# Big Traps?



## J_Edwards (Oct 1, 2009)

Hi guys, does anyone have any tips on how to get really big traps?

I currently do barbell shrugs with my shoulders, & my traps certainly have got a lot bigger since I started.

Does anyone have any good workouts, or supersets to get that really big & rounded trap shape?

Cheers...


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## pastanchicken (Sep 29, 2008)

Deadlifts are good for traps mate


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## Phez (Sep 2, 2009)

pastanchicken said:


> Deadlifts are good for traps mate


x2

Also I have found DB bent over rows to be very good :thumbup1:


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## mmts5 (Oct 27, 2009)

Yeah deads for me


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## Guest (Feb 11, 2010)

funnily enough, my traps have grown substantially while doing sod all but squatting.


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## MillionG (Nov 17, 2009)

Mine have grown alot recently, deadlifting + bent over rows on back day, then shrugs on shoulders day..

Squatting might have some effect because you're contracting them to balance the bar..


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## willsey4 (Apr 21, 2008)

For me it's db shrugs but not going ott with the weight. I aim for 15-20 reps with my head slightly down, a slight pause at the top and try and get your shrugs as high as possible as if you are trying to get your traps to touch your ears!

Also my arms are very slightly bent which most people think is not right but it helps get a bigger range of movement in the shrugs. If you look at bids of Dorian do this I do exactly what he does really.

My traps come up really well with these, 3 sets per week and now I barely train them!

Also deads will work them well as well.

Whatever you do do not bounce the weight. Slow and controlled movements


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## Big Dawg (Feb 24, 2008)

IMO shrugs are a bit of a waste of time. Heavy deads and rack deads will hit your traps like no other IMO.


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## Guest (Feb 11, 2010)

O, and on another note.

Actually using a weight you can shrug is a good idea. I see so many people trying to shrug a weight they can barley lift with there legs.

Straining to get some sort of flextion at the elbow and a tiny amount of shoulder and calling it a shrug.


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## Mikazagreat (Apr 10, 2009)

like everybody said, deadlifts and bb rows in the back day.

Front shrugs is not so bad but it's not effective like behind the back shrugs.


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## willsey4 (Apr 21, 2008)

mikex101 said:


> O, and on another note.
> 
> Actually using a weight you can shrug is a good idea. I see so many people trying to shrug a weight they can barley lift with there legs.
> 
> Straining to get some sort of flextion at the elbow and a tiny amount of shoulder and calling it a shrug.


Exactly, use a lighter weight and shrug as high as possible. "Bouncing" the weight will just add damage!



Mikazagreat said:


> like everybody said, deadlifts and bb rows in the back day.
> 
> Front shrugs is not so bad but it's not effective like behind the back shrugs.


Front and behind shrugs work the traps in different ways. Front shrugs will add height etc where behind the back shrugs will work more themiddle of the traps making your traps more prominent from the rear etc.


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## willsey4 (Apr 21, 2008)

AlasTTTair said:


> IMO shrugs are a bit of a waste of time. Heavy deads and rack deads will hit your traps like no other IMO.


This is person depending. Shrugs work the traps directly so are very good if you get them right.

However like everything in bodybuilding this might not work for everyone.


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## gerg (Aug 17, 2008)

olympic lifts, clean and snatch grip pulls


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## J_Edwards (Oct 1, 2009)

Thanks fellas.

I'll put bent over rows into my back routine.

Heres my back & shoulder routines anyway:

Back; Machine / Cable Row, Behind-Neck Pulldown, Close-Grip Pulldown, BO Rows.

Shoulders; Dumbell Press, Dumbell Raise (Supersets), Upright Rows, Dumbell Shrugs.

My traps definitely are getting bigger. I'd like that big round shape like Tom Hardy in my avatar.

Someone showed me a good technique for the shrugs. Bend the knees slightly, so more weight rests on the shoulders. Bring the shoulders up so they nearly touch the ears, slightly bending the arms. Then drop the shoulders as far as possible. Always hurts the next day 

Yesterday I was shifting 70kg on the barbell shrug, best form. Anymore weight than that, & form goes through the roof  . I've progressed nicely since I started at the new gym. I was only doing 40kg when I started some months ago, so it's nice to see progress 

Cheers...


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## leonface (May 10, 2009)

Rack deads have been really effective for me


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## siovrhyl (Sep 14, 2008)

farmers walk i know not many gyms have access to sm equipment but farmers have definately brought up my traps


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## defdaz (Nov 11, 2007)

I don't do any direct trap work now, just normal back exercises coupled with dumbell side raises give me all the growth I need - most people end up with traps out of proportion with the rest of their backs and this is really detrimental to how good you look from the back (imo).

I once saw Dorian Yates shrugging 7 plates a side. Beast.


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## round 2 (Jan 14, 2010)

I thing big traps can make your delts look small.(thats my excuse anyway) dumbellshruggs all the way baby!


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## warren (Jun 16, 2008)

last 2-3 weeks my traps have gotten massive, i have added upright row with a squeeze at the top but cud the the tren test combo kicking in lol


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

Rack dead's and powercleans work wonders. If you want to thicken up the lower traps between the shoulder blades, DB shrugs lying face down on an incline bench are a great exercise.


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## BLUTOS (Mar 5, 2005)

Prop shrugs, shrugs in the standing calf machine, power cleans, shrugs done superslow and trap bar work if you have access to one.


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## Nutz01 (Jan 27, 2009)

willsey4 said:


> This is person depending. Shrugs work the traps directly so are very good if you get them right.
> 
> However like everything in bodybuilding this might not work for everyone.


Shrugs work well for me, so well in fact I have to limit how many i do to try and keep my gains in balance with the rest of my upper body.

:beer:


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## Nutz01 (Jan 27, 2009)

defdaz said:


> I don't do any direct trap work now, just normal back exercises coupled with dumbell side raises give me all the growth I need - most people end up with traps out of proportion with the rest of their backs and this is really detrimental to how good you look from the back (imo).
> 
> I once saw Dorian Yates shrugging 7 plates a side. Beast.


Sory read this post after i posted.

I would have to agree with that mate as i am an example of this.


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

deadlift on back day shrugs on delts


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## phys sam (Jan 11, 2008)

my training partner and I follow the same routine - all main compound lifts going up equally.

we don't do any shrugs (deadlift and some hang/cleans are all for upper traps).

He has the most oversized out of proportion upper traps for his overall physique I've seen (mine are pathetic as he tells me often).

Mind you his chest is **** compared to mine - go figure


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## J_Edwards (Oct 1, 2009)

phys sam said:


> my training partner and I follow the same routine - all main compound lifts going up equally.
> 
> we don't do any shrugs (deadlift and some hang/cleans are all for upper traps).
> 
> ...


It's pretty much the same with someone I sometimes train with. He has massive rounded traps, but nothing on his chest or arms. He can't shrug nowhere near as much as me, which is very strange. It must be his natural body shape or something.


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## Graham Mc (Oct 15, 2009)

unfortunetly for me cronic lower back pain is like the worst possible thing to have in weightlifting so deadlifts and bent over rows are ruled out for me :|


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