How can i train my traps?

[Parsons7]

i have been going to the gym and while now and have seen great gains, but traps are one of my favourite muscles. i have been doing military presses and barbell shrugs to work on them. they have been working but i was wondering if there was any other exercise that would help me train them. As there is very few different exercises. also i heard that shoulder rolls aren't a good exercise for them, is this true? thanks.

[bobjenkins777]

i have been going to the gym and while now and have seen great gains, but traps are one of my favourite muscles. i have been doing military presses and barbell shrugs to work on them. they have been working but i was wondering if there was any other exercise that would help me train them. As there is very few different exercises. also i heard that shoulder rolls aren't a good exercise for them, is this true? thanks.

Grab a 45lb plate in each hand, and do shoulder shrugs. Hold for 2 seconds at the top then go back down.

You can use a barbell but most people let their ego get them and load 300lbs and do ****ty ROM which is a waste of time.

[alecto42c]

that worked really well for me.. Also, i never did 300+ shrugs. I usually stayed around 205 and did 15-20 sets then did them from behind, and then drop set with db's.

hope that helps

Grab a 45lb plate in each hand, and do shoulder shrugs. Hold for 2 seconds at the top then go back down.

You can use a barbell but most people let their ego get them and load 300lbs and do ****ty ROM which is a waste of time.

^^ agree

[Anthony21]

that worked really well for me.. Also, i never did 300+ shrugs. I usually stayed around 205 and did 15-20 sets then did them from behind, and then drop set with db's.

hope that helps




^^ agree

I hope you meant 15-20 reps & not sets

OP hit up some deadlifts, rack pulls, close grip upright row(make sure this is comfortable for your wrists and shoulders)

[GriPz]

upright rows and dumbell shrugs and blast those traps. Deadlifts also do TRAPS

[Parsons7]

i usually have around 80kg on the barbell and shrug from in front for 12 reps, then behind for 12, making sure to squeeze , do you think i should do this and more?

[alecto42c]

def meant reps haha! good catch

[RussAnderson]

i seem to get better results with upright rows for some odd reason ?prob help to give the traps a better stretch with the rom involved over shrugs ?

[Parsons7]

i seem to get better results with upright rows for some odd reason ?prob help to give the traps a better stretch with the rom involved over shrugs ?

makes sense, thanks!

[HeavyMetalLover]

i seem to get better results with upright rows for some odd reason ?prob help to give the traps a better stretch with the rom involved over shrugs ?

Or form execution comes to play. I don't know though, haven't tried upright rows cause I always forgot to add it.

[TheOak123]

dumb bells shrugs, having dumb bells out on your sides rather than in front, will work wonder...they did for me.
4 sets till grips gives out. or failure. 90+ pounds.

[k9pit]

I hit them 2 or more times a week with different rep ranges and weights.

Somedays I'll go very heavy on barbell shrugs with lower reps, other days not so heavy but high rep on barbell and behind the back barbell. Then other days I'll do the db shrugs.........but actually I'm starting to like the Trap Bar very much in place of dumbbells as well as the Hammer Strength shrug machine (as far as isolation without worrying about grip issues after I've been doing other heavy bb work that day).

[CompoundIron]

DL's have really stimulated growth in my traps, give it a try.

[AnorexicBodyBro]

menshealth.com/mhlists/cms/uploads/1/cable-face-ext.jpg

I like doing face pulls.

[krowbro]

As someone else said deadlifts really help with stimulating trap development

But if you're looking to isolate them, do shoulder shrugs and upright rows. I superset them both and that works well for me

[Tyciol]

Can I correctly assume OP is talking about the upper traps rather than the whole trap?

[Omega6639]

Hise shrugs, besides deadlifts, are the most effective trap exercise IMO

[evanjb]

Olympic lifts like power cleans and power snatches also develops traps. Plus it works many other muscles as well.