Are dumbell shrugs sufficient for the whole trapezius muscle?

[naqeft]

I'm wondering if it only does the upper traps and if I should combine it with another workout.

[kingpiccolo]

overhead shrugs hit lower traps

[SquatTilYouDrop]

OP, I think you know the answer to your own question.

[Dominik]

I'm wondering if it only does the upper traps and if I should combine it with another workout.

If you want to target the lower-mid traps, incorporate rows and deadlifts.

[PG11B]

Australian Pull-ups

[Dominik]

lulz @ "Australian pullups." Never heard that one before.

Supine rows are a great exercise but I think heavier weights with barbell rows and rack pulls will build the traps more effectively.

[firstmark]

Overhead squats do not really work the lower traps, the weight pushes down, you shrug upward with upper traps to maintain shoulder position.
To work the lower traps you need the traps to pull down from overhead, like in a chinup or a heavy shrug from the bottom position of a chinup. Rows work the middle traps, but a shrug in the row position would work them more.

[Tyrbolift]

If db's is all you got right now, sure. The key is to shrug from different angles of the upper torso. Leaning forward in various degrees.

I've even incorporated an occasional db shrug seated but leaning back ever so slightly, in the trap portion of my back/shoulder workouts.

[-Lucifer]

lulz @ "Australian pullups." Never heard that one before.

He is talking about the inverted row.

[jtrean]

Doing db rows while laying face down on an incline bench works well too

[Tyrbolift]

He is talking about the inverted row.

Everything them aussies do is "inverted".

[SquatTilYouDrop]

If db's is all you got right now, sure. The key is to shrug from different angles of the upper torso. Leaning forward in various degrees.

I've even incorporated an occasional db shrug seated but leaning back ever so slightly, in the trap portion of my back/shoulder workouts.

1st poster to suggest shrugging from different angles with a slight lean forward.

Wise Yoda is wise.

[Tyrbolift]

1st poster to suggest shrugging from different angles with a slight lean forward.

Wise Yoda is wise.

Thank you sir. We can't change the physical laws of nature. Heavy weights are "heavy" in relation to their vertical movement from the ground. We can't change that. All we can do is alter our body's angle to that set vertical motion.

[GodlyBuddha]

Deadlits.

[DJBrickman]

I've been doing incline mid trap barbell shrugs for quite a while now. Has helped my mid and lower traps greatly.

[hotspur]

cough::::deadlifts:::::cough

[Dominik]

He is talking about the inverted row.

The second I Googled it I knew the exercise: supine rows. Done them plenty of times. I'd just never heard them called "Australian pullups."

Those crazy Aussies.

[PG11B]

The second I Googled it I knew the exercise: supine rows. Done them plenty of times. I'd just never heard them called "Australian pullups."

Those crazy Aussies.

They are a great exercise, especially when you prop your feet on a medicine ball and a plate on your chest. To each their own.

[anonymous]

no, the lower traps are completely deactivated when you shrug with DB's. You need to do inverted kettlebell one arm shrugs to activate those pesky, stubborn lower trap fibers.

[Tyciol]

Standing shrugs target the upper trap, so no they're not enough to hit the entire trap.

Australian Pull-ups

lulz @ "Australian pullups." Never heard that one before. Supine rows are a great exercise

He is talking about the inverted row.

The second I Googled it I knew the exercise: supine rows. Done them plenty of times. I'd just never heard them called "Australian pullups." Those crazy Aussies.

What we call it really depends on how we think of it. I like calling them 'pull ups' because that term strongly seems associated with moving the body through space with a stable hand position. On the other hand, some prefer to call them rows because they can duplicate the angles we use in bent-over rows or rowing machines.

As for who to blame for the 'australian' popularity recently, blame the navy seal guy who popularized the Perfect Push-Up. He calls them Australian in his Perfect Pull-Up product that swings away from the doorway and all that.

I can't do those in socks because my feet slide and the bar bangs into the door frame, I put on slippers to get some traction. Been thinking of putting a 30kg bag of sand in the door to help with that, just don't want to trip.

I think heavier weights with barbell rows and rack pulls will build the traps more effectively.

I think it might be easier to focus on the motion using these since they're open chain and we're moving the limbs with a stabler body. The bodyweight movements are closed chain and even though we can get used to them, sometimes feel a bit unusual.

To work the lower traps you need the traps to pull down from overhead, like in a chinup or a heavy shrug from the bottom position of a chinup.

This is not an absolute requirement, the arms can be down too: the lower traps also resist scapular elevation (as scapular depressors) while doing things like dips, as well. Apparently you can also work them as anti-wingers when you are doing prone V/I/W raises, I've seen videos advocating this.

Rows work the middle traps, but a shrug in the row position would work them more.

Another thing to keep in mind is if we're working the middle trap, the upper and lower will also be assisting in most imaginable scenarios. Sort of like the posterior and anterior heads will assist the lateral head of the deltoid in abduction when it is targetted as the prime mover. I'm not sure I agree with 'will work them more', it's definitely a better way to emphasize (attempt to isolate) it, but there could be some guys working it harder with rowing movements, maybe it depends on how their nervous system wakes up?

overhead shrugs hit lower traps

Pretty sure this would still be serratus anterior and upper trapezius. The change in angle (scapulae are upwardly rotated) would shorten the involved muscles and probably give some subtly different training effect, but I think it would still be the same ones. Maybe the emphasis would be changed? Not sure.

[gomez26]

The second I Googled it I knew the exercise: supine rows. Done them plenty of times. I'd just never heard them called "Australian pullups."

Those crazy Aussies.

wow i always thought it was a bodyweight hamstring exercise - hanging upside down via inversion boots & doing a pullup using your legs , these might be irish pullups.

[Tommy W.]

Deadlift or rackpulls. Rackpulls allow you to use more weight and for me are better for traps.
At the top throw in a shrug for good measure.

Shrugs are tough to beat, though. You need to go heavy and you need to hold at the top for a few seconds. If you can't go ALL the way up and hold, it's TOO heavy, though.
Keep your arms straight, if you don't you bring other muscles into play.
At the bottom of the exercise try to totally relax the traps to allow the weight to go down as far as possible.

Traps are like calves, unfortunately. If you don't have a lot of muscle tissue there to begin with you'll need to work VERY hard for them to show properly.

Don't roll your shoulders like you may see some people do.

[matt297]

wow i always thought it was a bodyweight hamstring exercise - hanging upside down via inversion boots & doing a pullup using your legs , these might be irish pullups.

irish pullups are when you pull your unconscious friend up from the ground after a whiskey session

[PG11B]

irish pullups are when you pull your unconscious friend up from the ground after a whiskey session

lol