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Traps
(Trapezius) give you that football player look. There
is nothing more pathetic than a thick muscular chest and a pencil neck on
top of it where volcanic traps should be. That's the mistake I made in the
beginning of my training and now I'm trying to fight my way back and build
some traps. Unlike lats, which can only be trained by pulling exercises,
traps can also be trained by pushing exercises. If you do two or more
exercises for traps in your work out, it might be a good idea to include
both for fuller development.
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These following exercises will get your traps
to grow:|
Shoulder Shrugs | Behind Neck Press |
Upright Rows |
Side Raises |
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Shoulder Shrugs
are a must if you are trying to grow thick, high traps. They can be done
with either a barbell or dumbbells. I prefer a barbell
because the movement is more controlled and I can handle more weight. But
dumbbells are fine too, you will need very strong and enduring forearms if
you plan to handle hundreds of pounds in separate arms for 4 to 6 sets
(don't do both types in the same work out). You must stay erect through the
entirety of the exercise, with your legs slightly bent at the knees. Lower
the weight as low as possible without compromising the integrity of your
lower back. On the upward part of the movement try to reach your ears with
your shoulders, even though its impossible. Use a shoulder width or slightly
wider grip, overhand or mixed (I use overhand grip for lighter weight and
mixed for heavier, where I alternate each hand between overhand and
underhand grip from set to set). Rolling out your shoulders is not
necessary, it doesn't add to trap development, but it becomes easy to injure
yourself by pinching a nerve in your shoulder. (can effectively be done on
a Smith Machine by allowing you to use even more weight)
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Behind Neck Press
should be done the same way as
Seated Press
the only differences being a wider grip and lowering the weight behind the
neck. Along with shoulder shrugs, this is one of the best exercises for
strength and mass in the trapezius. Wide grip is what shifts the emphasis
from shoulders to traps, so try to grip the bar as wide as you can without
sacrificing range of motion. (can be done on a Smith Machine but some effect
will be lost, better use free weights).
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Upright Rows
are a tried and true way for most to build
and add definition to their traps. Personally, I am not a big fan because
it causes pain in my shoulders. But it is an effective exercise. Gripping
the bar with a close grip, but no less than six inches apart pull the bar
from your crotch up to your chin, if you can. No jerking, this is a very
smooth movement not meant for a lot of weight. (also can be done on a Smith
Machine without losing any quality)
[TOP]
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Side Raises
can also be done for traps and not just for
deltoids. To include the traps, you have to go higher than if you were
working your shoulders. Hold the dumbbells in front of yourself, resting
them on your thighs if you so desire. Turn your palms outward so that you
have a slightly underhand grip. As you mark off a half circle with each arm
in an upward motion, make sure your wrists rotate slightly in so that your
fists are parallel to each other at the top of the movement where the
dumbbells meet. You can touch them together and slowly begin descent. If
you want, you can have your fists in a straight line at the top instead of
being parallel to each other.
[TOP] |
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