises, but I can fry my traps quick with ....
Close grip EZ curl bar upright rows, followed by mod heavy DB shrugs, followed by, smith machine behind the back shrugs...
Just doing one exercise heavy always made me feel sloppy with form, but never really feeling the burn in the targeted muscle..
This super set, a little lighter, but say with 6-8 reps for each movement will have your traps screaming...
Big Time out!!!
Try this for the traps, if your short on time, simple, BASIC but great..
Try supersetting Power/Hang-Cleans with Barbell Shrugs, 8-12 reps per set, go slow and trust me, this will CRUSH your traps..
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by BigTime [/i]
[B]Im not a huge fan of running between two or three exercises, but I can fry my traps quick with ....
Close grip EZ curl bar upright rows, followed by mod heavy DB shrugs, followed by, smith machine behind the back shrugs...
Just doing one exercise heavy always made me feel sloppy with form, but never really feeling the burn in the targeted muscle..
This super set, a little lighter, but say with 6-8 reps for each movement will have your traps screaming...
Big Time out!!! [/B][/QUOTE]
Thats exactly what I do and I blast the h*ll out of my traps! I continue to gain with that routine, I guess you should switch it up every once in a while though. I've noticed too that 6-8 full ROM reps really nails them, esp with 3 exercises.