I want to Blast my traps into space

[SuperTed]

Hi there,

I feel my traps dont get hit hard enough. I'm doing the standard upright rows, shrugs etc, but i dont feel them responding fully.

anyone got any advice? what do you do for yours. I wanna get that T shape goin down my back, but it is not happening how i want it to.

gimme some help.

iron love

[joevizz]

I really only do shrugs and upright rows, not reallyh sure how else you can target the traps, but I go as heavy as i can with them and usually feel it the day after, I find its an exercise you can really go heavy with so really push it,
My mate recommended doin barbell shrugs with the barbell behind your back and found them to be realy effective.

[-AC-]

what sort of weight and rep ranges are you doing? do you do them from behind or the front? i always find heavy weights with rubbish style works best lol.

[joevizz]

Yea sacrificing a bit of form for heavier weights seems to work well for me, especially on shrugs, I used to try and not bend my arms at all but now i bend it just a little but can add loads more weight to the bar and it hurts in all the right places the next day haha

[-AC-]

lol i end up bending my arms and legs. i practically deadlift and then shrug at times lol. still in my opinion having 220kg dangling from your traps will work them a lot more than 100kg with good form.

[TJLEE]

I only perform BBell Upright rows and BBell shrugs and never used to work Traps at all, until about 6 months ago. They are getting there, slowly but surely, which I think is the same for every body part. Consensus above seems to be to rack the weight up and go for it. I think I might try that this week too!

[grower1]

Deadlifts are a great exercise for traps - the day after deadlifts my traps always ache. I don't even bother with shrugs.

[matttat2]

Do wide grip pull ups do traps??? These i find are a f**ker to do, can only manage about 5 or 6 in a go.

[JoshLarge]

I love Rack Deadlifts for traps! Great back exercise but also tears your traps to pieces.
Maybe do 4 x 6 reps for Rack Deads then do Shrugs for 3x6-10reps

[-AC-]

wide grip pull ups dont really do traps no.

[TJLEE]

Wide Grip Pull-Ups generally works your Lats, Biceps and Middle Back!

[SuperTed]

Thanks for ur replies lads. Yeah go as heavy as i can go but always try to keep form right, which seems to be where i shud make the sacrifice to smash them harder. niiiccceee.

rack deadlifts? what we meaning by this. i do standard ones a wide grip ones, whats this one ???

Also what do you think about the supps im on. Doing synergy and been using NO xplode recently, just finished ly tub and went onto V-max for second time and literally blew me threw the roof in the gym?? why the hell is this??? theyre more or less the same product arent they but the time off of v-max seemed to kick the living steeeeelll out of me... loved it. Whats goin on with that?

ur chat and replies are always appreciated

[JoshLarge]

Rack Deads (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2paaNCiTVY&feature=related)
The idea is to do this in a smith machine with the pins just below your knees..so its like a partial deadlift..you dont have to drive the weight from the floor so can generally use more weight than a normal deadlift putting greater emphasis on the back.

Thanks

[SEW91]

Maybe this can help
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xaMyfupq64

[SuperTed]

Adam mate, when u said sacrifice form for weight shall i be doin these shrugs behind back with bar or front, or with dumbells. i usually do them with barbells but i always feel that im not doin it properly when i lift from the front. ad how many sets and reps if u do it on a big weight.

should i be shrugging back more???

[-AC-]

i personally shrug from the front as i pull my shoulders back at the top and i feel it gets the best squeeze. from the back i find it harder to get the bar as high. do whatever you are most comfortable with. generally with shrugs between 6-10 reps works best for me.

[JayKay]

I like a Tri-Set for Traps... Do One-Armed Barbell Shrugs, then do Shrugs to the fron, and finish up with shrugs behind your back! Killer Pump and a couple of sets and you can definately feel the burn!

[CTP]

I find the best way my traps respond is when I do seated shrugs with the DB at my sides, then I remove the majority of the cheating, and support my back.

Also, I like doing shurgs on the cable machine, Ill just set it on the low pulley, attach the rope toggle, and either do it behind or infront of my back - my arse gets in the way if i use a barbell to do shrugs behind

[Machine]

i cant shrug the cable machine anymore coz its too light lol. i always found traps difficult to hit. sayiny that i have been doing josh style rack deads only light but they nip the traps a bit which is cool. My take on the shrug is to use whichever style is more comfortable but nod your head forward then look ahead while your lifting. i find this massivly improves the squeeze and i get the pump everytime now.

[CTP]

Like I said in another thread machine, you should be called 'ANIMAL'!!!

[Machine]

oh and make a snarling noise when you do it lmao. cheers CTP :)

[Lewis]

Heavy BB shrugs work the best for me, so the weight is just abit more than you can handle and you can just about squeeze out 8 reps, with not so god form. Here's a few others to try for variation - DB shrugs, one arm DB shrugs, incline bench DB shrugs (lay on the bench with it around 60 degrees incline), seated DB shrugs, behind the back BB, upright rows, rope cable upright row (works good if you pull the cable from shoulder height). Doing supersets with two of these will really make em ache the next day. And also when doing lateral raises if you go beyond parrallel it will get the traps involved.