Training traps

Chicago Made

New member
What are some of the best trap exercises out there? I do shoulder shrugs but my traps can handle a lot of weight but my hands get tired, any ideas?
 
shrugs. there's several different exercises for most muscle groups but only one sure way to directly hit the traps. shrugs. of course they also get hit doing deads properly, and face pulls. here's a solution to your traps can handle weight but grip fails problem, use straps broham
 
High pulls, deadlifts, you can hit them pretty good too on shoulder presses. If u go below parallel with ur elbos you bring in ur traps on the movement.
 
overhead shrugs. a little unorthodox but i like to incorporate them using the bar only for a quick burnout set after going heavy on the shrugs.
 
Deadlift heavy as shit. Heavy shrugs for reps. Use straps on shrugs if your grip can't handle the amount of weight and reps you need to do to fatigue your traps. I never use straps for deads tho.
 
try hang cleans for a bit of explosive variety. i do them with straps so that i don't have to interrupt the violence to reset my grip between reps.
 
i'm a huuuuuuge fan of trap training bro. heavy heavy heavy barbell shrugs with straps! and heavy dead lifts with no straps as meathead said. i like doing 4 sets of 20 with 405 on barbell shrugs and i'll usually shrug the last rep and hold it up with my traps as long as possible!
 
Deadlifts
Rack pulls
Oly lifts (but if you can't do them properly - and very few people can - then look elsewhere)
Farmers walks
Upright rows
Shrugs

Bunch of variations for shrugs. I prefer strict as opposed to power shrugs. Do em with barbells, dbs, trap bar, both in front and behind the waist, etc etc.

Form wise, I found my results best when I made sure to HOLD at the top... and also stick your neck our forward, as it will increase your ROM.

Hope this helps... traps will be a huge emphasis for me after I finish this cut and begin my bulk.

Oh, and BACK BACK BACK. My two friends with the biggest traps don't even do direct trap work, just a shit load of good form pulldowns and rows... this will do ALOT for em
 
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I usually do a few sets of clean and press, then just go all out on hang cleans till my traps are on fire. Finish it up with some shrugs. I just don't feel like I get much range of motion out of super heavy shrugs.
 
narrow grip upright rows keeping the elbows flared wide on the way up hits my traps and gives me a telephone pole neck at the same time. once I built solid traps with shrugs, deads, upright rows, I started with the narrow grip and really saw some great trap/neck development take shape.
 
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