traps
- Thread starter shakeel
- Start date
Peak_Power
New Member
Shrugs.
You can either do them on their own or at the top of a deadlift.
You can either do them on their own or at the top of a deadlift.
Lifting N Tx
New Member
Try The Power Shrug.
bluejacket
New Member
<div>
(shakeel @ Dec. 18 2006,11:50)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">i do shrugs arriving at 150 kgs shrugs no traps .how about close grip upright rows?</div>
deads, rows and delt exer. seems to work for most and those wanting more usually try shrugs. none of these worked for me other than to get mediocre traps. believe me ive tried all the shrug variations etc. but none seemed to really "activate" the traps once i moved to heavy wgt. (you know, heavy enough to actually grow traps)
KELSO shrugs is what eventually worked for me. paul kelso is the author of a shrug book about them hence the name and im sure a quick search online can give you all the info you need to get started.
the basic form is shrugs on an incline bench (you face the bench, chest down) but there are many ways to do them. personally, i use a t-bar row bench in the gym with great success.
i have no real clear idea why these shrugs build traps for me but other conventional exer do not ( i have some guesses about the angle of scapula retraction and torso support etc but they would just be guesses). i also have no idea if this particular style will work for you its just that your post sounds similar to the situation i was in 2-3 yrs ago and i was grateful i stumbled across the kelso book.
good luck
(shakeel @ Dec. 18 2006,11:50)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">i do shrugs arriving at 150 kgs shrugs no traps .how about close grip upright rows?</div>
deads, rows and delt exer. seems to work for most and those wanting more usually try shrugs. none of these worked for me other than to get mediocre traps. believe me ive tried all the shrug variations etc. but none seemed to really "activate" the traps once i moved to heavy wgt. (you know, heavy enough to actually grow traps)
KELSO shrugs is what eventually worked for me. paul kelso is the author of a shrug book about them hence the name and im sure a quick search online can give you all the info you need to get started.
the basic form is shrugs on an incline bench (you face the bench, chest down) but there are many ways to do them. personally, i use a t-bar row bench in the gym with great success.
i have no real clear idea why these shrugs build traps for me but other conventional exer do not ( i have some guesses about the angle of scapula retraction and torso support etc but they would just be guesses). i also have no idea if this particular style will work for you its just that your post sounds similar to the situation i was in 2-3 yrs ago and i was grateful i stumbled across the kelso book.
good luck
Peak_Power
New Member
I think a lot of people tend to use their upper pecs to assist in the shrug when they do normal standing BB, that Kelso shrug lying face down on an incline to bring the range of motion more into the back of the trap is a good idea.
4 8 15 16 23 42
New Member
I keep BB shrugs heavy, high-ish reps, slow rep counts and squeeze the hell out of the contraction... treat 'em like calves, really.
bluejacket
New Member
<div>
(shakeel @ Dec. 19 2006,00:49)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">KELSO shrugs
blue jacket
can you use 2 dumbells?</div>
absolutely.
there are many variations of many exercises. the basic point is to get in a position where the traps are doing most/all the work rather then having smaller assist muscles (grip, forearms, bis, delts etc) give out before the main muscle (traps) does. thats what you find happening in many of the traditional shrugs.
(shakeel @ Dec. 19 2006,00:49)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">KELSO shrugs
blue jacket
can you use 2 dumbells?</div>
absolutely.
there are many variations of many exercises. the basic point is to get in a position where the traps are doing most/all the work rather then having smaller assist muscles (grip, forearms, bis, delts etc) give out before the main muscle (traps) does. thats what you find happening in many of the traditional shrugs.
stevejones
Member
<div>
(shakeel @ Dec. 18 2006,01:46)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">i got a lagging traps lacking height .any tips to improve traps?</div>
I do shrugs using ridiculously heavy weight that I can only get up with the use of straps, use bad form, only going half ROM. By the last rep done in bad form i'm leaning forward and my quads are doing half the work. I've tried light weight with good form, just doesn't work for me.
(shakeel @ Dec. 18 2006,01:46)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">i got a lagging traps lacking height .any tips to improve traps?</div>
I do shrugs using ridiculously heavy weight that I can only get up with the use of straps, use bad form, only going half ROM. By the last rep done in bad form i'm leaning forward and my quads are doing half the work. I've tried light weight with good form, just doesn't work for me.
Steve: have you ever had (or nearly had) any injury from shrugging? I ask because if I load up a bar with say 450lbs, I can shrug with it but my form isn't great. There is a tendancy to bounce the load at the bottom of the movement. However, if I do this my traps get sore as hell for the next few days. If I just use what I deadlift with (around 400) then they seem to have much less effect.
