cleans?

[Timm1704]

ok, im sure i know what a clean is, its just the beginning phase of a clean and jerk, taking the barbell from the floor, up to the upper chest. hanging cleans would be when you dont return the bar to the floor. is there any other pointers you guys might have that would help make this exercise more productive to my traps? my traps are pretty good, but im always looking for new things, and have never tried cleans

[Posideon]

Cleans are good for the traps, it's almost a total body exercise though. I would still hit your traps with some heavy barbell shruggs though just to isolate them. Cleans are great for explosive power, and IMO they're great for thinkening the rear delt upper back area. I would keep the reps between 6-10 range, depending on what look you're going for.

[PeteyK]

try other variations to hit ur traps with shrugs other than just standing barbell shrugs. like try supersetting standing dumbbell or barbell shrugs with shrugs where ur leaning stomach down against an incline bench(its hard to explain) but i think that works really good.

[Timm1704]

i am still going to use shrugs, infront, behind and with dumbbells, one or 2 of the 3, aswell as heavy deadlifts on back day

[Squatman51]

hang cleans are my favorite... yea just keep the bar just to the knee or below and shrug it up and scoop the bar under your hips and clean it up just like the top phase of a power clean

[taiboxa]

i will swap cleans for deads every now and then definetly helps w/ stamina/explosivness

[resonator]

The lower part of a clean (deadlift) has an effect on traps, so I would incorporate the entire movement of cleans, rather than just hang cleans.

[Tank75]

You can also look into snatches, which is a similar olympic-style lift except you go take the weight from the ground (or knee) and explode it up to above your head. You use a wider grip and this has the added benefit of a lot of shoulder and chest flexibility and I feel is quite a bit in my traps as well. Just make sure in all of these lifts that you do not try to get under the weight until you do the following:

1)Triple Extension- Explode and Straighten from the ankle, knee, and hip
2)Shrug the weight as high and as explosively as possible while plantarflexing (rising up on your toes)
3)Now dip under the weight (catch)

These types of lifts are really technical and can take time to really get the hang of. Be patient and it will come.

Best Regards,
-Tank75