Trap Exercises

What are traps? They are the muscles at the side of your neck sitting on the top of the shoulders. When you get them really developed, they look like a upside down bunch of bananas. This muscle responds well to training for many people so you have to be careful. Get your traps too big and your shoulders slope down from your ears making you look like a giant pencil.

Dumbbell Shrugs for Traps

Dumbbell shrugs are my favorite trap exercise. I know this is a really simple exercise and it seems silly to make a video showing how to do it but I have gotten many requests for it. This is an easy exercise to do at home, all you need is a set of used dumbbells.

Here is the way I suggest doing the dumbbell shrug.
1) Grab the dumbbells with your palms facing in
2) let the weights hang at your side
3) keep your arms straight, don't bend the elbow
4) put your shoulders back, try to squeeze your shoulder blades together
5) go up and down slowly, as far up and far down as you can
6) don't roll the shoulders!!!!

Here is a fullscreen version of the video.

Vertical Rows for Traps

Here is a short video clip showing the vertical row. Sorry, this is a very old video which will be redone before the end of summer. Although there is no audio, this gives you an idea of the form to use while doing this exercise. Use a light weight and do these slowly.  I suggest using lifting straps to protect your wrists from the awkward position at the top of the motion, let the weight hang from the straps.