Traps need work, shrugs ain't working so good

Jimmy Bottlehead

Hey all.

Gym works been going well recently, increases all over. But I want to bring my traps up more.... easy solution is shrugs.

However, the DB's in Northwood only go up to 30kg and thats too light for me. This evening I gave barbell shrugs a shot, and while the front ones went pretty good, the back ones didn't.

Basically, my arse is too big for the bar to get past properly, so I can't get a full range of motion on it.

Any suggestions as to what I can do??

podge57

hang cleans, or any olympic lift variation really

Noffles

I had a similar problem, so I widened my grip a little to almost snatch width, the also when shrugging I lent forward a little and was able to raise the bar more, seemed to work as my traps have grown. Plus I upped the reps to around 15-20 instead of 8-12.

The Coon

I always leave them until last in my workout so that they are pre exhausted. I would vary between dumbell, barbell and machine bench shrugs.
The machine bench press i find very good also and it allows you to do them to the front,side and back. The hammer strength bench is also usefull for symmetrical development. Heavy sets of 8-10 on these worked for me anyway.

thebiggestjim

I would recommend hang cleans also, mine were under developed and hang cleans were the only exercise to bring them along

Jimmy Bottlehead

thebiggestjim wrote: »

I would recommend hang cleans also, mine were under developed and hang cleans were the only exercise to bring them along

Thing is, I figure the oly lifts are more 'technical' than regular ones, and there's a higher chance of injury seeing as I have no-one to check my form or show me in person.

Remmy

is there enough room in your gym to do farmer walks with the dbells?

The Coon

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Thing is, I figure the oly lifts are more 'technical' than regular ones, and there's a higher chance of injury seeing as I have no-one to check my form or show me in person.

I agree. If you just want to develop the traps an isolation exercise like shrugs is ideal. Not everyone wants to be a powerlifter.

Jimmy Bottlehead

Remmy wrote: »

is there enough room in your gym to do farmer walks with the dbells?

Not really Northwood is pretty packed all the time these days. Though I might just try it anyways, or hit at a less busy time

Hanley

I don't think farmers walks are a great option tbh....

Things like shrugs, seated dumbbell power cleans and heavy deadlifting/rack pulls are awesome.

The Coon wrote: »

I agree. If you just want to develop the traps an isolation exercise like shrugs is ideal. Not everyone wants to be a powerlifter.

Olympic lifts = weightlifter

Brian?

I'd second the power cleans. What kind of shrugs are you doing? I switched to doing behind the back barbell shrugs a while back and found a huge difference when compared to DB shrugs.

I'd also recommend rack pulls with a shrug at the end.

Brian?

The Coon wrote: »

I agree. If you just want to develop the traps an isolation exercise like shrugs is ideal. Not everyone wants to be a powerlifter.

Its only ideal if it works for the OP, which he says it doesn't. Therefore its time to try something new.

Jimmy Bottlehead

briankeating wrote: »

I'd second the power cleans. What kind of shrugs are you doing? I switched to doing behind the back barbell shrugs a while back and found a huge difference when compared to DB shrugs.

I'd also recommend rack pulls with a shrug at the end.

The front shrugs are fine, but I was advised that due to the different areas of the trap, only doing one type would lead to imbalance... that I should do front, back and side shrugs.

Shane101

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/DeltoidLateral/BBUprightRow.html

Best worked for me

Jimmy Bottlehead

Shane101 wrote: »

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/DeltoidLateral/BBUprightRow.html

Best worked for me

Doing that alright, so maybe as it increases it'll help out

The Coon

briankeating wrote: »

Its only ideal if it works for the OP, which he says it doesn't. Therefore its time to try something new.

In his origional post he says that this was the first time he tried barbell shrugs, so I'd class this as trying something new. The reason the dumbell shrugs aren't working is that there are insufficient weight of dumbells available to him. His problem was with developing the rear delts which is why i offered him some alternatives to behind the back barbell shrugs in my first post.

Hanley

Call me crazy, but I don't really see the point of doing power cleans for trap development unless you're moving serious weight.

Brian?

The Coon wrote: »

In his origional post he says that this was the first time he tried barbell shrugs, so I'd class this as trying something new. The reason the dumbell shrugs aren't working is that there are insufficient weight of dumbells available to him. His problem was with developing the rear delts which is why i offered him some alternatives to behind the back barbell shrugs in my first post.

