Trapz to grow!

[mig139]

I need new movements to grow my traps, right now in doing 135x12 (2 sets) 225X12(2 sets) and 315X12(3 sets) my hands dont really like it pass 315. I usually do a set on the close grip shrug machine (hands on front) and one set on the wide grip(hands behind my back) any other movements I can do?

 

[Torres]

Do u have a standing calf raise machine at ur gym? Well set up like ur gonna do some calf raises and do shrugs like u would normally do . I found u can load up the weight and ur using just traps bro, try it !!!

 

[GRIM]

stretch db shrugs are great..
hold the db @ side but stretch them out from your body a foot or so.
much harder than normal db shrugs ppl ride on their body and cheat.
45 lb plate shrugs always a winner for hi reps.
upright rows..

 

[RockShawn]

I like using the smith and putting the bar behind me. Make sure your arms stay straight. If you are bending your arms you are not keeping the stress on the trap. Only move the shoulders up an down. Big squeeze at the top, big stretch at the bottom and do them nice and slow - don't jerk.

 

[Buck]

My traps are one of my best features I think. They respond great. I do DB shrugs and that's it. I start of with 50s do 50 reps to warm up. Then I do 70s for 20 / 80s for 20 on up to 100 to fail.

Try doing one side then the other then both together that's one rep. I tend to let the DB hang down at an angel to the floor so as to not pull real fast. I also try and keep my chin to my chest but I also switch that up at times also. You do this I swear you will feel it the next day.

 

[cck99352]

I would also suggest that you consider that the two sets of 135x12 and 2 sets of 225x12 are basically an extended warm up - considering you are able to perform 315x12 for two sets.

You may want to consider 135x12, 225x12, and 4 sets of 315x12 as an alternative protocol.

I train traps immediately after rack pulls... so when I finish my heaviest sets of rack pulls, I drop off some 45s and start shrugs and typically perform 6 or so heavy sets of ~8 reps.

As I am transitioning from rack pulls to shrugs, I don't do any warmups.

Some good alternative exercises here, gonna try some of the calf machine shrugs (strained bicep tendon needs some rest)...

 

[mig139]

great advise guys! looking forward to use this tips on my next work out!

 

[Kuntrykok]

stretch db shrugs are great..
hold the db @ side but stretch them out from your body a foot or so.
much harder than normal db shrugs ppl ride on their body and cheat.
45 lb plate shrugs always a winner for hi reps.
upright rows..

good idea on the 45lb plate shrugs.. thanks bro

 

[GRIM]

good idea on the 45lb plate shrugs.. thanks bro

i do them @ the end of shoulder/back day.
squeeze out 20 slow/controlled reps for 3 sets.
Try to stretch from the sides a bit, really feel em.

 

[Torres]

I would also suggest that you consider that the two sets of 135x12 and 2 sets of 225x12 are basically an extended warm up - considering you are able to perform 315x12 for two sets.

You may want to consider 135x12, 225x12, and 4 sets of 315x12 as an alternative protocol.

I train traps immediately after rack pulls... so when I finish my heaviest sets of rack pulls, I drop off some 45s and start shrugs and typically perform 6 or so heavy sets of ~8 reps.

As I am transitioning from rack pulls to shrugs, I don't do any warmups.

Some good alternative exercises here, gonna try some of the calf machine shrugs (strained bicep tendon needs some rest)...

Ull like the calf machine shrugs!!! When I first started them I felt immediate results !!!

 

[cck99352]

Thanks Torres....

going to try the calf machine shrugs tonight... this will allow me to give injured tendon a rest!

Appreciate the advice.

CK

 

[mig139]

^^^^^

Im hitting that also!

 

[smoove]

When I really started seeing my traps pop up was when I started doing incline flyes

Get a bench set up like a normal incline bench press, but instead of sitting on it, lay on it. Grab your dumbbells and do a fly, when you've donethe fly portion to failure, your arms are hanging down, finish with shrugs to failure.
It hits them at completely different angles!

 

[DGAF]

I love working traps. I don't do many different movements for them but they grow like crazy. I do dumbbell shrugs with my hands at my sides and palms facing inward and I shrug more to the rear like that, then I hold them right in front of my thighs with my palms facing back and I shrug up and more to the front like that. On some weeks I will stand in the squat rack and set the safety bars about knee level and use the olympic bar to do shrugs. I will stand just outside the rack enough so that the bar rides on the cage and I will do shrugs behind my back and then turn around and shrug to the front. That's really all I do, I go as heavy as I can, do 15,12,10 reps, 3 sets to the back and 3 sets to the front. My neck gets huge from doing just 6 sets total.

 

[Akhusker]

Do u have a standing calf raise machine at ur gym? Well set up like ur gonna do some calf raises and do shrugs like u would normally do . I found u can load up the weight and ur using just traps bro, try it !!!

Man I never thought about this, such a great idea, takes the arms out and isolates the muscle fully!

 

[Akhusker]

I started using a cable machine, can't load up on weight but you can go real slow and move your shoulders easier to find that perfect spot, the rear delts exercise post up above is good to, traps are a secondary muscle, lot of good stuff hear

 

[Thesuperwallaby]

Do u have a standing calf raise machine at ur gym? Well set up like ur gonna do some calf raises and do shrugs like u would normally do . I found u can load up the weight and ur using just traps bro, try it !!!

Def gonna add this in..... My traps aren't nearly scary enough

 

[tbonexl]

Close grip upright rows to the top of the chest hits the traps. Calf raise machine is clutch..

from my outdated pos phone

 

[MattyIce]

Face pulls with cable and rope attachment... similar to a row cable pull but you pronate your wrists and pull toward your face.

 

[MattyIce]

I like using the smith and putting the bar behind me. Make sure your arms stay straight. If you are bending your arms you are not keeping the stress on the trap. Only move the shoulders up an down. Big squeeze at the top, big stretch at the bottom and do them nice and slow - don't jerk.

^^^this