Trap Lifts

[baseball21]

What is everyone's favorite lift for traps? Traps are my personal favorite.

[baseline_9]

I like smith machine shrugs....


I actually did some overhead squats the other day and my traps were killing.. Worthing thinking about

[ajordana]

smith barbell shrugs, front and back, dumbbell shrugs, standing upright rows close grip with ez bar.. oh, and deads of course

[DanB]

Shrugs, upright rows

I go light on upright rows because of dodgy shoulder, but use static holds and really feel it, shrugs are heavy as possible with straps and 6-8 reps

deads also good for building traps

[joegtz99]

Power clings are fantastic . I like having a leg and trap day it goes well with my weekly routine

[Back In Black]

Trap/hex bar shrugs.

[M302_Imola]

Trap/hex bar shrugs.

My gym got rid of the hex bar...I loved doing shrugs on it, as it always made them super sore the next day. Now I'm stuck w/ the same ole barbell or dumbbell shrugs

[rockinred]

I like to do them with the bent bar behind my body. Also, for a variation....use a standing calf machine. Get under it and put arms in front of you and shrug up with the whole stack. You can feel a good burn.

The problem with the hex bar is after stacking 4 plates on each side, it gets way to difficult to lift up off the ground. It turns into a deadlift for me.

[gearbox]

I like to do them with the bent bar behind my body. Also, for a variation....use a standing calf machine. Get under it and put arms in front of you and shrug up with the whole stack. You can feel a good burn.

The problem with the hex bar is after stacking 4 plates on each side, it gets way to difficult to lift up off the ground. It turns into a deadlift for me.

I am not quite there yet!

see bold. may get there one day

[M302_Imola]

The problem with the hex bar is after stacking 4 plates on each side, it gets way to difficult to lift up off the ground. It turns into a deadlift for me.

I know exactly what you mean. When my gym did have the bar we would place it inside the smith machine rack using the support arms. This would lift it off the ground about 3 feet which made life much easier!

[KeyMastur]

I know exactly what you mean. When my gym did have the bar we would place it inside the smith machine rack using the support arms. This would lift it off the ground about 3 feet which made life much easier!

ha i did this the other day and was looking for something to rest the weight in. having to do the dead lift before i shrugged about killed me. good tip

[M302_Imola]

ha i did this the other day and was looking for something to rest the weight in. having to do the dead lift before i shrugged about killed me. good tip

I know what you mean...deadlifts def have their place just don't want to be spent with a 4-plate each side deadlift when my intentions are shrugs! lol

[Razor]

Barbell Shurgs behind he body, upright rows, BB shrugs

[Stosh_112]

totally agree with this approach! Keep in mind when shrugging dont round out ur form, straight up, hold then lower, blast back up straight. If u round out ur shrugs ull get a hunched back look on ur traps and rear delts.

[baseline_9]

totally agree with this approach! Keep in mind when shrugging dont round out ur form, straight up, hold then lower, blast back up straight. If u round out ur shrugs ull get a hunched back look on ur traps and rear delts.

I Disagree...

Controlled 'hunching' of the upper back is a great way to get maximum trap stimulation..... Since traps pull the shoulder girdle back as well as upwards


You can drastically increase the ROM by using a controlled 'hunch' of the upper back or if you cannot do this even leaning slightly forward at the hips will help

[Stosh_112]

With heavy weighted shrugs, there is no such thing as controlled hunching! You wanna keep ur back as straight and tight as possible... What i meant by rounding out shrugs is when u roll ur shoulders as u shrug upward. Which will give u a hunched rounded look, ive seen the results by a few members.

[Conrad0032]

I'm not sure what it's called but it works your lower back slightly but mainly your traps and calves. I set a barbell at mid thigh level and then do a shrug and calf raise at the same time, hold for a second at the top, drop and repeat. It has great carry over for cleans and makes those calves and traps sore as hell haha.