So he did, I should have read that properly. DB shrugs with 30kg dbs would be the problem alright.

Brian?

Hanley wrote: »

Call me crazy, but I don't really see the point of doing power cleans for trap development unless you're moving serious weight.

The only answer I have to that is: they make my traps tired and sore. I wouldn't recommend ONLY doing power cleans though, I still do shrugs as well.

Transform

i never do shrugs and see no need for them if you are deadlifting nice and heavy.

I see plenty of people using tons of weight on shrugs yet do not deadlift or can't deadlift the weight.

ih8northsiders

if your going for an ''attractive'' look lay off the shrugs, they make your shoulders look narrower.

spiral

You could try deadlifts with a shrug or snatch /clean pulls with a shrug at the end

hardtrainer

Transform wrote: »

i never do shrugs and see no need for them if you are deadlifting nice and heavy.

Couldn't agree more.

Roper

As above, deadlifts with a shrug. Or if you don't want to deadlift that day, just set up on a squat rack or power rack.

Barbell shrugs are grand and will actually work as a good assistance exercise for locking out your deadlift. Just make sure you're squeezing your back well rather than just shrugging forward or up and ensure you don't make any circular movement. Also, wear some tight underwear or at least tuck in. You'll know why when it happens.

Jimmy Bottlehead

Cheers everybody. I deadlift as heavy as I can, but I don't shrug at the top so I'll throw that in, should help me hopefully!

Thanks for all the advice

Kev M

ih8northsiders wrote: »

if your going for an ''attractive'' look lay off the shrugs, they make your shoulders look narrower.

I can see how this might be a problem for him.... That is if he happens to be Phil Heath (the likelihood of which is low as Phil probably wouldn't come to boards for trap-building tips).


To the OP, close-grip upright barbell rows laid the foundation for my mediocre traps. Not as hardcore as deads or shrugs but worth a try.

Transform

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Cheers everybody. I deadlift as heavy as I can, but I don't shrug at the top so I'll throw that in, should help me hopefully!

Thanks for all the advice

what are you currently deadlifting?

g'em

briankeating wrote: »

The only answer I have to that is: they make my traps tired and sore. I wouldn't recommend ONLY doing power cleans though, I still do shrugs as well.

That doesn't necessarily equal hypertrophy though.

I have very prominent traps for a girl and but they've reduced in size in a big way since I started oly lifting. I'd 2nd, 3rd and 4th the deadlifts for trap development.

Brian?

g'em wrote: »

That doesn't necessarily equal hypertrophy though.

Fair point, I've no other frame of reference though really. My traps are bigger since I started doings cleans, but I didn't stop deadlifting or doing shrugs, so basically my advice is useless .

g'em wrote: »

I have very prominent traps for a girl and but they've reduced in size in a big way since I started oly lifting. I'd 2nd, 3rd and 4th the deadlifts for trap development.

Does that mean you no longer deadlift?

celestial

When I saw your post I immediately thought - deadlift. Traps are coming on for me since I upped the deadlifting. What sets/weight/rep ranges do you do Jimmy? I'd recommend experimenting with lowering the weight slightly and squeezing in a little more volume and you should start seeing some changes.

They truly are the king of all exercises. I don't think people really get how good they are. I've actually started seeing some nice chest development of late - specifically I look broader and my chest looks bigger. They'll pull your shoulders back and expand it, most people are a bit hunched forward.

Plus they are wicked for forearms...always impressive

g'em

briankeating wrote: »

Does that mean you no longer deadlift?

I do clean & snatch deadlifts, but only @ 95-105% of my 1RM in the clean or snatch. Conventional deadlifts are counterproductive for my oly lifts

Dubdude

Try work in some face pulls too...

thebiggestjim

The Coon wrote: »

I agree. If you just want to develop the traps an isolation exercise like shrugs is ideal. Not everyone wants to be a powerlifter.

clean is an olympic lift not a power lift

d'Oracle

Mark Rippetoe in Starting Strength wrote:

Heavy barbell shrugs are a good assistance exercise
for an advanced lifter that knows how to perform them correctly, but novice deadlifters have no business trying to combine deadlifts with incorrectly performed barbell shrugs..........

