So I asked him why he was doing what he was doing. He said, “Traps are where it’s at!”  I tend to agree with him.

The trapezius muscles are the muscles that sit on top of your shoulders above your collar bone that extend from the edge of your shoulders all the way to your neck.

Traps are a muscle that separates the men from the boys.  They can be an amazing sight, and can be downright scary, and sometimes just ridiculously big.  Big traps can be the difference between you looking like a person that lifts weights and a person that doesn’t.  Big traps can be the difference in a fit guy looking like a fitness model, or a bodybuilder.  Huge traps basically send a message, they are a statement.  What are your traps saying?

Huge Traps

Weak Traps

Trap Exercises

Most people associate building big traps with “Shrugs.”  The shrug is a good exercise for trap development, but it’s not the only one.  The shrug has been around for years and is a staple for building traps just as the bench press is for the chest.  I can’t deny that the shrug hits the traps well, but I would like to assert to you that there are others moves that can be effective in developing the coveted traps.  Below are a few effective trap building exercises that will deliver huge traps.

1. Lateral Raises, with Traps Flared  3X12-15

This is a tough little exercise.  The first step is to flare your traps up with dumbbells in hand.  Then perform a lateral raise by keeping your elbows almost locked and lifting the weight directly out to the side.  This is the same thing as a normal lateral raise to hit the deltoids (shoulders), but with your traps flared like this, it really works them hard.  I suggest doing 12-15 reps because it is difficult to use much weight and maintain proper form. Take a look at the video below for an example.

1. Bent over lateral raises, with Traps Flared  3X10-12

Same as above, just bend over at about a 45 degree angle.  This is a good trap exercise because it hits the back of your traps.  Built rear traps look impressive from the back and give your back a very built, defined, strong look.  Take a look at the video below for an example.

I couldn’t leave these out, if you must do shrugs, let me give you some tips.   We all know how to do shrugs, but let me give you a few tips.  If you are like me, your traps hit the side of your neck limiting the range of motion.  If this is the case, perform the shrug and push your head forward. This gives your traps more room to contract and you don’t feel like your head is going to pop off, this is definitely a good thing.   Also, keep your shoulders back, you’ll notice that you are hitting the tops and back of your traps.  Also, since there is such a small range of motion, make sure to contract (lift) fully and hold that position for 2 seconds, before slowly lowering the weight back to the starting position.  I would also sit down to avoid cheating by heaving the massive amount of weight.  Take a look at the video below for a demo.

These exercises will directly impact the growth of your traps. This addition to a workout can be incorporated into any workout split.  For those doing a split, this would be a good addition to “shoulders day.”  Add this quick trap routine to your schedule and watch your traps explode in muscle growth!