Hardgainer for traps! Need serious help please!

[BigHuman]

Hey everyone

I really need some help with my Traps because nothing is working, ever!

I am a big guy, in good shape.

Have been body building serious 2 years now.

Arms are 19 inches, due to good genetics they get big even without juice.
Shoulders are big in good shape,
Ive got good V shape back also.
And chest is good with good seperation and is 46 inches last I measured.
Legs decent also but Im trying to bring more definition out in them.
One area that never ever seems to grow is my Traps.
Even though my shoulders have pumped right up and they are very wide and thick.
SO why have my traps not worked.
Once a week after my shoulder workout I do traps.
I normaly do 3 sets of heavy but strict barbell up right rows.
then move over to the rack and load up the barbell and either do infront of shrugs three sets, really trying to squeeze my traps.
Or il do behind the back shrugs again as much weight as i can handle but really focusing the burn on my traps.
My problem is, I just can never seem to feel them working, maybe a little but i can normaly feel it more in my shoulders
I know im doing correct form as have trained with pro body builders and they say im doing spot on form and exercises.
They reckon ive just got really bad luck and my genetics for traps are crap!
Am i doomed to have same size traps forever!
Really its so frustrating, ive tried everything i can think of to make them grow.
at one point I even was injecting into them before I worked them out thinking it would help, but still nothing!

So whats wrong with me, just a hardgainer on the traps dept or what!
Please can anyone let me know if this is common?
Or try help me with a trap routine that I can do which will really make them grow no doubt about it.
I feel like ive got a curse or something that wont make them grow!

[*Narkissos*]

I normaly do 3 sets of heavy but strict barbell up right rows.
then move over to the rack and load up the barbell

My problem is, I just can never seem to feel them working

See above quote.

Maybe you're simply using too much weight. I find personally that higher reps 'work' better for my traps.. with regard to direct training.

Really its so frustrating, ive tried everything i can think of to make them grow.

Everything?

Higher rep ranges?

Do you deadlift/rack pull/power clean/hang clean/barbell row???

Often the indirect routes lead to more unit mass than direct training.

Narkissos

[helium3]

high reps has worked really well for my traps.slow deliberate movement so plenty of time under tension.high reps= 12-15 for me.i work down to lower reps but still feel i get more from higher reps.

[WidowMaker]

I posted this in another traps tread, but it needs to be here also:

Go to Borders or Barnes And Nobles book store and by a book called
Kelso's Trap Book by Paul Kelso. It is the only book you'll ever need to build strength and stability in those traps of yours. I have and still use these techniques and anyone whoever has will tell you the same thing -- go buy the book. It's for only the serious-minded athletes

[BigHuman]

See above quote.

Maybe you're simply using too much weight. I find personally that higher reps 'work' better for my traps.. with regard to direct training.



Everything?

Higher rep ranges?

Do you deadlift/rack pull/power clean/hang clean/barbell row???

Often the indirect routes lead to more unit mass than direct training.

Narkissos

The only one I dont use out of all what you sugested is power clean
All the others I have done or do.
And I do switch up my heavy low reps, to lighter weight high reps.
Still no results

Really I just think ive got bad genetics for trap building, take this as an example
I started training with this young Japanese guy who was only 17, doing our shoulders together.
When we started together his traps were a bit like mine.
After just two months training together, doing same exercises as each other his traps had blowen right up!
Mine were the same!
And I was on gear, he was natural! ive never seen some one natural with such big traps before!

Anyway its just frustrating because im big everywhere else and pleased with what ive built , only my traps let me down, and big traps are one of my fav muscle groups on a body builder, just looks so good when they are huge built up to the neck.

[Triple X]

A. It's 99% genetics
B. You could be over training them
C. Spot injections

[BigHuman]

A. It's 99% genetics
B. You could be over training them
C. Spot injections

Nah def not overtraining as only do 3 sets up right rows and 3 sets barbell shrugs once a week after shoulders

I did once jab in them, really difficult to do it yourself though! and it didnt even swell them up like it does when i spot inject into my triceps or delts or biceps,

Think im doomed to have small traps , but big everything else

[PROTEINSHAKE]

hell no! I do 15-20 reps for traps-as much as they can handle...I want some size on mine as well.... dumbell shrugs, barbell shrugs, & behind the back shrugs get a slightly diff angle for me. Also, when i do lateral raises or upright rows I try to squeeze them for a second on the top of each rep...

