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Official: Building MASSIVE Traps

MonStar1023

MonStar1023

New member
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.
:D:D
 
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.
 
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 :D ) 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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
:D:D
 
i like BB heavy shrugs, three sets to the front, and three to the back. Then i like to finish off with about 4 sets of upright rows. Its usually a pretty good workout
 
Re: Re: Pic of My Pathetic Traps-

BigDogg said:
thought u said they exploded?
Click to expand...

Damn yo spit in my face why dont ya!!??
:FRlol::FRlol:

Its all good I was just saying that they grew from what they were thats all!
 
Re: Re: Re: Pic of My Pathetic Traps-

MonStar1023 said:


Damn yo spit in my face why dont ya!!??
:FRlol::FRlol:

Its all good I was just saying that they grew from what they were thats all!
Click to expand...

chill im messin w/ ya kid :P
 
edgecrusher said:
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.
Click to expand...

Thanks bro Ill definitely give these a shot!
:D:D

I want some thick ass middle traps.
 
i also feel that wide grip bent over barbell rows for the back hit the traps really well from behind. that movement seems to hit the hard to hit area of the traps. don't get me wrong, i still dedicate a good portion of my workout doing db shrugs and upright rows because they do work.
 
shrug for peak

for thickness............. behind the neck shoulder press and behind the neck pull downs work that at the bottom

deadlifts.......... still the best for the thickness you search monstar
 
I wouldnt do upright rows...they can screw up your wrists, elbows, and shoulders. They seem to work the delts more than anything else. My traps have gotten much thicker (including lower and mid traps) with deadlifts and the seated cable row.
 
sysopt said:
I wouldnt do upright rows...they can screw up your wrists, elbows, and shoulders. They seem to work the delts more than anything else. My traps have gotten much thicker (including lower and mid traps) with deadlifts and the seated cable row.
Click to expand...


Thank you. I thought I was going to read the whole thread and not see someone say that. Upright rows are a high risk excercise due to the way it strains the rotator cuffs. Kinda like everyone doing behind the neck pulldowns and presses. Your shoulders were not designed to rotate that way with so much weight.
 
Upright rows can server a purpose...they have to be done intelligently though. Light weights I believe and not to failure.

Just my opinion

B True
 
i use a lunge machine for traps... it has handle to the side so you don't have to have your arms in front of you and you can seriously load up the weight on it... might wanna try it if your gym has one.


Rich
 
I am really thinking about hammering my traps on a day by themselves or along with a small bodypart like forearms or something along those lines and see how it goes.
:D:D
 
Where's TITANMALE or whatever his name is - with some "expert" advice on how oversized traps ruin your physique.


Sorry - couldn't resist that one.
 
Yeah I definitely agree that traps TOO big can fuck up ones physique.. but I'd rather mine be too BIG than too SMALL!!
:D:D
 
monstar

:mix: monstar man i have pretty decent traps but i have no shoulders at all when i get a pic i will post but my trap exercise consists of this:

i start off with shrugs on the smith machine i do heavy weight with wrist straps like 1 set of 315 shrug it up and hold for like 3 sec. for 15 reps then the second set i will go up to about 365 and do a set of 10-12 the same way all depends on how i feel that day then i will drop down to 225 and do 3 sets till failure wide grip that really pumps them up good. i do this like twice a week and maybe once a week i will superset with upright rows with moderate weight so i can do 8-10 reps.


this pretty much works for me if i could just get the side of my delts to grow to get that round look i would be happy and like i said when i get a pic i will post.
 
I did 10 sets of 10 and I alternated the db position every other set. The first set I would keep my dumbbells to the sides and the next set I would lean forward to really hit my middle traps more.

Then I finished with 3-4 sets of high-rep barbell shrugs. Definitely exausted my traps all the way!! To burn out my middle traps I did lightweight seated bentover db laterals and flamed my lower and middle traps.
:D:D
 
that sounds real good keep doing that and you will be goldberg soon do you ever do wide grip barbell shrugs man that hits my trabs like you would not believe. and ohh yea since i forgot to post it in my thread that i have about the shoulders thanks for you help.
 
I am hoping to be Goldberg soon! You cant really tell in the pic I posted because I am flexing my traps but I naturally have very wide shoulders. It really hinders my traps development when it comes to symmetry. When I am not flexing my traps it almost looks like theyre itsy bitsy.

:(:(
 
Belial-
What is overtraining may not be for many others.. high-volume is what works for me bro its cool if it doesnt work for you its all good. Do me a favor and please try not to criticize what works for me if it doesnt work for you.. tons of volume has always been great for growth.

:D:D
 
From what I understand power exercises are great for thickening up lagging traps.. high pulls, power cleans, & dynamic shrugs...

:D:D
 
Don't edit my posts little buddy. I said nothing inflammatory. And do NOT edit it to make it say something like that; technically that's an abuse of power.

Not to flame, but obviously after seeing your trap pic, high volume is NOT working too well. I'm trying to help people out. Not every post people make is specifically targeted towards the originator of the thread; much of what I say is intended to be a counterpoint to what people are recommending. I SERIOUSLY doubt many people would agree that ten sets of shrugs are the way to go; to me that's completely excessive.

I would hope somebody reading that doesn't think that ten sets of DB shrugs are necessary, or even recommended, for growth, which is why I made a comment.

If you think something works for you, great. But I don't want to see anybody else doing it.

Don't ever edit my posts again, unless you have a valid reason.
 
Last edited:
Belial-
Your post was extremely offensive and I edited it as I saw fit. There's no reason I should keep offensive posts in the boards. Sorry.
:D:D
 
Last edited:
Yes, I will write a letter to the admin.

"I'm gonna tell!" heh.

Seriously, though, if you're going to edit a post, it's a good idea to send an IM to the person whose post you're editing, with an explanation. Otherwise, nobody learns what your definition of "offensive" is.

You're doing nothing to change my opinion of you, but I can live with that.

And that's the last I'm going to say on the topic. God forbid i speak my mind and get edited again.
 
What you said in your message was extremely offensive..

Theres no need for that type of criticism in these boards Belial. Sorry for any kind miscomunication and your right I should have PMed you about it.

Again my apologies.
:D:D
 
Noobie in the house, I have been looking into this a lot recently and I know a few people who suggest it but: Neck Bridges they build great strength and put on some good size, they are kind of like a stretch to you can do them in the mornings starting off every other day if you like.

hope this helps
 
I like to do "around the world" super sets every couple weeks. Including forward facing barbell shrugs, then side grip dumbbell shrugs, finishing with behind the back barbell shrugs. Works the complete spectrum of the trap. And obviously dead lifts and cleans :)

Sent from my LG-MS770 using EliteFitness
 
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