currently the only direct trap workout I am doing is barbell shrug s- 315x10 for 4 sets. I’ll throw dumbell shrugs in once in awhile but i just don’t think it does anything after barbell shrugs. But I am no genius so what do i know.
What are some more workouts for DIRECT traps?
I like Hang Cleans. they’re more of a full body explosive exercise, but i really feel them in my traps.
Also, if you do upright rows with your hands closer together, it works your traps pretty well.
There was another exercise in an article, can’t remember by who as well (this might be a trend until I start looking at the authors names), that suggested to hold to dumbbells ina locked position above your head, such as you just completed concetric dumbbell press, and just shrug up.
Although I have only tried it once, it seems to work well.
And as Blaze said, cleans are a great trap workout, it doesn’t just have to be hang cleans.
incline bench shrugs. I one day just got tired of my crappy traps and simply loaded the bitch with 135 and did them until I hit 100 reps. i couldn’t move my head the day after.
Thanks Blaze and Ukrainian, I’m going to try those workouts.
Growing, how exactly would I do a incline bench shrug?
you throw yourself chest facing the incline bench. grab the dumbbells and shrug away. Make sure you set the angle so your arms are perpendicular to the floor.
Rack Pulls…at top really squeeze hard with your traps and lower the weight nice and slow concentrating on putting as much tension and as much of the weight onto your shrugs…absolutely DESTROYS your traps…if your not use to holding heavy weight you may need to wear straps and a belt when doing them, but they are a kick ass workout for your entire upper back but especialy the traps
snatches.
Charles Poliquin addresses this here
http://www.T-Nation.com/article/bodybuilding/question_of_strength_february&cr=
It’s halfway down the page.
His take is that you need a combination of olympic lifting and dumpbell shrugs. The olympic lifts will hit the HTMU’s, and that’ll be awesome for the first half of your specialization cycle. After that, use dumpbells shrugs so you can get the full ROM on each side.
Keep the Shrugs and do them twice a week. Then on all the other days you train, do an easier movement that involves the traps (Face-Pulls, Seated DP Power Cleans, Rear-Delt Flys, Upright Rows, etc.) This way you can train your Traps every time you train.
Deadlifts and all their variations will do the job.
The best trap work I ever got out of Olympic Lifts was doing High Pulls with the same grip I bench with. I might even say these are almost as good as shrugs.
Also, when you do shrugs, think of them as a type of Mid-Thigh Rack Pull. Use straps, do a Rack Pull/Shrug lift so you get some momentum, and start ever rep off the safety pins.
T-Bar Rows and Draw Rows are good Trap Builders. T-Bars especially for the Mid-Traps.
There’s actually a book called Kelso’s Shrug Book. You can guess what it’s about.
I haven’t read it but I know it tells you how to do
Bench Shrugs
Snatch-Grip Shrugs
Overhead Shrugs
Trap-Bar Work
Shrugs specific to improving certain competition lifts.
Some other stuff about how to get huge
[quote]bmitch wrote:
overhead shrugs[/quote]
You’re kidding, right?
[quote]Otep wrote:
bmitch wrote:
overhead shrugs
You’re kidding, right?[/quote]
It’s a legit exercise.
Probably not the best mass builder but it’ll improve your ability to drop down into a full snatch and hold the bar over your head.
[quote]Otep wrote:
bmitch wrote:
overhead shrugs
You’re kidding, right?[/quote]
what’s wrong with overhead shrugs ? javorek (spelling) oomplex?
Okay. That makes sense.
I have only seen overhead shrugs billed as pre/rehab. The amount of load you can use for the exercise is so small I figure it wouldn’t make for a good mass-builder.
[quote]Otep wrote:
Okay. That makes sense.
I have only seen overhead shrugs billed as pre/rehab. The amount of load you can use for the exercise is so small I figure it wouldn’t make for a good mass-builder.[/quote]
you should try them with a max jerk overhead. They’ll do you just fine. This is assuming one knows how to properly jerk press though.
You want traps?
Do your regular trap routine, then add
5x3 Barbell Shrug
Dumbbell Isolation shrug: 3x10 perform the reps holding to dumbbells at the highest point for 30 sec each.
( Note: this will kill if you aren’t smart about your weight)
Then hold the dumbbells in their top position for 1 min.
these drills will work both your neck stability traps and your back traps.
Enjoy, and by the way, what the hell is that crap about overhead shrug?
Heavy OH pressing(jerks, push press and regular presses) and Heavy Pulling(DL, Rack pulls, olympic lifts variations)