[BigHuman]

hell no! I do 15-20 reps for traps-as much as they can handle...I want some size on mine as well.... dumbell shrugs, barbell shrugs, & behind the back shrugs get a slightly diff angle for me. Also, when i do lateral raises or upright rows I try to squeeze them for a second on the top of each rep...

But wont the muscle only grow with heavy weight Low reps, like in the 1-6 rep range?

Ive always been told Low reps heavy weight for size and mass, lighter weights and high reps 15-20 range for shape,definition.

[Xtralarg]

Try some drop sets.

[Jsik98]

could be the grip you're using.....try hitting up dumbells with straps and doing shrugs with your palm facing your body....do heavy weight, but controlled movements where you're really squeezing at the top, and really feeling the stretch at the bottom.....I personally feel that the stretch at the bottom of a movement is the most important for causing micro tears in a muslce, hence stimulating it to grow..also, you said that when you do barbell shrugs you feel it mostly in your shoulders....well, that sounds like you're grip is a bit off, or the weight is too heavy. Do you have your hands fairly close on the bar, or at least shoulder width apart? sometimes it's the miniscule details that only apply to our particular body structure that make all the difference...also, machine shrugs where your grip is set to palms facing your body might also help.....??

[BigHuman]

could be the grip you're using.....try hitting up dumbells with straps and doing shrugs with your palm facing your body....do heavy weight, but controlled movements where you're really squeezing at the top, and really feeling the stretch at the bottom.....I personally feel that the stretch at the bottom of a movement is the most important for causing micro tears in a muslce, hence stimulating it to grow..also, you said that when you do barbell shrugs you feel it mostly in your shoulders....well, that sounds like you're grip is a bit off, or the weight is too heavy. Do you have your hands fairly close on the bar, or at least shoulder width apart? sometimes it's the miniscule details that only apply to our particular body structure that make all the difference...also, machine shrugs where your grip is set to palms facing your body might also help.....??

Yeah I try to change my grip on whatever im using.

I got told to place your hands about 10 inches apart for best Trap isolation

there has been only one exercise that I can truly say I have felt a pump in my traps from doing , and that is using smiths machine behind the back shrugs.
Its facing a mirror so can really see it working.
Ive done lots of dumbbell shrugs with dumbbells at the side of my shoulders up to ears and elbows straight as possible then squeeze at the top, I just never felt very comfortable with this exercise.
Its annoying because all my muscle groups, arms,chest,lats - even when not tensed they feel hard! but Ive got to really tense my traps to make them even remotely hard.

[PROTEINSHAKE]

But wont the muscle only grow with heavy weight Low reps, like in the 1-6 rep range?

Ive always been told Low reps heavy weight for size and mass, lighter weights and high reps 15-20 range for shape,definition.

In theory,yes...I tried that approach for months-load up as much as I could & shrug it 5-8x.It got my traps stronger but not all too much size.So I decided to swtich it up & go for moderate weight for 15-20 reps HOLDING each rep at the top & it has really improved the size that I am going for...(although I still want bigger)

[anaBROLIC]

crawl before you walk.. low weight high reps to bring out some definition. then start to go heavier to bulk them up..

[BigHuman]

crawl before you walk.. low weight high reps to bring out some definition. then start to go heavier to bulk them up..

Yeah, thanks to all you guys for these tips

Im going do high reps now and really feel the stretch, see how that goes.

Its just so frustrating when ur delts are like cannon balls, arms 19 inches, chest 47 inches but your traps still look crap! 2 me anyway.

Cant waite til next shoulder day to try this out

[*Narkissos*]

But wont the muscle only grow with heavy weight Low reps, like in the 1-6 rep range?

Ive always been told Low reps heavy weight for size and mass, lighter weights and high reps 15-20 range for shape,definition.

Weight doesn't build muscle.. working the muscle does.

Doesn't matter how much you pile on a bar.

If you cannot consciously work a muscle, the anxillary musculature will grow but the target till not.

This heavy weight v.s. light weight; high reps v,s, low reps shit is irrelevant.

The basic.. which you must grasp, is being able to mentally connect with the muscle. You've admitted not being able to feel it working..thus you've admitted to having no mental connection with said muscle group.

[KeyMastur]

yes. talk to the muscle. coax it into growing. rub lotion on it. massage it. once you become one with the muscle it will begin to give feedback.....

also try some cleans....

[*Narkissos*]

yes. talk to the muscle. coax it into growing. rub lotion on it. massage it. once you become one with the muscle it will begin to give feedback.....

also try some cleans....

There is bro here.. once was my best friend and training partner.

