Official: Building MASSIVE Traps

[MonStar1023]

I wanted to create a thread for all those who are trying vigorously to build and thicken up their traps. Its definitely a struggle for some, me being one of you, and will do whatever it takes to build towering Goldberg traps.

From what I have gained based on personal exerperience heavy dumbbell shrugs seem to produce the BEST results for me. After incorporating them into my routine my traps really exploded.

I am curious what specific routine has created the most growth in your traps? Exercises, reps, frequency, everything. Many of us are having a hell of time trying to build up out traps to really give that powerful look.

I know many of you advocate heavy deadlifts for bringing up weak traps which I have just recently started doing on a regular basis.

Also another thing that I wanted to mention was how many of you on here have extremely developed middle traps? Your middle traps run right under your upper traps and they can be viwed from the side and from the back, not from the front.

Very developed middle traps will stick out through a shirt and really give you an extremely massive look overall. The person that pops in my head the most is a guy from my gym who is probably 5'8", and 170 lbs. Not too big of a guy but has traps that stick up to his ears and middle traps that stick out an inch from the rest of his back. It looks really amazing but really gives him a HUGE look. His traps are completely developed and very massive and ripped to say the least which really gives him a great overall BIG appearance.

 

[Strider]

Shrugs and upright rows, suppersetted together.

One way I like to do them is behind the back BarBell Shrugs. Rather that the bar infront you shrug it behind your back.

I also mix up the DumbBell and BarBell. If I do BarBell Shrugs I do upright rows with Dumbells and visa versa.

RE: that guy in your gym. Try asking him, and let us know.

I know there is some sort of cable cross over you can do behind your back that may hit that middle trap. I'll have to try it again and see which muscle it seem to hit

Strider.

 

[Ingram]

Without trying to sound like a real cocky bastard, I can say that I have a similar build to the gent you were describing in your post. My traps show through shirts, sweaters, suits, tuxedos, and snowsuits (Ok maybe not snowsuits ) I work traps at the end of shoulder day. I honestly don’t do much for them but I’ll post what I do.

1 – Heavy Shrugs (I alternate weekly between DB’s and BB’s) 4 sets
2 – Upright Rows 4 sets

This is all I do specifically for traps. They also get hit when I do deads, and regular back & shoulder exercises. I think sometimes that it’s just genetics because I don’t go out of the way to work them hard. Although. I do think it is easier for shorter guys to thicken up their traps than taller guys.

 

[gymtime]

Yup, shrugs and upright rows are the best. But I also do a different one. It's similar to a seated, bent, lateral raise, only rather than doing a lat raise motion, you do sort of a half lat raise, half shrug motion. It's hard to explain on paper, but it really hits your mid/lower traps.

 

[ballast]

I've already posted this routine on another thread.Here are two variations I have used.
Variation 1:
1)Upright Rows(E Z Bar) 3x4-6/2 min rest
2)Dumbell Shrugs 2 Triple Strip Sets of 8-10 reps each/3 min rest

Variation 2:
1-A)Cable Upright Rows(Rope Handle) 3x4-6*/30 sec rest
1-B)Dumbell Shrugs 3x6-8*/3 min rest
-These two routines I usually do every 5 days-

*Hold contracted position for 2 full seconds

Another good trap routine I dug out of my archives:
1)Hang Cleans 5x5/3 min rest
2)Dynamic Barbell Shrugs 5x5/2 min rest
-This routine was done once every 7 days or so-

My traps have always responded well to high-volume(number of sets) and long time under tension.Descending or strip sets fit well into this category, so I often include them for trap work.

 

[edgecrusher]

First off to get good traps, you have to do heavy compound back exercises i.e. deadlifts, cleans, etc. Personally, I do traps w/ back basically, because the trapezius muscle is part of your back. All I do is my back routine along w/ snatch grip shrugs. If you want to hit your middle trap, the best exercise I've seen is lying incline shrugs. All you do, is lie chest down on an incline bench, grab a couple of dumbells or barbell, then shrug. The only difference is you are not going to shrug up, but more squeezing your shoulder blades together.

 

[BodybuildingUniverse]

post a pic of them traps monstar!

 

[MonStar1023]

Pic of My Pathetic Traps-

Dont be too HARSH!

 

[MonStar1023]

Just for the record I was flexing in that picture and I have overall weak traps so dont say all this dumb shit.

Anyway today I had a good trap workout. I did 2 sets of barbell shrugs one with a very close grip and the other very wide then 2 sets of dumbbell shrugs. Worked well I think.

 

[BigDogg]

Re: Pic of My Pathetic Traps-

Dont be too HARSH!

thought u said they exploded?