Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below The "Big" guys at my gym tell me that in order to get good mass on your traps you have to do slow strict reps. I use 150 lb dumbells for shrugs in "good" not great form(after 8 reps i usually cant go all the way up) they are telling me thats way too much. I tried goin lighter but it didnt feel as good. I also do 500lbs on the smith machine (shrugs) for about 6 reps (pyramid). Am i doing this wrong?
need help with traps
- Thread starter kenpojosh
- Start date
Well one question you can ask urself is "am I putting on mass on the traps". If not then you may want to lighten up the load. Think of it this way. its like doing 3/4 curls, or bench presses. What would be the point in that. You want to work the muscle over the FULL range of motion with sufficient load as determined by the rep range you are targetting etc. Of course if you go too light and dont hit failure then you aren't going to feel much.
Doing just slow strict reps or fast ballistic movements won't maximize your training. You should be manipulating rep tempos, rep ranges ,sets, intensity(%1rm), exercises to ensure continous variation and stimulus to the muscle. Thats what will increase the size of the traps(or any other muscle for that matter)
Doing just slow strict reps or fast ballistic movements won't maximize your training. You should be manipulating rep tempos, rep ranges ,sets, intensity(%1rm), exercises to ensure continous variation and stimulus to the muscle. Thats what will increase the size of the traps(or any other muscle for that matter)
GenetiKing
New member
Yup...
Also, you might want to try drop sets for traps, I've always found they worked well.
Traps seem like they're one of those bodyparts that you either have genetically or they are very stubborn. I am the latter. Mine grow only through extremely heavy work but I also believe in pump, flush, and drop sets after the heavy stuff...keeps the blood up in there. Best of both worlds.
Good luck.
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Backstage, '75 Olympia:
Serge Nubret, "I look like I can take you."
Arnold, "Keep looking."
Also, you might want to try drop sets for traps, I've always found they worked well.
Traps seem like they're one of those bodyparts that you either have genetically or they are very stubborn. I am the latter. Mine grow only through extremely heavy work but I also believe in pump, flush, and drop sets after the heavy stuff...keeps the blood up in there. Best of both worlds.
Good luck.
------------------
Backstage, '75 Olympia:
Serge Nubret, "I look like I can take you."
Arnold, "Keep looking."
DrSuperSaint
New member
I like to squeeze my traps up reall hard before I start my shrugs. When I feel them starting to burn, then I start with some moderate weight, then move up to heavy weight, then back to moderate. Burns like a bitch, but now I've got my buddies asking me if my traps are growing .. hell ya! 
