Best Traps Exercise

To Help you Master the Best Traps Exercise Here is a Crash Course of Basic Anatomy of the Traps

The Trapezious can be Divided into 3 Parts Which assist in Many Motions

Middle & Lower Trapezious

The middle and lower traps are active primarily in back exercises such as rows.

The middle and lower traps are partly responsible for the important motion of scapular adduction or retraction along with the rhomboids.  The rhomboids are not on the following anatomy drawing because they are deep.

Deep means they are closer to the center of the body compared to the superficial or outer trapezious.

Retraction is important because squeezing the shoulder blades together and stabilizing puts your body in proper biomechanical position.

If you can maintain proper dynamic posture during all exercises you will have be able to perform each exercise optimally.  You will get the best performance, functional strength and aesthetic results.

Upper Trapezious

When people usually talk about "traps" they are mean upper  traps.  The best traps exercise focuses on the upper traps because the middle and lower fibers are primarily exercised during back exercises.

The Upper Traps is Responsible for Shoulder Elevation which is the Motion of Shrugging your Shoulders

The upper traps also assist most movements of the head at the neck.

Posture problems such as forward head posture can cause a chronically a tight upper trapezious.

The chronically tight upper traps can sometimes lead to headaches and neck pain because of the constant tension.

If you have forward head posture the best traps exercise may not be right for you as you should probably avoid exercises which target the upper traps.

The Best Traps Exercise is for 2 Different Goals

Increase Size of the Trapezious Muscle

The traps rest at the top of the pyramid when it comes to your physique.  A muscular trapezious muscle is a great way to tell a weight lifter from somebody who does not lift.  If you increase the size of your traps, it will also increase the size of your neck, just in case your tired of being called "pencil neck."

Even though many different exercises involve the upper traps, isolation exercises will usually be better for hypertrophy (increase in size) of any muscle including the traps.

Increase Strength and Power of Upper Traps for Performance

The shrug is very important to all Olympic lifts.  During the 2nd pull of the power clean and power snatch your traps have to help accelerate the speed on the bar which is needed complete the lift.

Shoulder Shrugs

There is one and only one exercise which completely isolates the traps.

Shrugs are an easy and effective exercise which can be done using a variety of different resistances.

Start:  Hold the handles of whatever resistance you choose to use as close to your center of gravity as possible.  If you have dumbbells you should have them at your side.

Contract your glutes, keep your core tight, and make sure your shoulder blades are not rounded forward.

Begin the motion:    Lift your shoulder blades straight up as high as you can.  You are trying to touch your shoulders to your ears.

Make sure you keep your arms completely straight.  Hold for a split second when your shoulders reach the highest point.

Lower under control and repeat.  Try not to use your legs or lower back to create momentum.

Modifications:  You can perform the shrug with any form of resistance.  Examples include dumbbells, barbell, trap bar (picture on left),  and low cables.

Upright Row

Upright row is not for everybody.  If you have any sort of shoulder issues it is a good idea to avoid them.  If your shoulders are in good health the upright row is one of the best traps exercises as well as a great deltoid exercise.

Start:  Hold weights close to your center of gravity which means as close to your body as you can.  Draw in your core and take a deep breath.

Begin the motion:  Keep your core drawn in and glutes tight to avoid using your lower back.  Retract your shoulder blades and pull the weight up towards your chin.

Make sure you lead with your elbows with your hands trailing.  At the top part of the motion your elbows should be at around the same level as your ears.  Exhale as you lower the weight back to starting position.

Modifications:  You can perform upright row with dumbbells, a barbell, an EZ curl bar or low cables.  Again, if you have injury prone shoulders, bad wrists, or any posture problems the upright row is probably not the best choice of exercise for your traps.

What are the Best Traps Exercises to Develop Power and Strength ?

High Pulls

High Pulls are the 2nd pull of the power clean.  The traps are the first part of the 2nd pull which helps generate the momentum which is needed to lift a heavier weight than you can lift under control into the position to catch the weight.

Even though the Olympic lifts such as the power clean is not used by many people outside athletics, high pulls can be a great exercise to really work the upper traps.  For most people, explosive high pulls are less stressful on the shoulder joints than upright row.

Start:  You can start with the weights on the floor if you want to perform the full high pull.  You can also start with the weights in the low hang position (around your legs).  Your grip should be slightly wider than shoulder width.

Begin the motion:  Bend your knees slightly and explosively pull the weight straight up in the air.  You should lead with your elbows, raising them as high as they can go.

This means the bar will stop just below your chin.  Lower the weight under control and repeat.  The explosive energy you use to lift the weights should come from your feet and be transferred all the way into your traps.

Modifications:  You can perform high pulls with dumbbells or a barbell.

Dead Lifts

Dead lifts are not just for your legs.  Since you use a heavy weight than most traps exercises, your traps work a lot to hold the weight.  All exercises in which you hold a weight will work your traps.  Another good example is dumbbell squats which is basically a dumbbell dead lift.

You can even perform a power shrug at the end to really get an intense contraction on the traps.

Start:  Take a slightly wider than shoulder width stance.  Grip the barbell with either an overhand or alternating grip.  When you set up for the dead lift, you can lean back until your butt is pretty low.

It is very important to keep your back flat for the entire motion.  Never let your shoulders protract (round forward).  Keep your arms straight for the entire motion.

It is very important to stabilize your core and support your lower back to take a deep breath and hold it until the weight is pulled all the way up.

Begin the motion:  Keep your core tightly drawn in for the duration of the dead lift.  Drive up with your chest.  Pull the weight straight up.  Make sure to keep it as close to your body as you can.

At the top of the motion after you contract your glutes (squeeze your butt) and retract your shoulders you can perform a power shrug before you lower the weight all way back to the floor.

The Day in which You should Perform Traps Exercises Depends on Your Goals

If you want to increase the size of your traps you can exercise them 2 or 3 times per week.

If you have a day set up only for shoulders you can perform the best traps exercise after your shoulder presses.  You can also perform traps exercises while you exercise other muscle groups. 

If you are doing the best traps exercises for maintenance, one day per week is enough.  The traps are one of the few body parts in which it really doesn't matter which muscle groups you exercise them with.

If your weight training split is set up where you have a push day and a pull day, the best traps exercises fit in better with the pulling exercises.  Some people even do the best traps exercise on legs day before squats.  They claim that the muscle pump in the traps makes it more comfortable for the bar to rest on their shoulders.

Effective Shoulder Exercises

If you do not have specific goals for your traps and want exercises which will completely work most of the major muscles associated with the shoulders.  The best traps exercise for you may be compound movements for the shoulders.