TweetThats all I do and I'd say I have pretty good trap development.

4 sets of 10-12 reps BB shrugs
4 sets of 10-12 reps BB upright row

K.I.S.S. applys IMO

TweetI do about the same and I have big traps!

TweetIn addition to standard shrugs i will rotate in behind the back shrugs with a barbell. I usually also include what i call shrug backs. Sit at a seated row with either a v or straight bar and just perform the first part of the row where you retract your shoulder blades and nothing else. Don't use your arms, keep them straight. I also use shrug downs. Sit at the lat pulldown and now you are pulling downward to retract the shoulder blades. Again don't use your arms. Shrug back will help the traps to pop out to the rear instead of just upwards towards the ears. Shrug downs will focus on the lower part of the traps that tie in with the lower lats and also help to give you the canyon walls that run along either side of your spine.

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Originally Posted by chemicallyengineered

In addition to standard shrugs i will rotate in behind the back shrugs with a barbell. I usually also include what i call shrug backs. Sit at a seated row with either a v or straight bar and just perform the first part of the row where you retract your shoulder blades and nothing else. Don't use your arms, keep them straight. I also use shrug downs. Sit at the lat pulldown and now you are pulling downward to retract the shoulder blades. Again don't use your arms. Shrug back will help the traps to pop out to the rear instead of just upwards towards the ears. Shrug downs will focus on the lower part of the traps that tie in with the lower lats and also help to give you the canyon walls that run along either side of your spine.

awesome description! ima add these in. thx

TweetMY pleasure. these are tricky to get the hang of and you will still want to play around with your exact plane of motion till you feel its right. with the shrug backs you can still use somewhat of an upward angle but the primary focus is backwards. I have also used an incline bench at various angles and dumbells to do shrug backs but it was kind of a pain compared to the row station.

Tweetchem, thx again for the description. when u wrote the movement is up but the focus should be upwards and back, the light came on for me! today was shoulders and traps so i gave it a whirl. i shrugged using your description and squeezed the sh@t out of it for 3 secs each rep....and it felt good man!

TweetI don't do any isolation movements for traps at all. Heavy deadlifts take care of mine. Once I put heavy deads in consistantly my traps took off. I used shrug all the time with not much response.

TweetFuzo's traps grow after just one set, lol!!!

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Originally Posted by Blackfoot

chem, thx again for the description. when u wrote the movement is up but the focus should be upwards and back, the light came on for me! today was shoulders and traps so i gave it a whirl. i shrugged using your description and squeezed the sh@t out of it for 3 secs each rep....and it felt good man!

Glad i could help you discover some new exercises. keep me updated down the road on your progress.