He used to talk to his pecs... and that shit worked surprisingly

I would feel a lil strange carrying on a convo with 'em in the gym like he did.. but he never cared

He told 'em to grow and they did

He'd talk to 'em during a set..

BEtween sets in the mirror

[anaBROLIC]

There is bro here.. once was my best friend and training partner.

He used to talk to his pecs... and that shit worked surprisingly

I would feel a lil strange carrying on a convo with 'em in the gym like he did.. but he never cared

He told 'em to grow and they did

He'd talk to 'em during a set..

BEtween sets in the mirror

very strange.. but whatever makes him happy...

[angelripper]

[QUOTE=BigHuman]Yeah, thanks to all you guys for these tips

Im going do high reps now and really feel the stretch, see how that goes.

Its just so frustrating when ur delts are like cannon balls, arms 19 inches, chest 47 inches but your traps still look crap! 2 me anyway.

Cant waite til next shoulder day to try this out[/QUOTuse hand straps and go up to at least 405 hit the muscle deep with heavy weight youll will be sore as hell a day or to later.

[peteroy01]

try bending over about 10degrees and raise the dumbells straight up instead of to ur ears. u will probably have to drop weight.

[V_Vandetta]

Weight doesn't build muscle.. working the muscle does.

Doesn't matter how much you pile on a bar.

If you cannot consciously work a muscle, the anxillary musculature will grow but the target till not.

This heavy weight v.s. light weight; high reps v,s, low reps shit is irrelevant.

The basic.. which you must grasp, is being able to mentally connect with the muscle. You've admitted not being able to feel it working..thus you've admitted to having no mental connection with said muscle group.

I agree 100% for me controlled reps train the blood flow to the primary muscle you are working .... sometimes useing heavy weight takes away form it .. thus useing secondary and third .. to help .......... the trick is squeezing the trap at the right time with the shrug pumping so much blood it taers red fiber..... now keep in mind semetry height and width..... So IMO the best way to get controlled blood flow.... and Is key to good traps and IMO is seated shrugs will give you this .. with medium weight From is much more important than weight.. Because My traps are huge and I really dont have to train that hard at all... once you get form down .. and learn controlled blood flow to the primary target muscle ... than its all down hill

[Tein]

I would suggest focusing on the smith shrugs (front and back) so you can really concentrate on the pull and squeeze of the muscle. I also like to do shrugs lying face down on an incline bench to hit the lower traps, that might help spark some new growth for you. Have you tried farmer walks too? I always feel funny grabbing big dumbells and just walking around the gym so I sometimes do them at home. Go hardcore and grab some cinderblocks or something heavy and walk up and down your stairs at home 5 times, that should get your traps seriously burning.

[DecimaMAS]

I've had a similar problem and the above comment focusing in low reps is usually the answer. I don't know of one builder in the gym who doesn't have one area where they just don't grow, or do so at an extremely slow rate. Try this:

Close-grip upright rows (barbells) 3 x 10
Wide-grip upright rows (long bar) 3 x 10
Shoulder shrugs (dumbells) 3 x 10 (2 second "hold" per rep)

Seated flys (keep legs together and feed far from your torso, as if you're doing sit-ups; keep chest to legs and head propped up; same rep. motion as standing dumbell flys for deltoids) 3 x 10


Let me know how this works out for you after a few weeks, and remember to keep the weight lower--if you need more reps, burn out the 3rd set!

[Venum]

my traps grow very easily, probably due to genetics....but I also train the hell out of them.....do them twice a week, 5 sets each day...I love doing behind the back shrugs, 12-15 rep range and squeeze at the top(hold for a few secs), and sloooowly lower your shoulders down. dont let your arms completely go straight on the negative because then that probably means its too heavy...keep the resistance on them the whole 12-15 reps, THEN do a nice drop set of a much lighter weight or anything you can get the same amount of reps out of. switch it up..dumbbells, barbell, machine here and there.........also, DONT count on UPRIGHT ROWS to play a big roll in your trap development...they mostly focus on the front deltoid, minimal trap work and thats even with a close grip. good luck.

[Smedman101]

Theirs alot of great info above^^^

I use to have the same problem. I was doing to MUCH 3- work sets for traps. A great friend of mine had me drop to one WORK SET.
What I do for my traps is the Load up the smith press machine with 315. I do 8-12 reps, relax at the bottom squeeze at the top. 4 sets...I do these last after my shoulder work out.

What Im saying is maybe your doing to much?

Once i did started this in 3months my traps took off.