Upgrade Your Traps!

Small traps? Inexcusable -  they are the simplest muscle to build. You literally only need one exercise to raise your shirts and boost your size.

What is the mecca of trap exercises?

Barbell Shoulder Shrugs

Here are three tips for getting the most out of this exercise.

1. High Reps with Moderate Weight

Keeping the reps high with about 80% of body weight is a great method for trap development. For rep range stick to 20 reps with three to four sets completed. Higher reps for the shoulder shrugs do result in a higher development and size.

2. Hold the weight

This tip does have a double meaning. 

Avoiding straps - and hitting traps. With the lower weight compared to attempting to maxing out it is best and advisable to avoid the use of straps when doing shoulder shrugs. When maxing out or going for a large amount of weight they are great for isolation - but not needed on every rep of every set.

Control the weight. Hold the weight for a moment at the top of each rep. This will allow a concentrated type development - as well as ensure you are not using momentum or sacrificing form for weight. It is also very important to remember that shoulder shrugs are an up and down motion - not a rolling motion. It is very important to remember this as rolling the shoulder while performing this lift can cause serious damage to your rotator cuffs.

3. Push yourself

Every few sessions cut back on the volume of your trap work but involve an increase to the weight. Try either your body weight or 120% your body weight - while moving the reps from twenty back to around ten. This helps continue the development of power, as well as allows you to assess your over all strength gains and power developments.

We tend to recommend hitting traps on back days - but as they can be seen as an auxiliary muscle group you can add them to the end of your chest or leg days - hitting them as much as twice a week.

As always is the case - remember to stretch properly both before and after you lift to aid in preventing injury, growing in range of motion, and assist in recovery time. It is advisable to use a lifting belt when doing shoulder shrugs.