Can't seem to hit my traps

[kgts]

Im really having a hard time hitting my traps. I've tried everything that I can think of. Barbell Shrugs, dumbell shrugs, smith shrugs, upright rows, power cleans, hang cleans, upright rows, and deadlifts. I have also tried low weight/high reps, dropsets, supersets, high weight/low reps, slow negatives, "contractions" at the top of each rep, and everything else... I can't feel anything in my traps during a workout. No pumps, burning, or anything. They just refuse to grow.


Does anyone have any advice as to what else I should try?

[ODBM]

How much weight are you using for your high weight/low rep shrugs? And if you can, upload a video of you doing shrugs from a side-view perspective.

Also, with your upright rows, go with a very narrow grip and bring it to your chin. This should take a lot of the deltoid work out of the exercise, and you don't need to go super heavy here.

[32bulkcycle]

How long have you been working out for? Traps are kind if like calves and forearms in that they're usually a slower muscle to grow and theyre shape is heavily determined by genetics. Im not saying you cant get big traps over time but it may take longer than other muscles. Personally I find that going fairly heavy and making sure to get a full contraction each rep always feels the best. You have to also make a mind muscle connection. I find that to be especially important when hitting back & traps

[mmafighter1294]

If you are holding a BB or DB and shrugging your shoulders up and down, there is no other muscle that Im aware of that can be taking the majority of the load. You maybe aren't shrugging correctly or arent using enough weight or enough range of motion.

[ODBM]

Took me a while to find this. Bookmarked now.

forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=146509213&p=915968163&viewfull=1# post915968163

[IDrinkBloodLOL]

Step 1: load up 120% of your max deadlift
Step 2: shrug for a minimum 3 sets, at least 10 reps per set
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Frogtech

[bishdipbrah]

Farmers walks

Power shrugs

Rep me....


When you have reps and traps

[mmafighter1294]

Step 1: load up 120% of your max deadlift
Step 2: shrug for a minimum 3 sets, at least 10 reps per set
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Frogtech

[jammyo40]

Im really having a hard time hitting my traps.

Have you tried using a hammer?

[jd2967]

shrug more heavily, less reps, more sets, more frequency

[LSXdr]

Less is more! I never work traps lolZzz

[Erik2806]

check this out. it was a few years into lifting until someone suggested this method to me. it's definitely helped me big time and much more effective than going up and down


pretty easy to get use to but sometimes with heavier weight you might be more prone to go more up rather than up and back simultaneously. you'd be surprised when doing it effectively though because you wont need to use as much weight as you think.

[jd2967]

go straight up and down, with more weight

[unclejesseshair]

deadlift with heavy weights

maybe i'm doing them wrong, but my traps feel worked the next day

[CrispyRice]

I hardly even feel like I hit my traps but when I look at old pictures I can defiantly tell a difference. just work on your mind muscle concentration. The next day you hit your traps choose a medium weight stick to 3 sets in the 10-12 rep range and go slow, like 3 up 3 down. Just focus on getting a pump and feeling a burn. Then remember this and hit your traps like you normally do with this in mind.

[allergic2rice]

Im really having a hard time hitting my traps. I've tried everything that I can think of. Barbell Shrugs, dumbell shrugs, smith shrugs, upright rows, power cleans, hang cleans, upright rows, and deadlifts. I have also tried low weight/high reps, dropsets, supersets, high weight/low reps, slow negatives, "contractions" at the top of each rep, and everything else... I can't feel anything in my traps during a workout. No pumps, burning, or anything. They just refuse to grow.


Does anyone have any advice as to what else I should try?

to have tried allllll that thoroughly and discovered that none of those work for you, it must have taken several years! such dedication

[kgts]

to have tried allllll that thoroughly and discovered that none of those work for you, it must have taken several years! such dedication

It's been about 7 months. Sure, I might be rushing things, but it's the only muscle group that I can't seem to get any pump or burn in. I know that I can still get growth without these feelings, but it just seems like they haven't done anything during the time I've been lifting.

Maybe they have grown and I have a little loose skin covering them? I've lost around 65 pounds so and there is a chance that his might be the case.

As for the high weight/low weight question, the heaviest I have tried is 315lbs with wrist straps. I feel these in my back/lower portion of my traps and they have given me some great growth there. However, it's the upper portion I just get any feeling in. Even when I shrug straight up to my ears, it's as if I can't get any mind/muscle connection.

[Steve2402]

Im really having a hard time hitting my traps. I've tried everything that I can think of. Barbell Shrugs, dumbell shrugs, smith shrugs, upright rows, power cleans, hang cleans, upright rows, and deadlifts. I have also tried low weight/high reps, dropsets, supersets, high weight/low reps, slow negatives, "contractions" at the top of each rep, and everything else... I can't feel anything in my traps during a workout. No pumps, burning, or anything. They just refuse to grow.


Does anyone have any advice as to what else I should try?

Try supersetting Upright Rows with Dumb bell shrugs. When performing the shrugs, say each rep number in your head as you shrug up, hold for 3 seconds, then lower. Weights have to be heavy, but not so heavy you cant get the full ROM. This is what is currently working for me.

[Steve2402]

Try supersetting Upright Rows with Dumb bell shrugs. When performing the shrugs, say each rep number in your head as you shrug up, hold for 3 seconds, then lower. Weights have to be heavy, but not so heavy you cant get the full ROM. This is what is currently working for me.

