Traps

**Friend** · 04-08-2009, 10:40 PM

Over the past couple of months or so i have only started giving my traps the attention they deserve. Previously i would just throw a couple of half-assed traps exercises into a lengthy shoulder workout. After doing a fair bit of reading, and being tired of having the most pathetic traps at gym i decided to start smashing them, and giving the respect they deserve.

I have lost alot of time, and potential growth due to never really focusing on them, and now i find myself struggling to build the muscle. I have been trying to fit them in twice a week to make up for lost time, usually 4-5 exercises of 3 sets of 10 each, with an occasional drop set.
I try to mix it up between db shrugs, bb shrugs (in front and behind back), standing rows with a close grip, standing rows with a wide grip.

Can anyone recommend some solid ways improve trap muscles, all comments are welcome!

**reardbandit** · 04-09-2009, 12:39 AM

Hang cleans and clean and presses (all variations). My favorite is the muscle clean and press, which is just like a regular hang clean and press, except with no leg movement. You muscle the weight up and over your head without using your lower body or any hip explosion at all. Builds traps like crazy. That and handstand pushups.

**Phate** · 04-09-2009, 12:50 AM

Originally Posted by hLd^

Over the past couple of months or so i have only started giving my traps the attention they deserve. Previously i would just throw a couple of half-assed traps exercises into a lengthy shoulder workout. After doing a fair bit of reading, and being tired of having the most pathetic traps at gym i decided to start smashing them, and giving the respect they deserve.

I have lost alot of time, and potential growth due to never really focusing on them, and now i find myself struggling to build the muscle. I have been trying to fit them in twice a week to make up for lost time, usually 4-5 exercises of 3 sets of 10 each, with an occasional drop set.
I try to mix it up between db shrugs, bb shrugs (in front and behind back), standing rows with a close grip, standing rows with a wide grip.

Can anyone recommend some solid ways improve trap muscles, all comments are welcome!

9-12 sets are fine for traps, just keep up a good intensity, i do traps/shoulders/forearms on the same day and do a constant superset(meaning i go from one isolation exercise to teh next and finish off with an exerise that hits all of them at once)

just make sure for traps that you are using a FULL ROM, squeeze them hard at the top, they'll grow, just give them time

**daniel_3855** · 04-09-2009, 02:05 AM

my traps have started to blow up after changing my workout to this.

3 sets side db strugs
3 sets front bb strugs
3 sets rear bb strugs
3 sets deads

as phate says squeeze at the top and lower down slowly works a treat.

**Friend** · 04-09-2009, 09:22 PM

Thanks guys, this helps alot.

I haven't tried hang cleans before, it might be time to start. I just watched a couple of vids on youtube to see how they're done. Looking forward to starting.

I always makes sure to give them a good squeeze, although my form sucks sometimes, ie shoulders aren't back as far as they should be. I think this is because the weight i am trying to use is a bit heavy? Another question i have is, is going heavier and not having the greatest form (ie height of shrugs, length of squeeze, speed on the way down) better to do to blast them or is form still the most important thing? ie. go a little less heavier, and focus on form?

**Dougewesq** · 04-11-2009, 06:36 PM

I do deadlifts on an entirely different day than traps and have seen good results

**green22** · 04-11-2009, 10:16 PM

deads and shrugs are all I do.

**Focusmen** · 04-12-2009, 09:53 PM

one bad ass work out this huge mofo showed me was "walking with dumbbells". kills my traps and is kinda fun. i stick my chest way out and hold my shoulders back putting weight on my traps. then ill walk about 50 yard at a medium pace. 3-4 sets.try it

**Friend** · 04-12-2009, 11:04 PM

Still smashing them twice a week. I'm focusing on giving them a huge squeeze when i reach the top and nice and slow on the way down, but to do so i've had to reduce the weight

Mixing my workout up aswell, usually i still try keep it to 5 sets.

How effective do you guys find drop sets?