Exercises to Build Massive Traps

Huge traps order regard from those around you. They can change a customary body into an extraordinary one. They're connected with force in light of the fact that the majority of the developments that develop our traps are huge, capable activities. Take a gander at history's extraordinary deadlifters or Olympic lifters, what do they have in as a relatable point? Enormous, effective traps.

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Close-Grip vs. Wide-Grip Upright Row

OPENING ARGUMENTS

Upright rows have long been a staple exercise for shoulders. After all, shoulder presses and upright rows are the only multi-joint movements for the shoulders. While shoulder

presses are a pushing exercise that include mainly the three deltoid heads and the trapezius, upright rows are a pulling movement that target the same muscles.

• DEFENSE: The upright row is typically done with a close grip (about half of shoulder width) because it allows the elbows to raise higher than the shoulders for maximum range of motion (ROM).
• PROSECUTION: Going with a wider-than-shoulder-width grip on upright rows is beneficial for two main reasons, it prevents the elbows from going too high, which can promote rotator cuf injuries, and it involves more of the middle head of the deltoids, which provides the real mass with roundness and width.

EVIDENCE

Researchers from Memphis University measured muscle activity of the front, middle, and rear deltoids, as well as the upper and middle traps during upright rows performed with a close grip (half of shoulder width), a shoulder-width grip, and a two-times wider-than-shoulder-width grip. With the two-times shoulder-width grip, the muscle activity of both the middle deltoid and even the rear deltoid increased by more than 20% compared with the close grip. Also, the wider grip increased muscle activity of the upper traps.

VERDICT: Wide-grip Upright Rows

Doing the upright row with a wider-than-shoulder-width grip is the best option to target the deltoids and the traps.

SENTENCING

Add the upright row, using a twice-than shoulder-width grip into your workouts somewhere in between shoulder presses and raises. This will allow you to focus more on the middle delts and even hit the rear deltoids, as well as the traps. Also consider doing upright rows in this manner on the Smith machine, as well as with dumbbells.

FLEX

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LATS & TRAPS: Muscle Activation

If you ever walk into the gym and see guys with terrible back development, you know they’re the ones who don’t do a full range of motion. They can be seen

either not bringing the bar all the way down, or not extending all the way to the top.

The lat pulldown is one of the kings of back exercises. The back has lots of different muscle groups that need to be hit from many different angles. In general, a wide-grip pullup or pulldown and a pronated-grip pulldown both appear to produce greater EMG activity of the latissimus dorsi than a narrow grip or a supinated grip.

There isn’t much research on how the traps are activated during the lat pulldown. Researchers examined muscle activity during different positions of the lat pulldown and found that the latissimus dorsi was activated the most in the fully contracted position of a pullup or pulldown, while the lower trapezius was activated the most in the fully extended position of a pulldown or pullup.

So make sure you pull the bar all the way down and extend the arms all the way to the top to get maximum activation of the target muscles. - FLEX

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