question about traps, experts please...

[sysopt]

The 64,000 dollar question is can you ISOLATE different parts of the traps? I think you can to an extent because of it's unique shape. Some of the fibers can be shortening while others are pretty much inactive.

A more extreme example of this, are the delts. For example: The front can be shortening while the rear's are actually lengthening. And everyone has seen people with overdeveloped anterior delts and screaming for attention rears.

I know this doesn't apply to pecs (the whole upper/lower chest deal) because no matter how you work the pecs they always work as a group

Back to traps...Let's say for rowing, the lower and middle fibers are shortening while the upper's aren't doing much.... or are they? Another example would be shrugs. The upper's are definately working but how much are the lower's doing?

But then there's the principle that you can't change the shape of a muscle and that it's predetermined genetically... but that might only apply to muscles that cannot be worked in only specific areas.....and when you think about delts....hmmmm

Also, which part of the traps do dumbell shoulder presses work and why??

Can someone explain this?? Thanks in advance

 

[Thaibox]

I'm sure as hell no expert, but this is how I understand it. You can hit different parts of the traps from different angles. Can't the traps that poke out of your shirt behind your neck can be hit by starting in a rowing position, and pulling back with your arms straight, or at least in a constantly neutral position(mimicking a shrug motion just with your arms out). I don't see why you can't do shrugs at all angles between 0(shrugs) and 45(rows). This probably didn't help worth shit, and I'll bump this for your last question, I'd like to know too.

 

[Scotsman]

The flaw with your comparison is that the delts are made up of three separate muscle bellies. That is why you can train area specific with them. Though traps can be worked in different ways that inervate different areas of the muscle more fully. Like if you lean forward or are on an incline bench with you chest on the pad. This helps the contraction at the lower region of the trap. This is useful for being able to lock your shoulders in place for benching so you don't press with your delts. The more upright your body the focus of the work becomes more upper trap specific. Hope this helps you out a little without me getting too complex in the description.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[sysopt]

bump

 

[barnes3]

I'm sure as hell no expert, but this is how I understand it. You can hit different parts of the traps from different angles. Can't the traps that poke out of your shirt behind your neck can be hit by starting in a rowing position, and pulling back with your arms straight, or at least in a constantly neutral position(mimicking a shrug motion just with your arms out). I don't see why you can't do shrugs at all angles between 0(shrugs) and 45(rows). This probably didn't help worth shit, and I'll bump this for your last question, I'd like to know too.

I am no expert as well, but I agree with Thaibox. Some exercises that I have used in the past are:

low upright rows (shrug backwards with arms slightly bent)
wide-grip shrugs (cables, or straight bar)
close-grip shrugs (cable, straight bar)
useing the straight bar behind you and shrugging that way..

uhhhmm... I am drawing a blank on some of the others... if I think of the others I will post them.

just my .02

barnes3

 

[sysopt]

thaibox, lots of muscles can be worked from different angles (chest) but that doesn't mean you can isolate different parts of it.

 

[barnes3]

true... but you can feel it work an area more with the use of angles.

barnes3

 

[sysopt]

I don't work by feel. Sometimes the "feel" is deceiving.

 

[freshr1]

What's worked for me is leaning forward or backwards A TINY BIT (dont wanna strain your lower back too much). That seems to hit different parts of the traps quite well. Lift straight up and down and don't roll your shoulders - ugh.. it hurts me personally when I see people do that

 

[barnes3]

I don't work by feel. Sometimes the "feel" is deceiving.

no arguement there.... Just trying to shed llight on the subject, maybe someone else could have a brainstrom from the past posts.


barnes3