# Big Traps = Narrow Shoulders?



## Gerry_bhoy

*Big Traps make shoulders look less broad?*​
Yes3226.02%No9173.98%


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## Gerry_bhoy

Heard this said before. And I rarely Isolate my Traps because of it.

Do Big Traps make the shoulders look less broad?

What do you think?

Ill make a poll, but try to drop a comment with your vote. :thumbup1:


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## donggle

Big traps, big shoulders:


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## Guest

Depends if you have wide shoulders or not for average Joe it will be true.


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## T_Woody

Nah i dont agree (being a traps lover  )


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## steven01uk

all depends what your body is like i think. i put no though


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## Gerry_bhoy

Con said:


> Depends if you have wide shoulders or not for average Joe it will be true.


I've always had quite broad shoulders tbh, was worried Id lose that.


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## frowningbudda

I've got v narrow shoulders and a small skeletal frame(you'll see when I get a journal up in 2weeks or so) and have blasted my delts and traps since ive started training in order to look alittle more imposing:thumb:

I would have to say bombing my traps has made me look visually bigger which is always a good thing when your a midget :lol:


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## Freddo

big traps compliment the shoulders. they polish of any physique. People with no traps look ****.


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## Jimmy1

vince gironda always advised against training traps due to this very reason

he trained all the greats...inc arnold


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## Gerry_bhoy

Jimmy said:


> vince gironda always advised against training traps due to this very reason
> 
> he trained all the greats...inc arnold


I think ill just stay away from shrugs for now then.

Id like defined traps but not at the expense of my should width, after all im not competing.


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## a.notherguy

im defo with you there mate.

i have naturally narrow shoulders and i was advised by a couple of the big guys at the gym to avoid shrugs and narrow grip upright rows so i have never them as part of a routine.

I was told to replace shrugs with wide grip uppright rows which will also bring them out a bit but not to the extent of heavy shrugging.


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## DNC

Good thread as i didn't know this.I'd say my traps are one of the best developed parts of my body but got very narrow shoulders which i am working on bringing out.

Will leave the shrugs alone for a bit then as i want some decent shoulders


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## adlewar

never ever trained traps, quite happy with what i've got......... avatar:thumb:


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## Goose

I myself dont train traps either.


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## meatstick

I do shrugs as my traps have a long way to go, but i have broad shoulders so if they do decide to make an appearance I think I'll be ok.

If a body builder has traps that make there shoulders look small it's not a problem, towering traps are a feature that sets a bodybuilder appart from someone who is big naturaly and does'nt train


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## powerlifter8

They do make you look bigger overall, but to an extent they take away from shoulder width, gives the shoulders a more sloping look as opposed to the squarer look that mainly delts and less traps gives.


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## Guest

Traps are the muscle that shows the difference between a bicep/beach boy and the guy who lifts heavy iron. It is always visable no matter what you wear, it makes a neckless hang close to you head on the back of your neck which makes it look awesome. IMO its a mistake not train this muscle!


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## Varmint

voted yes, gives you a better outline and compliments the shoulders i feel


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## Varmint

oops meant voted no :whistling:


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## Jaff0

Depends - on how wide your shoulders are - if you're naturally wide shouldered, then it's not going to be a problem, but if shoulder width / size is a challenge, then doing a lot of trap work can make you look very narrow.

I've found that a lot of back / rowing movements are good enough for trap work for me. And any deadlifts (normal deadlifts or SLDLs).

If you're "assisted" then that area is always going to develop rapidly, because the receptors tend to be gathered in that area in men.


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## bbeweel

Have to agree with con on this one ,having well developed traps sets you apart from the beach boy look,not a good look IMO.


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## Keithy5

Traps are awesome, one of those muscles which make a bodybuilder a bodybuilder IMO.


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## dannytiesto

I'm gutted reading this. I've narrow shoulders, and always working on my traps. I think you've just deflated me. lol


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## Scrappy

traps get worked doing deads, thats it really


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## gerg

mine have just grown naturally with compound lifts

never done shrugs before, big waste of time IMO, stick to deadlifts and cleans 

i also find you look like the incredible hulk for the split second when you're going heavy with the cleans, and your teeth are gritted, and all the muscles in your shoulders and trap are contracting at the same time, pulling the weight up :lol:


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## Danzx6r

A guy in my Gym has big traps and yes he looks narrow but it is only because he stands doing shrugs everytime I see him!!! idiot!


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## Gym Bunny

gerg said:


> *mine have just grown naturally with compound lifts*
> 
> *
> *
> 
> *
> never done shrugs before, big waste of time IMO, stick to deadlifts and cleans *
> 
> i also find you look like the incredible hulk for the split second when you're going heavy with the cleans, and your teeth are gritted, and all the muscles in your shoulders and trap are contracting at the same time, pulling the weight up :lol:


 Agree with this! Never done shrugs. Hangcleans, powercleans, pushpress and deads have all made mine grow and gives my upper body much better shape. True, my neck looks a bit shorter but I'm prepared to deal with that. 

Gerg I want pics of you looking like the incredible hulk!


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## Dandy-uk

im big boned so my shoulders are very broad my traps compliment my shoulders/neck emmensly i love them  get them up i say !!


