# What's the key to huge traps?



## mightymo51

I always see these guys at the gym with huge traps.  When I ask them what they do, they just give some normal excersises like shrugs and other things for shoulders.  I've tried very hard to get my traps looking discustingly huge with little success.  Although my traps are decent in size and definition, I feel like they could be a lot bigger.  Can anyone give me some advice on building discustingly huge traps?  Thanks.


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## bigguns

Deadlifts bro.... Heavy intense deadlifts!! They put a lot of strain on the traps and in conjunction with the other regular exercises you should see excellent development. Try it - hit 3-4 sets of 10 reps HEAVY deadlifts and then see how your traps feel the next day.


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## Clint1

Yup, deadlifts i'm up to 305 or 315 for 10 reps. If your grip sucks like mine get some lifting straps. I also think my seated, flat,incline and close grip presses help as well. I've tried shrugs in the past and i didn't see any significant difference while doing them. I stopped doing them and used the extra energy for more deads.  Clint


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## powermad

My list:

1-clean or power cleans--any olympic lift
2. dumbell or kettlebell snatches
3. deadlifts-snatch grip deads are best, IMO
4. any type of chest supported row
5. seated cable pulls to neck/face (face pulls)

These are the movements that I contribute to most of my trap development (my upper back is probably only second to my legs as far as best bodypart).  
I only do conventional deadlifts twice a month on my dynamic effort lower days.  On these days I use 60-70% of my 1RM and do 8-10 sets of singles.  Sometimes on my lower body days, I'll use snatch grip RDL or snatch grip DL's for 3-4 sets of 5-6 reps and those kill my upper back/traps.  

Chest supported rows and cleans seem to really hit the lower traps and add thickness to them.  Any clean or snatch really works them well.  I can always count on getting a good pump and DOMS by doing a few sets of face pulls, though, and they also hit the rear delts and prevent shoulder overuse injuries pretty well.

My 2 cents.


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## rebhchad

power cleans, power cleans, and power cleans.  and maybe a little shrugs.


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## DecaDude

Just in case your not sure... go see: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Name=Power+Clean

but I like to use the squat machine... the machine that has two pads for your shoulders. (this could be the calf machine too).

You stand erect under the pads, and just shrug away.  Load em up the 45's... your not putting any weight on your wrists, forearms, elbows. so Load em up Willy!!!


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## pincrusher

dumbell shrugs hit em great for me. much better than barbell shrugs.  hold and squeeze at the top for 5 seconds on each shrug and literally try to drive your shoulders into your ears.  i rarely do bar shrugs anymore but when i do it is as heavy as i can go and still do 3-4 shrugs with the last one being held to failure


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## DecaDude

Yeah, I don't do flatbar shrugs anymore.. with the test. I'm running I don't need anything rubbing on my dick.


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## kell11

*Dumbell shrugs*.Also some guys just have monstrerous traps -though proportionate to their body.
but shrugs will pop em up better than any thing.


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## mightymo51

Thanks for the replys fella's!  I do dumbell shrugs all the time and they have definately made a difference, but as far as the dead lifts and power cleans go my form just sucks.  I've had some lower back problems before and am afraid of getting injured again.  So I guess I'll just start out really light on those excersises until I get the form down.  Thanks again guys!


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## powermad

Hey, bro--I forgot one you should try, s a little easier on the lower back (at least for me) and totally takes grip out of the picture.  

Calf machine shrugs--just get on a calf machine and instead of doing calf raises, raise and lower your shoulders as HIGH and LOW as possible.  

I prefer to do these with the safety squat bar that we have, I'd suggest using that if you have access to one.  But the calf machine works okay.


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## gregdiesel

kell11 said:
			
		

> *Dumbell shrugs*.Also some guys just have monstrerous traps -though proportionate to their body.
> but shrugs will pop em up better than any thing.



I agree some just have better traps thru genetics.  I have very big lats and only average traps.  It seems to always be one or the other...


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## powermad

gregdiesel said:
			
		

> I agree some just have better traps thru genetics.  I have very big lats and only average traps.  It seems to always be one or the other...



That's true, most people (aside from very gifted bbers and guys) have one or two really good/easily developed bodyparts and one or two problem areas.  In my case, my calves are small and I have very narrow shoulders.  But my traps and lats are overdeveloped.  I'd give up the big traps any day for a wider frame/wider shoulders.  Guys always compliment me on my traps/neck and ask me for pointers but most women don't like it at all.


For example of the disproportion-- my neck is 20", chest is 50" and shoulders are only 55".  That is a really ugly ratio, I'd never be a successful bodybuilder b/c when I am above 205 or so (i'm 235 right now) they start to look odd.  What's worse is I am 6' tall.  If I was shorter, my neck/traps might be a little more proportionate to the rest of my body but their not.  

I wouldn't even train neck/traps if they didn't help with squatting/benching so much, but they do.


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## cawb

i agree with greg, it's either one or the other, my lats suck seems like no matter what i do they dont grow very well but my traps i can do 3 sets of dumbell shrugs and my traps love it , i also follow the same routine as pin get your shoulders as high as you can and hold for about 5 sec.


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## STEELADDICTION

pincrusher said:
			
		

> dumbell shrugs hit em great for me. much better than barbell shrugs.  hold and squeeze at the top for 5 seconds on each shrug and literally try to drive your shoulders into your ears.  i rarely do bar shrugs anymore but when i do it is as heavy as i can go and still do 3-4 shrugs with the last one being held to failure


]

Best advice on this thread.  Holding the shrug at the top of the movement and pausing will produce great results.  I see too many people who try to perform the exercise way to quickly and bounce with their legs way to much!