The fact that they are done heavy means that a novice lifter unadapted to heavy weights, in terms of bone density, joint integrity, and motor control, can become very injured very quickly even doing them correctly. (An impatient friend of the author broke the spinous process off of C6 doing these prematurely.)

Not that its the be all and end all.
But the man is heavily respected.

Jimmy Bottlehead

Transform wrote: »

what are you currently deadlifting?

I weigh about 87.5kg and am deadlifting 110kg. I go for 5x5, but can usually only maybe get 3/4 reps of 110kg at the moment.

I've been deadlifting about the last 18 months so its not a lack of that anyways!!! Deads and squats are (for some sick reason) my fave exercises.

Transform

when you can deadlift say 150kg you will have no trap complaints - keep getting stronger.

for example most of the guys i train that are below 80kg are deadlifting well over 120kg and for reps.

work harder on deadlifts with no belt, at your weight 110kg needs to become easy enough

Jimmy Bottlehead

Transform wrote: »

when you can deadlift say 150kg you will have no trap complaints - keep getting stronger.

for example most of the guys i train that are below 80kg are deadlifting well over 120kg and for reps.

work harder on deadlifts with no belt, at your weight 110kg needs to become easy enough

Aye, I used to deadlift 140kg at my max so working up to that, hopefully it'll bring the traps up with it! Never used a belt either, so thats a plus.

Transform

just focus on that and i guarantee the traps will take care of themselves.

The biggggg mistake i see so many people make is to keep adding in more exercises when progress is stalling or not optimal where as my answer is to take things out to keep the progress going e.g. its very hard to progress with deadlifts and squats at the same time (unless you are a beginner).

Nate--IRL--

I dunno, I find they compliment each other quite well, if my Squats go up my deadlift usually will too.

Nate

Hanley

Nate--IRL-- wrote: »

I dunno, I find they compliment each other quite well, if my Squats go up my deadlift usually will too.

Nate

Definitely not the case for me....

Transform

Nate--IRL-- wrote: »

I dunno, I find they compliment each other quite well, if my Squats go up my deadlift usually will too.

Nate

when you have been working those lifts for a few years say 2-3 i would be surprised that would be the answer

Nate--IRL--

Transform wrote: »

when you have been working those lifts for a few years say 2-3 i would be surprised that would be the answer

I have been lifting for just over 2.5 years, and I'm not saying I'm a special case or found the holy grail of lifting, but in my experience I've found they compliment each other, so far. This may change as I progress.

From the period June to Sept, stuffing my face with food, my squat went from 110 to 130kg, while my deadlift went from 120 to 140kg. 3x8 sets.
The primary goal was to increase my squat, but DL's just seemed to improve also.

20kg may not look like a lot of progress, and the weight kinda light compared to some of you guys, but it was for both lifts concurrently. It also is quite possible that the drive from the legs had been holding back the DL's, but I've never felt that to be the case.

Nate

Transform

Nate--IRL-- wrote: »

I have been lifting for just over 2.5 years, and I'm not saying I'm a special case or found the holy grail of lifting, but in my experience I've found they compliment each other, so far. This may change as I progress.

From the period June to Sept, stuffing my face with food, my squat went from 110 to 130kg, while my deadlift went from 120 to 140kg. 3x8 sets.
The primary goal was to increase my squat, but DL's just seemed to improve also.

20kg may not look like a lot of progress, and the weight kinda light compared to some of you guys, but it was for both lifts concurrently. It also is quite possible that the drive from the legs had been holding back the DL's, but I've never felt that to be the case.

Nate

if you are up at double body weight it may be the case - are you near that yet?

Nate--IRL--

Transform wrote: »

if you are up at double body weight it may be the case - are you near that yet?

Not at 2xBW for sets yet, seems to be perpetually out of reach, I was 73kg in June starting out and 80kg by the end of sept.

I've a nagging feeling I'll be chasing 2xBW for quite some time as BW increases.

Nate

Transform

good jump in weight none the less.

I still think the big lifts need special attention as you progress - a bit like i am doing for overhead squats and feckin skipping. work them harder and focus on one for a while and vary up the rep ranges as 3 x 8reps is quite a lot for deadlifts if you are still using that