I'm currently only shrugging once a week and I'm just a little concerned that I'm setting myself up for an injury in my shoulder area that will then interfere with the rest of my training.
I know you use a lot of weight for your deads so do you use more than your top deadlift load or do you stay around that?
Thanks.
Edited to add: Anybody have a rough idea what the tensile strength of traps and shoulder ligaments are and what is likely to be the weakest link in the chain?
I'm currently only shrugging once a week and I'm just a little concerned that I'm setting myself up for an injury in my shoulder area that will then interfere with the rest of my training.
I know you use a lot of weight for your deads so do you use more than your top deadlift load or do you stay around that?
Thanks.
Edited to add: Anybody have a rough idea what the tensile strength of traps and shoulder ligaments are and what is likely to be the weakest link in the chain?
4 8 15 16 23 42
New Member
I trust you are not rolling your shoulders when shrugging? I see so many people going heavy with DBs, their shoulders orbiting in circles. WTH? Surefire path to injury and -not- hitting the traps very well.
stevejones
Member
Steve: have you ever had (or nearly had) any injury from shrugging? I ask because if I load up a bar with say 450lbs, I can shrug with it but my form isn't great.
No, but when I say bad form, I don't mean completely sloppy. My form is worse on shrugs than any other movement, but I'm still conscious of the muscles in my back and keeping them tight and at least trying to stay upright. I'm leaning forward by the last rep but I'm still looking straight ahead and still in control. IMO 450 is perfect for you if you can still complete the shrug but your form is bad. I'm just not a big believer in perfect form on anything. I think if your form is flawless, the weight your using is too light. Just don't get sloppy. Sloppy would be hitching...looking down..dragging the bar up your legs, bending your back to an extreme, stuff like that. Perfect form on a shrug would be keeping perfect cadence as you go up and down, holding up for a pause, having a full ROM, etc. etc.
Right now I'm using 95% of my 1 rep max on the deadlift for a 5 rep max on my shrugs. If you are actually using MORE for shrugs than your 1 rep deadlift max, then....more power to you, I've never been able to do that.
I don't understand that 'rolling the shoulders' business. I've never done that.
No, but when I say bad form, I don't mean completely sloppy. My form is worse on shrugs than any other movement, but I'm still conscious of the muscles in my back and keeping them tight and at least trying to stay upright. I'm leaning forward by the last rep but I'm still looking straight ahead and still in control. IMO 450 is perfect for you if you can still complete the shrug but your form is bad. I'm just not a big believer in perfect form on anything. I think if your form is flawless, the weight your using is too light. Just don't get sloppy. Sloppy would be hitching...looking down..dragging the bar up your legs, bending your back to an extreme, stuff like that. Perfect form on a shrug would be keeping perfect cadence as you go up and down, holding up for a pause, having a full ROM, etc. etc.
Right now I'm using 95% of my 1 rep max on the deadlift for a 5 rep max on my shrugs. If you are actually using MORE for shrugs than your 1 rep deadlift max, then....more power to you, I've never been able to do that.
I don't understand that 'rolling the shoulders' business. I've never done that.
OK, thanks. That's clarified a few things for me.
At 450 I'm shrugging with just under my theoretical 1RM for deadlift so pretty similar to what you are doing %age wise. 410ish is around my present 5RM.
I don't roll the shoulders either. I think the folks that do that are using a weight which is much lighter then they could handle. Once it gets heavy I'm pretty sure it's not a good thing for your shoulders.
At 450 I'm shrugging with just under my theoretical 1RM for deadlift so pretty similar to what you are doing %age wise. 410ish is around my present 5RM.
I don't roll the shoulders either. I think the folks that do that are using a weight which is much lighter then they could handle. Once it gets heavy I'm pretty sure it's not a good thing for your shoulders.
4 8 15 16 23 42
New Member
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(Lol @ Dec. 20 2006,11:11)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I don't roll the shoulders either. I think the folks that do that are using a weight which is much lighter then they could handle. Once it gets heavy I'm pretty sure it's not a good thing for your shoulders.</div>
I wish that were true of some of the guys at my gym. Guys with no muscle to speak of straining out 6 rolling reps with 85lb dbs... when they can't bench 135.
(Lol @ Dec. 20 2006,11:11)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I don't roll the shoulders either. I think the folks that do that are using a weight which is much lighter then they could handle. Once it gets heavy I'm pretty sure it's not a good thing for your shoulders.</div>
I wish that were true of some of the guys at my gym. Guys with no muscle to speak of straining out 6 rolling reps with 85lb dbs... when they can't bench 135.