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I get a ton of emails from guys who want bigger traps. But a lot of them are going about getting them the wrong way.
When people think traps they immediately think “shrugs”. Shrugs are great, but there are better ways to builder bigger trap muscles. Here are a few tips that’ll help you build your traps, attacking the muscle in ways that shrugs won’t.
Where to Start
Well, your traps start up top. They sit on your shoulders connecting your neck to the very end of your collarbone where it meets the shoulder. But they go all the way down to your mid-back. When you’re doing any type of row, like a seated cable row, you’re actually working your mid-trapezius muscles.
You need to focus on the full muscle to get truly great-looking traps. Don’t just focus on the top of the muscle – which is what most of us do. Work the middle of the muscle doing rows, and do them from different angles which will work the different levels of your traps.
The Grip
Have you ever watched Olympic lifting on TV? Those guys have MASSIVE traps and shoulders. A big reason for that is the lifts they do and the weight they’re lifting.
The two lifts that they’re focusing on attack the traps in a way that most other exercises don’t, especially the snatch. The grip used in the snatch is extremely wide when it’s done correctly. What this does is it builds the most outer part of the trap. The part of the muscle that sits just on top of the shoulder. It’s also the part of the muscle that most people don’t train effectively.
Now, the snatch isn’t a “traps” exercise. It’s actually a power exercise and most of your focus should be on your lower body and your hips when performing the lift. That’s where your power should be coming from. Resist trying to “muscle” the weight up with your arms and shoulders. Focus on exploding from the ground up with your hips.
Do you need isolation?
No. I haven’t isolated my traps in years and yet they’ve steadily gotten bigger – noticeably bigger – without the isolation that most guys do when they’re training the traps.
Why is this?
Well I technically work my traps a couple – even 3 – times a week. If I do Yates row for back, I’m working my mid traps. If I’m lifting for athletic power, like I am when I’m doing cleans or the snatch, I’m working my upper traps. When I’m training my shoulders with lateral raises or close-grip upright row, I’m again, working my traps.
I do 3 challenge workouts a week. And each workout has at least 2-3 exercise that indirectly or directly work my traps without isolation. So no, isolating the muscle is not necessary. I’d say it isn’t even recommended. You can effectively train the trapezius muscle without spending the time needed to do your “typical” rep and set schemes.
If you want to build the V-shaped torso that women find irresistible, building thicker traps are going to be a big part of that. Here are some exercises to add to your routine that will help you in your quest.
- wide-grip deadlift
- snatch
- clean + press
- upright row (vary the grips used)
- lateral raises (bring the weight in front of the body)
- Yates row
- Seated cable row
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