What Are The Top 5 Trap Exercises?
When you think of the traps, my guess is you think of that huge muscle at the base of the neck in a most muscular pose. Yet the traps also encompass the upper and middle back – that’s a lot of real estate to train! That leads to the obvious question: What Are The Top 5 Trap Exercises? In this article, we will answer that question, provide an example routine, look at nutritional guidelines and supplement suggestions. Ready? Then let’s get started!
A Quick Look At The Top 5 Trap Exercises
| Exercise | Target Muscles | Best For |
| Shrug | Upper Traps | Upper Traps, think “most muscular” pose |
| Trap Bar Shrug | Upper Traps | Same as above |
| Deadlift | Middle & Lower Traps, also called upper & middle back. | Overall size, works pulling muscles, and much more |
| Rack Pulls | Same as above | Overall size |
| Bent Rows | Same as above | Overall size, works all pulling muscles |
Review – The Top 5 Trap Exercises!
What Is The Best Upper Trap Exercise?
While there’s no one exercise that hits all 3 heads of the traps, the shrug is nonetheless the best overall upper trap exercise.
Why Did I Choose This Exercise?
My main reason for choosing the shrug is because it’s the primary exercise for the upper traps, which are the showpiece muscle. After all, that’s what people see when a lifter hits a most muscular pose, and it’s what people think of when you mention the word “traps”. (1)
However, if you’re after complete back development that means complete middle and lower trap development, and that helps create a stunning back. Think of how the back and upper traps look in virtually any back pose and you’ll see what I mean.
What Are Variations Of This Exercise?
Besides a barbell, you can use the Trap Bar. You can also use dumbbells, the Smith machine, and plate loaded or weight stack shrug machines. I have also seen lifters use a seated dip machine (done standing).
Performance Tips
Do not rush your reps. I see it all the time at the gym, lifters think it’s a NASCAR race. Slow down, and perform your reps using this tempo: 2 seconds on the concentric phase, 4 seconds on the eccentric phase, and on your last working set, stop in the fully stretched position for a 4 count.
Don’t be afraid to go heavy on these, you can handle a lot of weight – and you should be using enough weight so you fail within the prescribed rep range in the sample routine that’s coming up soon.
What Is The Best Bar For Traps?
As the name suggests, the Trap Bar was designed for traps, and it works very well for several other exercises.
Why Did I Choose This Exercise?
First off, what is a Trap Bar? Also called a hex bar or a shrug bar, the frame of the bar is hexagonal-shaped with a plate holder at each end, and raised handles. You stand inside the frame. Some trap bars have an open-back design and all trap bars have raised handles with knurling for a better grip. Typically the handles force a parallel grip.
With this bar you can do shrugs, bent rows, and deadlifts (plus several more exercises). Shrugs done with the Trap Bar promote focused trap development by allowing a neutral grip that reduces wrist strain, minimizes pressure on the spine, and eliminates body drag. These factors make the exercise safer for the lower back. This bar also allows for heavier loading than dumbbells, better range of motion than a straight bar, and improved grip strength. (2)
What Are Variations Of This Exercise?
None since the bar is unique.
Performance Tips
The same tips as listed above apply here. Make sure you’re using the tempo I already suggested.
What Is The Top Exercise For Middle & Lower Traps?
While several back exercises hit the middle and lower traps to varying degrees, the bent row is the top exercise for hitting these areas.
Why Did I Choose This Exercise?
The bent row with a barbell targets the entire back, including the middle and lower traps (which, as noted, are also called the upper and middle back, respectively). It works these areas more effectively than any other exercise. (3)
What Are Variations Of This Exercise?
You can use the Trap Bar, dumbbells, or the Smith machine. You can also use an underhand grip, which hits the biceps more than the regular overhand grip.
Performance Tips
As simple as this exercise may seem, take the time to understand how to do it correctly. Correct form is the key to getting the most out of this, and any, exercise. Otherwise, the same tips apply as indicated above.
What Is The Top Exercise For Strength?
Without question, the deadlift, which hits the middle and lower traps and much more, is the best exercise for handling heavy weight and building strength.
Why Did I Choose This Exercise?
It’s hard to beat the deadlift. This exercise works most of your body and is only rivaled by the squat. The key to this exercise is form. This is an exercise you don’t want to mess with when it comes to your form.
Make sure you understand how to do it. I suggest working with a trainer on this one. If that’s not possible, video yourself performing this with an empty bar and then compare your form to the form you see in instructional videos. (4)
What Are Variations Of This Exercise?
You can use the Trap Bar, or the Smith machine. Some gyms may have a deadlift machine, which looks like a seated dip machine without the seat.
Performance Tips
Use the same tempo as indicated above and as noted, and I can’t say it enough, make sure your form is correct. Never sacrifice form for weight, but once your form is down, you can build impressive strength and mass with this exercise.
What Is The Top Exercise For Lifters With Sore Knees/Lower Back?
The rack pull is the top choice here. I presented this question because there are lifters out there, like me, that have knee / lower back limitations.
Why Did I Choose This Exercise?