Sorry, just noticed you said you have tried supersets already. All i can suggest is that you get the full ROM with correct weight dumbells, hold for 3 seconds at the top of the move and slowly lower down, keeping the weight under control, not going with momentum (not saying you are btw)

[PeterGibbons316]

As for the high weight/low weight question, the heaviest I have tried is 315lbs with wrist straps. I feel these in my back/lower portion of my traps and they have given me some great growth there. However, it's the upper portion I just get any feeling in. Even when I shrug straight up to my ears, it's as if I can't get any mind/muscle connection.

Go heavier. I've found that traps respond faster than any other muscle group I have worked. In a period of less than 12 weeks I went from shrugging 225x25 (having never directly trained traps before) to 455x10. Just keep adding weight, and keep doing it. I don't have huge traps or anything, but they are more visible now than previously.

[kgts]

Go heavier. I've found that traps respond faster than any other muscle group I have worked. In a period of less than 12 weeks I went from shrugging 225x25 (having never directly trained traps before) to 455x10. Just keep adding weight, and keep doing it. I don't have huge traps or anything, but they are more visible now than previously.

Sounds like a plan. I'll stick at this for 6 weeks or so and see how it goes. I might toss in an extra trap workout into my back routine as well instead of just shoulders. I'll go heavy on shoulder day, and fairly light with the back/up (in the video that erik posted) method on my back day.

Would it be beneficial to add in a shrug to my rack pulls? I can rack pull around 500 and since the bar is already up, it couldn't hurt to try a shrug, right?

[kgts]

I approve. Will order this product within the next week and make a log . Would it get into my bloodsteam faster if I injected it? I desire the most powerful results.

[schumpetter]

Less is more! I never work traps lolZzz

Same here. They will grow naturally with compound exercises.

[WrestleStrength]

Ok so i'm going to ask a totally different question that is very important for strength and growth. How often do you work your traps, 1-2-3 times a week? What other exercises do you do that would include using your traps? How many days do you take off from using your traps?

EDIT: Also, how is your diet? What do you normally eat throughout the whole day?

[kgts]

Ok so i'm going to ask a totally different question that is very important for strength and growth. How often do you work your traps, 1-2-3 times a week? What other exercises do you do that would include using your traps? How many days do you take off from using your traps?

EDIT: Also, how is your diet? What do you normally eat throughout the whole day?

1-2 times a week for trap training. Might up it to 3 as I have seen no progression. They generally get 72 hours of rest before being hit again indirectly from my back day.

Diet isn't spot on. Varies a bit, but I've had solid progress with it. Lots of lean sirloin steak, chicken breast, salmon, pita bread, brown rice, protein shakes, olive oil, broccoli, watermelon, almonds, almond milk, and lean lamb. Im on IF and only eat 1 large meal a day+snacking at night (all in the "feeding" window). Varies from 1500-1800 cals. I get 150-170g of protein on average.

[WrestleStrength]

1-2 times a week for trap training. Might up it to 3 as I have seen no progression. They generally get 72 hours of rest before being hit again indirectly from my back day.

Diet isn't spot on. Varies a bit, but I've had solid progress with it. Lots of lean sirloin steak, chicken breast, salmon, pita bread, brown rice, protein shakes, olive oil, broccoli, watermelon, almonds, almond milk, and lean lamb. Im on IF and only eat 1 large meal a day+snacking at night (all in the "feeding" window). Varies from 1500-1800 cals. I get 150-170g of protein on average.

You eat 1500-1800 cal a day, and 150-170g protein a day?

[kgts]

You eat 1500-1800 cal a day, and 150-170g protein a day?

For the most part, yes. Is there something wrong with this? It's been working excellent for me and I plan on sticking to it. 1500 cals is on rest days.

[grobblepot]

For the most part, yes. Is there something wrong with this? It's been working excellent for me and I plan on sticking to it. 1500 cals is on rest days.

If you're 210 lbs, and 30% bodyfat, then you have 147 lbs of lean body mass. It's recommended to get anywhere from 1.0 to 1.5 grams of protein per lb of lean body mass (the number is argued over a lot. If you go for 1.3 grams of protein per lb of lbm, you should be getting 191 grams per day. Maybe he thinks you were too low.

You need to get sufficient protein for muscles to grow!

What are the grams of fats and carbs your getting? You need those for muscles to grow too.

[WrestleStrength]

For the most part, yes. Is there something wrong with this? It's been working excellent for me and I plan on sticking to it. 1500 cals is on rest days.

Yeah.. This very well is your problem man. You probably need 3200-4000 calories(i'm not sure how your metabolism is or how much activity is in a typical day for you). A friend of mine is a power lifter he weighs 190lbs and consumes no less than 4k cal a day and 250 grams of protein.

I would definitely say your calories and protein needs to go up. Worry about getting the muscle you want, then cut. trying to cut fat while gaining muscle is not the way to go imo..

EDIT: Wanted to add that the rest days are the days that your muscle need the most nutrients to be able to build muscle..

[kgts]

If you're 210 lbs, and 30% bodyfat, then you have 147 lbs of lean body mass. It's recommended to get anywhere from 1.0 to 1.5 grams of protein per lb of lean body mass (the number is argued over a lot. If you go for 1.3 grams of protein per lb of lbm, you should be getting 191 grams per day. Maybe he thinks you were too low.

You need to get sufficient protein for muscles to grow!

What are the grams of fats and carbs your getting? You need those for muscles to grow too.

If you're going off of my bodyspace, that's incorrect. I'm 195lbs as of yesterday and am no where near 30%. I'm guessing I'm 19%, maybe lower. I've got some loose skin which makes it hard to guess my bodyfat since I don't look very "defined" because of it. Protein and carbs are pretty much equal each day. Around 50-60g of fat every day.