Problem growing traps! Genetics or need new routine

[Blacken]

I'll have to remember @Demondosage suggestion in ever my traps lag behind. It makes a lot of sense of sense when it comes range of motion. Shrugs of various forms I never never felt like I got full range or good contraction. Luckily never struggled with traps probably from all the deads and rack deads.

 

[rigs03]

I train them directly but don't contribute much to it.. Deadlifts for sure. And upright rows. Try different variations , my favorite is using a cable for them.

Oh, and tren [emoji51]

 

[Demondosage]

Hell yeah dude. I like the plates more because they are not as bulky as your Dumbbells. But how many sets do you do and how many reps? I'll make sure to pause and hold it for 3 seconds or so. Thanks for the tip!

I usually do about 4-5 sets of 20 reps. By the 4th and 5th set they start getting tough when you get around 15 reps or so

 

[Mayne]

Farmer's carry/walk never got mentioned but I think it is only coming 2nd to deadlifts. Also after you are done with regular deadlift sets perform 1-2 paused deadlifts, one pause from the bottom, an inch off the floor and 1 pause locked out both for as long as you can manage with obviously lighter weight, progress until you can only hold for like 10 sec. Any form of shrugs is obviously accessory and can help, I have never really considered what @brutus79 and @Demondosage explained but in our gym we have that kinda machine where you grab handles and weights are to the side so no obstacles on the way up. Also you can do front and back shrugs on the smith machine, fronts are easy with free weight but back not really. Also our gym doesn't have one but I have watched people use trap bar, looks like best option because it can be counted as free weight but has no obstacles like dumbbells got explained.

 

[brutus79]

Hell yeah dude. I like the plates more because they are not as bulky as your Dumbbells. But how many sets do you do and how many reps? I'll make sure to pause and hold it for 3 seconds or so. Thanks for the tip!

I do three fails sets. You can pull off like 60 in the first set- sometimes I dont even put down the plates... I just stand there until my traps can take more abuse.

 

[biggerben69]

Rack pulls are more of a bodybuilders tool. They will build the upper back and traps more than deads from the floor because they target that area. You also can use more weight as they relate to deads.
You will also improve your forearms because your grip is pushed with all the heavy weights. Wrist curls are nothing. Go do a few sets of heavy barbell shrugs. The forearm and grip strength will only improve if you leave the wrist straps alone until the last set or 2 of deads and shrugs.

 

[Demondosage]

Rack pulls are more of a bodybuilders tool. They will build the upper back and traps more than deads from the floor because they target that area. You also can use more weight as they relate to deads.
You will also improve your forearms because your grip is pushed with all the heavy weights. Wrist curls are nothing. Go do a few sets of heavy barbell shrugs. The forearm and grip strength will only improve if you leave the wrist straps alone until the last set or 2 of deads and shrugs.

I like to just deadlift a weight and hold the barbell in my hands as long as I can and go for a new best time each time I do it, now that gets brutal hahaha

 

[Xxplosive]

Heavy shrugs is really all I need for traps to grow.... maybe try some standing, behind the neck shoulder presses? Is that what they're even called?

I do shrugs with dumbells though, for me it helps round off my shoulders on top of working traps. Straight arm, standing cable pull downs help as well.

Like the first guy said, genetics play a role in everything

 

[romaleos]

I like clean/snatch pulls, high pulls, and panda pulls. Heavy like 100+% 1rm. You can do them from jerk boxes at knee height to save your lower back. Also use straps to save the grip and get higher volume. You'll get the added benefit of hip extension/explosiveness as well as posterior chain muscle development. Definitely blows up the traps. Don't believe me, go look at elite oly weight lifters.

But I'm an oly guy. You may not know what im talking about or have access to such equipment at the globo gym.

 

[brutus79]

I like to just deadlift a weight and hold the barbell in my hands as long as I can and go for a new best time each time I do it, now that gets brutal hahaha

Last few deadlifts sessions I have been doing drop sets with 405 and I do shrug fail sets woth that. I can usually get it for 15 first set, then 10, 7,5, ouch.

Btw- what are straps guys?

 

[Mayne]

Lol, I personally like straps, sure you can go all macho and lift raw but straps help, check out some of Vince Urbank's Lilliebridge deadlift seminars or just any of Koklyaev higher rep workouts, both lift >900 lb raw, but both use straps sometimes. Also Big Z and Brian Shaw but I think strongman is another story. Using straps helps overexhaust big muscles before your grip fails because let's be real, likely nobody has a grip stronger than his back for example. Both work as good.

 

[brutus79]

Lol, I personally like straps, sure you can go all macho and lift raw but straps help, check out some of Vince Urbank's Lilliebridge deadlift seminars or just any of Koklyaev higher rep workouts, both lift >900 lb raw, but both use straps sometimes. Also Big Z and Brian Shaw but I think strongman is another story. Using straps helps overexhaust big muscles before your grip fails because let's be real, likely nobody has a grip stronger than his back for example. Both work as good.

I have mutant hands... super big. My grip has never failed before anything else. I jerk off all the time too. Probably helps.

 

[Mayne]

He will have to follow your alone time routine , check 3rd attempt :

He is a great lifter anyway, he will likely repeat his lock out in the future.

 

[Notits]

Hey guys, for a while I been working on traps and don't seem to grow. Always wonder if genetics plays a big role on how big they can get. Any thoughts or suggestions on how to get them big? Thanks!

What are you doing now to train your traps?

 

[Maxlass]

I'm the opposite as my traps grow before anything else. Deadlifts, cleans and farmers carries work for me. Traps look pumped as after the carries.

 

[Nitrust]

I do exactly what @Demondosage recommends. I believe I actually got the idea from him in a thread a while back. Seems to work much much better than shrugging heavy weight