If for some reason you can’t perform a regular deadlift, this is the exercise for you. By taking the bottom half out of the movement, you spare your lower back and knees. That works for older lifters as well as injured lifters.
What Are Variations Of This Exercise?
The primary variations are bar height and grip width.You can experiment with bar height – just below your knees, knee height, or just above your knees. A wide grip will engage the traps more – give it a try! Other variations would be using the Smith machine. You could use a Trap Bar, but it has to be long enough to work inside a Power Rack or perhaps on blocks.
Performance Tips
The tempo I suggested earlier in this article comes into play here, especially that 4-second hold at the top position. Don’t be afraid to use heavy weight, once you have your form down.
When Should You Train Your Traps?
It makes the most sense to work traps with your back and biceps, and here’s why. It needs to be understood that trap training on its own or separate from back really refers to the upper traps.
That’s because, functionally speaking and as noted, your middle and lower traps are part of your back. Again as noted but it bears repeating, when the average lifter thinks of traps, they think of the upper traps. I made that mistake for years myself.
So when people talk about trap training, and when they debate about whether or not traps should be done on Back Day or Shoulder Day, people are really referring to the upper traps, whether they know it or not. They don’t realize that on Back Day, you’re working two-thirds of the traps, and that when you work upper traps, you’re also hitting middle traps. Therefore, it is logical to train all 3 trap muscles on Back / Pull day.
What’s An Example Of A Trap Routine Using These Exercises?
| Exercise | Sets & Reps | Tempo |
| Deadlifts (Always start with your heaviest exercise) | Bar x 15 reps, 20% RM x 10 reps,40% RM x 8 reps3 x 6-8 | 2-4-0/2-4-4 last set |
| Rack Pulls | 3 x 6-8 | 2-4-0/2-4-4 last |
| Bent Rows | 3 x 6-8 | 2-4-0/2-4-4 last set |
| Shrugs (Your choice of bar) | 3 x 8 | 2-4-0/2-4-4 |
Progressive Overload
This fundamental principle is a major key to progress. You have to increase the weight consistently over time. You can increase reps or sets, but that’s not really sustainable. Therefore your best bet is to add weight, and you have a couple of options on how to do that.
Option # 1 – Add 2.5 lbs for large muscles, 1.5 lbs for small muscles every week.
Option # 2 – Use the 2x 2 rule. This states that you should increase the weight by 10% for large muscles, 5% for small muscles once you can perform 2 additional reps beyond your rep goal for your last set, for 2 workouts in a row.
Nutritional Guidelines
Nutrition for lifters starts with protein, the most important macronutrient. I advise consuming at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight evenly spaced throughout the day (as an example: 3 main meals and 2-3 protein shakes/bars). Setting up protein timing this way is both logical and convenient.
What about your carbohydrate intake? You should focus on complex carbs, keeping sugary carbs to a minimum. Make sure you keep your total daily carb intake to 1 – 2 grams per pound of bodyweight when you are training for mass. I also advise consuming around 50% of your day’s carbs (and all of your day’s simple carbs) in the hours that surround your workouts.
What Are The Best Supplements For Muscle Mass?
I recommend a foundational supplement program consisting of the following products.
Protein Powder
When it comes to protein powder, I recommend Hi-Tech Precision Protein. It is an exceptional powder that provides 25 grams of whey protein per serving. It is one of the few protein powders that optimizes the effect of the ultra-anabolic BCAA leucine on protein synthesis stimulation.
Pre-Workout
The pre-workout I often suggest is Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode. And what a pre-workout this is! Gorilla Mode is a well-balanced Pre featuring extreme dosing and an open label. In fact, this is the Pre that absolutely shook the industry with its extreme dosing, especially citrulline. It literally forced the supplement world to change its direction and dose ingredients considerably higher. For those lifters that prefer a stim-free Pre, I suggest Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode Stim-Free. You get the same impressive ingredients and dosing without the stimulants.
Creatine Monohydrate
Ok, so Gorilla Mode contains a full 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per maximum serving. However, you should take creatine every day which means you should have a creatine product to use on your off-days. I suggest Allmax Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate. This is an excellent product that uses CreaSyn® patented micronized creatine.
Multivitamin
One of the best multivitamin formulas available is AllMax Nutrition Vitastack. This outstanding product is a complete, well- balanced formula with a stunning 7 nutrient complexes per serving.
Optional
It is true that you can get your EAAs from your protein foods and shakes. However, you can also get targeted results by using an EAA powder in the time around your workouts. The product I suggest is NutraBio Intra Blast. It was designed to be an intra-workout powder, but can be used before and/or after. It is an extremely complete, fully open EAA-based formula.
Another great option is Hi-Tech Andriol. This is a prohormone yet it does not require cycling or even a PCT. Plus, it is strong enough to provide great results. Finally, there’s Competitive Edge labs MPC-185. This is a concentrated, patented form of leucine, which as we know is a primary trigger of protein synthesis.
Summary
In this article, What Are The Top 5 Trap Exercises?, I answered that question plus provided performance tips, an example routine, nutritional guidelines, and supplement suggestions. All that’s left to do is stop by illpumpyouup.com, stock up, and then head on out to the gym!
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