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## ben johnson

STEELADDICTION said:
			
		

> ]
> 
> Best advice on this thread.  Holding the shrug at the top of the movement and pausing will produce great results.  I see too many people who try to perform the exercise way to quickly and bounce with their legs way to much!



my workout ptnr made me slow down and hold for just a second at the top...kicks butt. i do them on the machine and also dumb bells and have seen great results by   s l  o w i n g   down....


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## Andrew

*Lifting Hooks*

This is a comprehensive thread.  I would just like to add that for me lifting straps are not strong enough while doing barbell shrugs.  I have heavy duty lifing HOOKS.  That way I can lift that 440 lbs without cutting off all the blood to my hands.  However, I still do get extremely red hands from the blood getting cut off during my lifts.  There's just no fucking way for my grip to handle that poundage.  I love how my traps have responded to heavy barbell shrugs.


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## NeverBigEnuff

Thanks guys...I was going to post the same question.  My traps are in dire need of some size.  Lot's of good stuff in this thread.  I've tried barbell shrugs...and dumbell shrugs, but I think a reverse barbell shrug is more effective for me, then the traditional barbell shrug, but still no huge traps. I don't care if the ladies don't like em...I think they make for a more balanced appearance.


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## mightymo51

I really appreciate all of your advice fella's.  I know what you mean about having well developed muscle and some not so well developed.  I'm the same as gregdiesel, I've got enormous lats and average traps.  Hopefully I can change that in the future.  Oh yeah, got with a friend of mine who really helped me out with that form I was lacking in the dead lift, I can definetly tell a huge difference and I also slowed down my reps on those dumbell shrugs.  The traps are hurting today.  Thanks Again!


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## Big Danny

Shrugs bro, havy once, bar or dumbels, not more than 2-3 sets, to failure. Do not train them for another week. Give them the chance to grow.


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## mario_ps2

power cleans is the king for traps,  

second...ed....by deadlifts  IMO..:smoker:


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## ASHOP

mightymo51 said:
			
		

> I always see these guys at the gym with huge traps.  When I ask them what they do, they just give some normal excersises like shrugs and other things for shoulders.  I've tried very hard to get my traps looking discustingly huge with little success.  Although my traps are decent in size and definition, I feel like they could be a lot bigger.  Can anyone give me some advice on building discustingly huge traps?  Thanks.




Lots of shrugs, uprights rows, and even deadlifts.


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## oldtestman

Have you ever seen an Olympic lifter who doesn't have huge traps?  Get some straps and do cleans.  Pull the first one from the floor and finish the set by just dropping slightly (just about knee level) and giving a huge pull.  Deadlifts will add some serious mass to the traps and the cleans will make them shapely and long.


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## naase2004

bigguns said:
			
		

> Deadlifts bro.... Heavy intense deadlifts!! They put a lot of strain on the traps and in conjunction with the other regular exercises you should see excellent development. Try it - hit 3-4 sets of 10 reps HEAVY deadlifts and then see how your traps feel the next day.




Amen!!! Deadlifts and make it heavy!


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## needsomeinfo

I've always noticed that generally people with long torsos have naturally tall and defined traps. Foe me I have always had big traps and thick and short lats with no shoulder development. My shoulder joint still remains my weakest link. I seem to be rear shoulder dominant.

Anyways .... I agree with the heavy dead-lift for traps. 90-95% 1rm  for 10-15 singles . Gets the raps deep and where they connect in the middle of back. Also db snatches, amazing for overall upper shoulders.


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## tkav1980

mightymo51 said:
			
		

> I always see these guys at the gym with huge traps.  When I ask them what they do, they just give some normal excersises like shrugs and other things for shoulders.  I've tried very hard to get my traps looking discustingly huge with little success.  Although my traps are decent in size and definition, I feel like they could be a lot bigger.  Can anyone give me some advice on building discustingly huge traps?  Thanks.



yup get your deadlift up around 800lbs. seriously have you ever seen ronnie colemans traps. its from that huge deadlift. i promise if your dead gets stronger youll get bigger traps.


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## barkingspider

I've had the best luck with alternate dumbell shrugs. When you bring up one side at a time you can really concentrate on bringing your shoulder up to your ear. When I'm done I grab two heavier dumbells and hold them in front of me or to the side and stretch the traps out for about 60 seconds.


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## Jayburned

Get those straps goin' with some heavy barbell shrugs, they work for me. I work up to around 315 with the straps.


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## Jayburned

Everything else mentioned on here works well also, do it all!


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## rottsnhell

two tips that my help you. 1. standing dumbell shrugs, hold yur arms out from yur side 10-20 degress at an angle. Andshrug, concetrating on the angled upward motion. 2. try lying face first on an incline bench at about 45degrees. and shrug up, it hits them at a different angle...traps are just what there called, trapazoids. they have that angle that you cant hit in a straight forward motion.


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## Janukhala2008

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## IMDiesel

DecaDude said:


> Yeah, I don't do flatbar shrugs anymore.. with the test. I'm running I don't need anything rubbing on my dick.



True!


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## shaneclerk

Well developed traps are an instant sign of strength & power for any bodybuilder or power-lifter.The key to any bodybuilding physique is its aestheticism! A bodybuilder with a pencil neck and no trap development looks incomplete, as does a bodybuilder with skinny, peapod-like, grainy forearms but thick upper arms.


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