What Are Your Traps?
Also known as the trapezius muscle, your traps span from your mid-back all the way up to your neck. The traps are one of the most prominent and visible muscles in your upper back.
Your traps primarily function to move your shoulder blades in different directions. However, they also play important roles in promoting scapular stability and supporting your posture.
Benefits of Trap Exercises
Exercises that target the traps are extremely valuable. Training the traps should be prioritized for the following reasons:
1. Strength and Size Gains
These trap exercises will help develop strength and size in the traps, as they fully activate the muscle fibers of the upper back. Building strength in this area will help you improve your strength in variety of compound exercises such as the barbell squat and deadlift.
In addition, stronger traps can improve your performance in sports that rely upon upper body stability. Truth be told, no matter how you compete, these trap exercises can give you an extra edge over your competition.
2. Better Posture
Hours of sitting in chairs or driving can cause a weakness in your upper back muscles. This often causes a back position with your shoulders rounded and your head slouched.
To prevent long term issues with posture, it is important to maintain a strong upper back.
The following trap exercises will help you build a thicker band of muscles in your upper back, which allows you to maintain proper posture with ease. These exercises can be extremely useful for correcting and maintaining proper posture in the long run.
3. Improved Aesthetics
Often times, weightlifters and bodybuilders alike tend to neglect the traps in favor of larger muscles such as the lats or pecs. Building muscle evenly throughout the body is not only more physically appealing. It is generally safer to promote balance as well.
These 9 trap exercises can help you build stronger traps and achieve a broad, defined upper body appearance.
9 Intense Trap Exercises
1. Neutral Dumbbell Shrug
Setup:
a) Grab a pair of dumbbells with your palms facing each other.
b) Assume a standing position with your back straight and your core engaged.
Action:
a) Contract your traps to bring your shoulders up and slightly back at the same time.
b) Squeeze your traps hard at the top, pause for a moment, then slowly bring the dumbbell back to the starting position.
c) Repeat this motion for your desired number of repetitions.
2. Close Grip Resistance Band Upright Row
Setup:
a) Assume a standing position on a resistance band with your feet roughly hip width apart.
b) Grasp the handles of the resistance band with your palms towards you bring the handles relatively close together.
Action:
a) Contract your traps to drive the handles upwards. Be sure to keep your elbows above your wrists.
b) Squeeze your traps hard at the top and slowly return to the starting position
c) and repeat!
3. Behind Kettlebell Shrug
Setup:
a) Assume a sturdy standing position with your back straight.
b) Grab a kettlebell with both hands and bring it behind your back. Your palms should be facing behind you.
Action:
a) Squeeze your shoulder blades together and shrug upwards.
b) Squeeze your traps hard at the top and return to the starting position.
c) Repeat this motion for your desired number of reps.
4. Barbell Shrug
Setup:
a) Set up the barbell on a rack just below your waist level.
b) Assume a standing position in front of the barbell.
c) Tighten your abs and firmly grasp the barbell with an overhand grip.
Action:
b) Contract your traps to bring your shoulders up and slightly back at the same time.
c) Slowly bring the barbell back to the starting position.
d) Repeat this motion for your desired number of repetitions.
5. Floppy Divers
Setup:
a) Lie on your stomach on the ground.
b) Extend your arms as far as you can out in front of you with your hands together.
Action:
a) Bring your chest off the ground and lift your arms up and down.
b) Be sure to keep constant tension on your traps and repeat this up and down motion!
6. Closed Bent Front Trap Raise
Setup:
a) Assume a standing position with your feet roughly shoulder width apart.
b) Hold one dumbbell vertically with both hands on the shaft.
c) Hinge at the waist until your back makes a 45-degree angle. Engage your core.
Action:
a) While keeping your arms straight, contract your traps to raise the dumbbell up until it is line with your head.
b) Squeeze your traps at the top and slowly return to the starting position.
c) Keep tension in your core and repeat!
7. Upright Prayer Rows
Setup:
a) Assume a standing position with your feet roughly shoulder width apart.
b) Push your hands together in a prayer formation as hard as you can
Action:
a) While keeping your elbows above your wrists, contract your traps to shrug upwards.
b) Squeeze your traps hard at the top and return to the starting position.
c) Keep pushing your hands together and repeat!
8. Lying Dumbbell Superman Raise
Setup:
a) Lie on your stomach with your hands above your head.
b) Grasp a pair of dumbbells vertically with your palms facing each other.
Action:
a) Keeping your feet on the ground, contract your traps to raise the dumbbells off the ground.
b) Squeeze your traps hard at the top and return to the starting position.
c)Maintain tightness in your traps and repeat!
9. Dumbbell Speed Front Shrugs
Setup
a) Grab a pair of dumbbells with your palms facing towards you. Make sure the dumbbells are touching each other in front of your body.
b) Assume a standing position with your back straight and your core engaged.
Action:
a) Contract your traps to bring your shoulders up and slightly back at the same time.
b) Return to the starting position and keep shrugging at a fast pace!
Conclusion
You can complete these exercises individually to learn how to activate your traps or you can combine them to perform a complete trap workout. However, you utilize these exercises, be sure to stretch your body before and afterward to minimize your risk of injury and to maximize your results!
