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OK when I do shrugs, should I use the straight bar? I have been using the weird diamond bar thats open on the inside and you stand in it(I have no idea what that thing is called). Is the straight bar better, worse, does it even matter? I also do upright rows and dumbell shrugs if it matters.
Thanks
J
I have never heard of that triangle thing your talking about, nor have I ever seen one, or at least I don't think I have :)
But...I suggest you try them both and see which is more comfortable. Do them both, see which is more effective, which you feel it harder on the traps. I personally use the straight bar, and it works great.
I don't know what that thing is called, but I like it.
It gives me a good workout, but the part that sucks is that not many gyms have those anymore. If you could get a good pump out of it, then I would stick with it. I mostly use the DB.
Good point Terniox,
There are several excersises that you can do for traps. Try each one, the ones that you like the best you are much more likely to hit with a greater intensitity. Here are a few of my favorites.
Stand with the bar of a smith machine behind you. Leaning slightly forward grab the bar with a wide grip. Pull the arms up until the elbows are as high as you can get them and squezze the traps at the top of the movement.
Dumbell Shrugs- Self explaintory
Peck deck- Ok hear me out first before you laugh!LOL
First off this will only work if the peck deck at your gym has reverasable arms. ( All cycberex equoipement has this opition)
Sit on the peck deck backwards, adjust the arms to go back as far as they can. With your arms streached out in front of you pull the arms of the peck-deck backwrds toward your back, Actually this is more of a back excersise but it will really help in the seperation of the traps, shoulders ect.
IC
the bar is called a trap bar, its for deadlift, so u cant get hurt with heavy weight if you drop it. but always go with what works for you, and not someone else. may take a few extra days, but it will pay off in the long run. u should try these things where you use somewhat light weight(i use 40lbs DB) standing, bring DBs up with your elbows straight out from your should, and your forearms at a 45degree angle in front of you, and at parrell to your should, tip the dumbells like pouring out water cups.:dg:
Hay Tobey,
That exercise you mention with the smith machine sounds really cool, gotta be very effective. I'm gonna give it a shot for sure on traps day. Could you go a little more into detail into how your doing it?
that reverse rec-deck machine is a really good exercise, im surprised that most of u dont know wat it is, ive been doin it forever....i usually end my shoulder workout with it, well actually i do it before i start traps..........its a good rear delt exercise, and it targets the bottom of ur traps...........
hey Tobey, I do the same exercise with the Smith machiine. However, I sometimes use the squat rack. Either way it works thew traps hard. Anothe substitute is the calf machine. It's like doing calf rasies but instead you rasie your shoulders up. It's hard to explain but it does work. Nothing though beats the old fashioned DB shrugs.
I think the diamond bar is the best for working traps, but again like genuine said, not many gyms have them anymore. I used to use it all the time at the old gym I used to go to that was primarily a bb's gym but is in a bad neighborhood now. Now I just do dumbell shrugs and machine shrugs. I can never do barbell shrugs, cause everytimes I go to shrug the bar up, it always rubs against my dick and after like 8 reps you can probably guess what happens next.
Mr. Trenton, it also rubs against my dick area (LOL) but i don't see how it bothers you. it barely touches me, the bar seems like the way for me. dumbells are just way too uncomfortable because you need heavy weights, i shrug 225, and you need like 100pound dumbells for that, it's quite awkward.
but whatever works for you :)
I know what you mean, but with the bar, I can never hold it far away enough from my body so it won't rub against my croch. It just bothers me.
The only problem with the diamond bar is ti chooses the width of your grip for you. I use a barbel so i can grab a closer grip .
Quote:
Originally posted by Diesel
A lot of gyms (like mine) have a stationary machine for just traps. Two handles you stand between that you can throw 45 pound plates on. Problem is mine only fits 4 per side.
That's too bad too, from your pic...YOU'VE GOT SOME HUGE ASS TRAPS!!!
Shit dude, are they implants??? :lol: j/k
How you get em soo big???
I read somewhere that the best excersise for traps is the straightbar, I think its different for everyone though because I get the most burn from one of the shoulder presses I use for shrugs. Also when I lift my chin towards the ceiling i get the best burn