# Traps



## GH1987 (Feb 3, 2010)

Hi guys, your probably thinking not another trap thread, but here goes anyway

My traps just dont seem to build and its quite annoying now as my upper body has really filled out but my traps remain flat... Unless i tense them up, to which they are pretty decent in size...

My posture is terrible and i know this, I have been working on trying to straighten my back out but am lost and it looks asif im walking round like 10 men.

My questions are;

Should i throw in some iso movements on my traps i.e shrugs? I personally hate doing shrugs.

I hit my traps pretty good when deadlifting, so continue increasing weight and hopefully they'll just sort themselves out?

Keep working on my posture?

Overhead press behind my neck? I hate this movement also...

Any help guys


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## NoGutsNoGlory (Jun 11, 2009)

Dumbell shrugs. Barbell catches on my bits.

Not too heavy. Focus on getting a 4 second squeeze at the top. Chin down.

Stick in 3 sets after deadlifts.

Overhead press behind the neck is not a good exercise IMO


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## Guest (Sep 3, 2011)

when doing shrugs when your pulling up try and hold it there as long as possible i find this good on traps instead of up and down


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## GH1987 (Feb 3, 2010)

Iv tried upright rows, just gave me shoulder pain, not in the good way lol. Ill give the shrugs another go, although i dont like them.

if i look in the mirror and sort my posture out my traps dont look that bad.... my natural postion is similar to Mr Burn's lol. Im quite broad too which might be playing a factor in the quest for massive traps.


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## Mowgli (Aug 23, 2009)

There's a few things you can do to overload the traps... heavy rack pulls, power shrugs, etc.

You can do strict dumbell shrugs but for me, they're not much use other than to get a pump.


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## stuart.s (Aug 28, 2011)

shrugs all the way for me, i switch around from barbell to dumbell. do prefer dbell though. i only do 2 sets of round about 25 reps holding at the top for a couple of secs. works great for me


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## GH1987 (Feb 3, 2010)

so for shrugs u rekon, not massive amounts of weights, high reps and a nice 3/4 sec hold at the top??


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## NoGutsNoGlory (Jun 11, 2009)

GH1987 said:


> so for shrugs u rekon, not massive amounts of weights, high reps and a nice 3/4 sec hold at the top??


Works for me


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## plym30 (Jul 16, 2008)

I found that upright rows with dumbells (out wider rather than straight up in front of me) has worked really well for my traps recently - and is a lot easier on my shoulders too


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## NoGutsNoGlory (Jun 11, 2009)

And don't forget chin down and lean slightly forward (not a crazy amount)

Try it without weights and you'll see you get a much better range of motion than if you were stood bolt upright.


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## stuart.s (Aug 28, 2011)

GH1987 said:


> so for shrugs u rekon, not massive amounts of weights, high reps and a nice 3/4 sec hold at the top??


ive found thats what works the best for me


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## GH1987 (Feb 3, 2010)

Iv tried upright rows on EZ bar mate, it just seems to tear my shoulders apart just as much as using the normal bar, iv even tried upright rowing with a kettlebell.... I havent done the upright row with db's for ages, might try them again.

Anyone got any tips on improving posture?


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

Work on your posture mate if you've got poor posture it makes no difference what exercises you do your traps will still look sh!t no matter how big they are


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## GH1987 (Feb 3, 2010)

wholemeal breda said:


> Work on your posture mate if you've got poor posture it makes no difference what exercises you do your traps will still look sh!t no matter how big they are


I honestly think thats my problem mate, like i said, my traps are big when tensed, they look big when my posture is corrected too. I just dont know how to correct my posture permenantly....


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## Al n (Mar 31, 2011)

A big guy at my gym suggested something he called armpit row's for hitting the traps. Raise the db's from the resting position right up to your armpit as far as you can whilst keeping your elbows pointing back not outwards.

Something to do with the actual mechanics of the trap muscles. I've tried it myself but I personally prefer the regular shrugs or row.

Maybe you could try it and see, it may avoid the pain you mentioned.


