Best trap exercise?

[tice1212]

What do u guys think the best exercise to stimulate traps is?.. Heavy weight? Low reps 4-8? Or light weight? High reps 10-15?

[Khazima]

I'd say either Deadlifts, around 6 reps cause you can put a lot of weight on it and it's decent time under tension. And standard dumbbell shrugs between 12-15 reps because you can get a great contraction and put a pretty big load on them even at 15 reps.

[Euroholic]

Slightly lean forward, concentrate on mind muscle connection. Use your traps not you arms. I like low reps with dead lifts and higher reps with shrugs. When your shrugging push them up like your touching your ears. And hopd for a second at the top. Ive just started doing farmers walk but not noticing a difference in size yet.

[swolehead]

definatly don't lean forward unless you want to develop upper cross syndrome. use good poster like any other excersize head strait chest out shoulders back for shrugs that is. I don't think anything can beat the isolation of the shrug for stimulating the traps but as far as reps that's dependent on your goals.

[SOL!D5NAK3]

heavy barbell shrug drop sets. deadlifts and keep your neck up cuz it'll shorten the muscle

[3day]

For me power cleans. Heavy 3 to 5 reps.4 to 5 sets.

[Khazima]

For me power cleans. Heavy 3 to 5 reps.4 to 5 sets.

Definitely, I forgot about this. My mate started doing power cleans regularly and his traps blew up.

[kelkel]

Throw in some behind the back shrugs on a smith machine for a change of pace as well.

[Euroholic]

Throw in some behind the back shrugs on a smith machine for a change of pace as well.

Mixing it up

[Domraise]

You can try all things mentioned above... and dont forget about dumbbell upright rows. For me highter reps, from 12 to 15 works the best for traps. Sometimes 20 too. Full range of motion on shrugs... no point of working with alot of weight and do some partial reps (often seen in the gym). Try and see what works for you the best.

[zempey]

I like high rep heavy barbell shrugs, just make sure you only go as heavy as you can still keep a full range of motion. Nothing worse than a guy with 4 plates a side on doing 2" range of motion. I wear straps so I can go way past my grip limitations and focus on the muscle and the squeeze at the top. Due to some tendonitis issues lately I have been limited to around 3 plates but keep the rep range up at 15-20 with a pause at the top.

[Lee_1978]

Definitely, I forgot about this. My mate started doing power cleans regularly and his traps blew up.

I've never considered power cleans for traps. Food for thought.

[zempey]

I was doing clean and press until I buggered up my elbow, they are a great overall shoulder and trap exercise.

[clarky.]

Heavy bb shrugs.

[Beethoven]

All of the above. That being said, deadlifts. I had back problems so I stayed away from deadlifting for some years. I recently started again, went pretty heavy for first time this week and my traps along with my lower back muscles have been screaming. back when I started lifting many years ago, it was the deadlift that got my traps going.

[Khazima]

All of the above. That being said, deadlifts. I had back problems so I stayed away from deadlifting for some years. I recently started again, went pretty heavy for first time this week and my traps along with my lower back muscles have been screaming. back when I started lifting many years ago, it was the deadlift that got my traps going.

Same here, I don't directly train traps just deadlift a lot and my traps are one of my stronger points.

Just thought about it, farmers walks would probably be great.

[Buster Brown]

Deadlifts, single arm dumbell shrugs, upright rows, barbell shrugs to the front and back are all good. Try doing them twice a week for a while. I personally saw the most change in my traps when I started to incorporate deadlifts in my routine.