How to really hit and build bigger traps

[VincentMah]

Hi all,

Sorry now for the pretty novice question.

I've been following this and other sites for workout routines for the past few years but for some reason I just can't build up my traps.

I'm in reasonable shape at the moment but would love to work on my traps but can't seem to get any results. (pics attached)

How do I get traps where it looks like the traps are feeding into the mid neck? (I've attached an example, I know its extreme but that sort of look) Are there any particular exercises I should be targeting?


Any help or advice at all would be greatly appreciated

[merlen90]

I do 4 sets of about 8-10 reps to failure, I use dumbells for the shrugs. I then lower the wieght and do a shrug and hold for 40 seconds, my trainer said it would help them grow and they did, but now I think I hit a plateau.

[jaxqen]

- dumbbell shrugs
- barbell shrugs
- hexbar shrugs
- overhead shrugs
- cable shrugs
- behind the back barbell shrugs
- dumbbell monkey/armpit rows
- deadlifts
- rack pulls
- ez bar vertical rows
- huge friendly dog shrugs/deadlifts/vertical rows or two smaller dogs for monkey rows

[EliKoehn]

Deadlift.

If you make consistent progress with this lift and your traps still don't appear to be gaining at all, I will be surprised.

[Mortar34]

Deadlift.

If you make consistent progress with this lift and your traps still don't appear to be gaining at all, I will be surprised.

This, and rack pulls. Also, do horizontal rows 2-3 times a week, and preferably rows that start with your hands low and ending high.

Doing shrugs to grow your traps is like doing cable flyes to grow your chest. It'll work, but virtually any pressing variant will be more effective. Focus on heavier compounds and that will, at least, maximize your potential for growth.

[BeginnerGainz]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTxsc6fL...dium=copy_link

[GeneralSerpant]

Not many have embarked on this path and few have made it back.

[mdonnelly80]

Throughout the years, I have struggled to build my traps through shrugs. For whatever reason, the isometric contraction involved in deads and farmer's walks have done the trick.

[user2LNFS0HS23V]

If there is one exercise we all love to hate and hate to love it is this one . A plank is a simple effective body weight exercise that requires no equipment and can be performed just about anywhere[well use your judgement ].

Holding your body[ light as a feather]stiff as a board develops strength primarily in your core - the muscle that connects your upper body and lower body as well as your shoulders, arms,.😲

For more planking tutorials refer to video playlist 👇;

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[mdonnelly80]

Also, I found that simple exercises like band-pull aparts, band dislocates and face pulls add mass to my traps as well. People forget that the traps don't just elevate the shoulder blades; they also retract them. As such, high pulling exercises stress the traps over decent ROM.

[MyEgoProblem]

If you already deadlift and ohp.
Incline bench db shrugs are the way.



They build ALL of the trap not just the upper and lev Scap. They **** all over standing shrugs.

Infact, incline bench db row followed by a mechanical drop set of incline db shrugs.
And if your a real nut job, stand up and do standing to failure.

And don't forget your laterals, both standing and bent over and 100s of band pulls per week.

cleans & snatches the great but hella technical and need a coach really

https://www.instagram.com/p/CWUJyZ-t...dium=copy_link
Yeah. I can grow traps xD

[EliKoehn]

^^ 7000th post

Dude you are yoked.

[MyEgoProblem]

^^ 7000th post

Dude you are yoked.

Wooo 7k hadn't noticed!

Im not quite there now dude.. But thanks!

Lockdown and big career & life changes saw to that 😬😂

[TheShadowMan]

Farmer's walks, power cleans, high pulls, power shrugs, monkey rows(safer than uprights and targets same areas) there's a number of ways. Question is if you want to directly work them or not, traps are almost always active in the lifts we do and because of that it's pretty easy for em to overdevelop.

[ChunkBuster]

Db hang clean and press if you are doing a full body or upper lower.


I like band high pulls with a thick band. Sets of 15-20. Top half of the exercise only.

[GrouchyUSMC]

Deadlifts, farmer's walks, high pulls, cleans.