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## shauno

im one of those people that naturally has a narrow shoulder structure. i would put my trap size down to rowing movements, mostly seated row.

if i pop my traps forward they can look a bit OTT tbh


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## Mr Eko

estfna said:


> Big traps, big shoulders:


:laugh: The same bloke who came to my mind as well..along with Bobby Lashley


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## BillUp

Wont training the back heavily along with the lats and traps broaden the shoulders?? I've always been told to train the back heavily as it will really bring out the width in the shoulders and pull them back at the same time instead of having them slumped forward. Also getting your waist as slim as possible will give you the broader look in the shoulders so you have a really nice V shape going up to them. I may be wrong, u never know!! 

PS, voted no!!


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## Guru Josh

I have always had very broad shoulders, and i must admit one of my favourite excercies is my trap routine which i do twice a week.

4 x sets of 12 @ 200k on back day then 2 x sets of 12 @ 250k

Same as above on shoulders day with 6 x sets of 10 upright rows

The above workout has always given me fantastic results. I think as long as you do adequate training of your delts it should not give you the narrow shoulder look.

This is only my personal opinion though of what has wroked best for me.

Everyone is different


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## tommy28

Anyone who remembers Kevin Levrone at his peak a few years back will understand that big, well developed traps do not detract from a physique. Truly one of the largest, most aesthtically pleasing physiques ever to grace a competition stage IMO.


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## Jsb

Con said:


> Traps are the muscle that shows the difference between a bicep/beach boy and the guy who lifts heavy iron. It is always visable no matter what you wear, it makes a neckless hang close to you head on the back of your neck which makes it look awesome. IMO its a mistake not train this muscle!


couldnt agree more, everything should be trained to the preference of every body being different, to make sure your in proportion


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## Inggasson

If you're working your medial delt head efficiently, then the delt cap should protrude enough that there's clear separation from the traps and therefore destroy the illusion of a single, flowing line which would then ADD to the width and not detract from it.


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## StJocKIII

I've got a giraffe neck, need all the traps i can get


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## Juice

Traps develope on me better and more easily than anything else. They are quite large on me, and my shoulders definitely do not appear narrow.

I love traps because they are the one back muscle that will be seen through any tee shirt. Women love them too... they just don't know they love them.


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## fxleisure

Traps need to be trained - period !

Dont forget, the fibres also run down the back, not just on top of the shoulders!

If your planning to compete, it would be a mistake NOT to train this muscle IMO


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## fxleisure

tommy28 said:


> Anyone who remembers Kevin Levrone at his peak a few years back will understand that big, well developed traps do not detract from a physique. Truly one of the largest, most aesthtically pleasing physiques ever to grace a competition stage IMO.


Here Here !!! :thumbup1:


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## Guest

Juice said:


> Traps develope on me better and more easily than anything else. They are quite large on me, and my shoulders definitely do not appear narrow.
> 
> I love traps because they are the one back muscle that will be seen through any tee shirt. Women love them too... they just don't know they love them.


I am the same way mate my traps grow from pretty much doing nothing for them:beer:

About women liking them its all about how you hold your self. If your one of those pricks that hunches their shoulders back to make their traps look bigger then of course every one will think your a prat but a guy who has big traps leading into a thick neck with a nice lean face women will be all over him


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## fxleisure

Con said:


> I am the same way mate my traps grow from pretty much doing nothing for them:beer:
> 
> About women liking them its all about how you hold your self. If your one of those pricks that hunches their shoulders back to make their traps look bigger then of course every one will think your a prat but *a guy who has big traps leading into a thick neck with a nice lean face* women will be all over him


You sound like you enjoyed writing that Con :whistling:


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## Guest

fxleisure said:


> You sound like you enjoyed writing that Con :whistling:


Just because you need to hide your Shrek face and only show your back does not mean you should try and bring us Brad Pitt look a likes down:lol:


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## fxleisure

Con said:


> Just because you need to hide your Shrek face and only show your back does not mean you should try and bring us Brad Pitt look a likes down:lol:


Well thank FCUK for my shrek face, at least now I don't have to worry seen as we all know you like your men with a thick neck and a lean face.

Bet you didn't know where to look in that pump room did you mate, or did you move into the toilet to avoid temptation :tongue:


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## qwerty83

if i had to pick a favourite muscle it would be traps. one of the few muscle's that can still be appreciated when clothed. to me if i see someone with big traps they look powerful.


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## Guest

fxleisure said:


> Well thank FCUK for my shrek face, at least now I don't have to worry seen as we all know you like your men with a thick neck and a lean face.
> 
> Bet you didn't know where to look in that pump room did you mate, or did you move into the toilet to avoid temptation :tongue:


ROFL! Now that was a good come back:thumbup1:


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## Si Train

No i think the bigger traps makes the shoulders look wider!


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## Brawlerboy

My traps get enough of a hit during my shoulder workouts and I'm very happy with what they look like as a result.

However, there's a short guy at my gym who appears to be all traps and not much else, and he looks so freaky like that, that I think the guys at Torchwood should be informed  It's life Jim but not as we know it haha!


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## Brawlerboy

For 'littlechris'

I'm a Sci-Fi geek mate


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## Gee-bol

BillUp said:


> Wont training the back heavily along with the lats and traps broaden the shoulders?? I've always been told to train the back heavily as it will really bring out the width in the shoulders and pull them back at the same time instead of having them slumped forward. Also getting your waist as slim as possible will give you the broader look in the shoulders so you have a really nice V shape going up to them. I may be wrong, u never know!!
> 
> PS, voted no!!


this is true mate..heavy deadlifts defo make the shoulders wider imo.


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