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

GH1987:2466651 said:


> I honestly think thats my problem mate, like i said, my traps are big when tensed, they look big when my posture is corrected too. I just dont know how to correct my posture permenantly....


How's your back strength and size wise in relation to chest and front delts?

When doing all exercises be concious of your posture... Shoulders back and down and stick your chest out.

Hope that helps


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## GH1987 (Feb 3, 2010)

My back is probably the strongest part of my body, my profile pic is a recent picture... My front looks alot more bulky, but still large. I have been really concentraiting on my technique recently, to the point where i have dropped my weight and worked it back up with better form... I am seeing some improvement in posture but it is still really poor.


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## GH1987 (Feb 3, 2010)

my front delts are overpowering really, they are so much larger than rear delts


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## Breda (May 2, 2011)

Can't see your pics as I'm on my phone.

Work on your rears mate bring them up to scratch and you should see an improvement. Don't isolate fronts for a while cos they'll get worked with other exercises

And as you said don't sacrifice form for weight


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## GreedyBen (Mar 8, 2011)

You can do lying shrugs aswell on an inclined bench for your lower traps.


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## GH1987 (Feb 3, 2010)

Whats advisable for hitting my rear delts hard?? Which would be the best compound movement for working rear delts??


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## engllishboy (Nov 1, 2007)

GH1987 said:


> Whats advisable for hitting my rear delts hard?? Which would be the best compound movement for working rear delts??


Face pulls work well for my rear delts. I'd of thought any row movement would hit them though, especially the higher up the body the row is.


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## GreedyBen (Mar 8, 2011)

GH1987 said:


> Whats advisable for hitting my rear delts hard?? Which would be the best compound movement for working rear delts??


Have you tried 'rear delt flyes' or whatever the proper name is? Like a reverse flye movement from the bent over row position or seated on a bench leaning over forward?

Or like this


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## evad (Mar 17, 2008)

personally a fan of a deadlift, upright row and static grip combination

although i dont have monster traps id look at rack pulls before shrugs personally


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## flinty90 (Jul 1, 2010)

just heavy a$$ deadlifting rips my traps to bits to be honest ....


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## GH1987 (Feb 3, 2010)

yer im all about heavy deads for hitting my traps! does behind neck pressing help build traps? iv never done these in my life...


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## flinty90 (Jul 1, 2010)

GH1987 said:


> yer im all about heavy deads for hitting my traps! does behind neck pressing help build traps? iv never done these in my life...


not really mate to be fair. i see from upright rows you have shoulder problems, behind the neck presses fcuk my shoulders up just the same , so not advisable if you struggle with shoulders anyway....

just do the deads mate and shrugs pretty much all you need for traps


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## engllishboy (Nov 1, 2007)

Power cleans with correct form tear my traps a treat. By proper form, i mean shrugging it up in between the knee and rack positions.


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## 1010AD (May 30, 2009)

I've got bad posture too, wish I'd listened to my dad when he kept telling me to sit up straight. I once had some info out of a very good bodybuilding book and in it was a routine for people that didn't have good posture if I remember right it was about working the right muscles to make the shoulders not look so rounded, because once you have grown with bad posture I don't think its possible to just straiten your back up. Anyway I will have a look for the book if it will be of any help and post up what it says. Also there is some good info on MT news letter this month on traps, not sure if I'm allowed to post it up tho


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## GH1987 (Feb 3, 2010)

1010AD said:


> I've got bad posture too, wish I'd listened to my dad when he kept telling me to sit up straight. I once had some info out of a very good bodybuilding book and in it was a routine for people that didn't have good posture if I remember right it was about working the right muscles to make the shoulders not look so rounded, because once you have grown with bad posture I don't think its possible to just straiten your back up. Anyway I will have a look for the book if it will be of any help and post up what it says. Also there is some good info on MT news letter this month on traps, not sure if I'm allowed to post it up tho


That would be awsome mate, even if you find out the name of the book, ill look for it myself... people comment on the roundness of my shoulders all the time. I definatly have terrible posture and need to do something about it lol


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## lyndbo (Dec 22, 2008)

rear shrugs on smith machine,shrug then pull the arms up so you get a better contraction,use a wider grip though


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