Help with Traps

[Whacked]

I have decent overall trap development but lack medial/interior (towards midline) trap develpment - the part that connects immediatelyto the neck lineand has that nice aesthetically pleasing gradual "swoop" up into the neck.

When I flex, it almost looks like I have 2 developed peaks, then 2 severe valley's, then the neck line begins.

Help?

 

[lonewolf0420]

Leaning or incline shrugs?

 

[HEARTLESS]

Barbell shrugs.. front and back.. one arm light weighted shrug make sure to pickup your shoulder and almost squeeze it back. up and back.. let me know if you need a better description.

 

[bslick69b]

behind the back flat bar shrugs are great aslo!start from behind your lower back with the bar,and while tightening your neck muscle's bring it up to almost your mid back,and then back down...i like this method...and you switch to the front,and do the same but it wont go up that high maybe to almost to the navel...and back down.

 

[JOHNJESSICA20]

My trap workout consists of heavy BB/DB shrugs. You can't go wrong with these two exercises. My traps have grown great with this routine.

BB Shrugs 4x12 (front)
BB Shrugs 4x12 (behind)

DB Shrug 3X12 (standing)

Just make sure your letting the Traps do the work and not your arms.

 

[thegodfather]

Deadlifts seem to hit more of this region for me, whereas shrugs work the upper traps better.

 

[willwes]

Don't forget about the Dork Row. Hold two barbells at your side, Thumbs facing forward, palms in. Shrug the shoulder and squeeze with your arms straight, while squeezing "row" the barbell up from the ground and back. Try to row up to your ribs until your body almost makes a "T" shape. Upright rows inside of shoulder length can put pressure on your nerves in the shoulder and cause an impingement. (too much pressure on the rotator cuff from upward arm movement. Very painful!) The Dork Row is a much safer move for bigger traps.....rep! :clap2:

 

[Whacked]

good info . thanks!

 

[CHAPS]

Sounds like your lower traps are lagging, this is pretty common as most care about shrugging a ton and they aren't a real show muscle.

Wide-grip chins
Close grip chins
Wide grip rows
Incline dumbbell Shrugs
Face-pull

The biggest thing is how you perform these, make sure your retracting your scapula for the entire movement on all your rows, and make sure to keep your scapula retracted and down when doing the chins, this will feel especially hard at the top of the movement.

This article should REALLY help you:
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding/top_priority_for_lower_traps

 

[nemo]

When I do deads my traps get a good pump,.. I pull my shoulders up and back as I stand. Now, understand my shoulders don't go up, but it feels like I'm trying to pull them up. Anyways, this does more for my traps than any shrug I've ever done.
The dork row and face pull are new to me,.. but worth investigating.

 

[MMAMONSTER19]

close grip barbell shrugs 2 sets in front 2 sets behind the back and do between 12-20 reps once i started doing that i noticed a nice swoop thing that your talking about, always remember to switch it up when doing shrugs, o and another one is bent over shrugs almost like rolling your traps from the front to back and back to front make sense?

 

[ACSlayer]

Facepulls are awesome. I only incorporated them in my back workout about two weeks ago, but my rhomboids, traps, and especially rear delts are all finally getting the work they need. Higher reps facepulls followed by higher rep straight-arm pulldowns will finish off your entire back after your heavy sets. Try a few supersets as your last lift in your back workout, its great!

 

[Fear]

I never do shrugs or directly work my traps but my traps are very well sized, proportionally speaking. Here's what I do:
On back days when I am using the lat pulldown machine, I bring the bar all the way down and flex my traps and hold it for about a second. I do this for about 4 or 5 sets, and my traps are ridiculously sore the next day... try it.

 

[papapumpsd]

Seated single-arm DB shrugs...love these. Try to shove your shoulder into your ear....get that range of motion! I do one arm at a time....try these

 

[MoTiV]

try variations of Kelso Shrugs

 

[thaOrleanyte]

my theory is to load a barbell with as much weight you can grip. Anything over 315 should to. Try to rep and hold at the top. Try to also but out 10 rep/holds. Keep this up and you will see progressive trap development

 

[shaw001]

what are face pulls? new to me... unless we call them by another name?!

 

[thaOrleanyte]

face pulls are money too.

Go to the cable machine and set the pulley to about chest high. Load it up with a decent amount of weight. Get the tricep rope thingy ( cant think of proper name). Pull your self back and get your balance and kinda sit down a little bit. Pull the rope to your face and try to spread your arms out and clinch upper back. MONEY! if your traps and upper back isnt sore the next day..........you suck! GO HEAVY!!!!