For competitive bodybuilders, the trapezius is a dangerous muscle group.
This diamond-shaped muscle group connecting the neck and shoulders to the head is the northernmost muscle in the body.
Its duties include pulling down the shoulder blades, drawing the shoulder blade back, and lifting up the shoulders (the shrugging motion).
Too much trap development makes the shoulders appear narrow and the upper body 'bunched up'.
Too little trap development causes the upper body to appear thin and narrow, and can create the dreaded 'pencil neck' effect.
For this reason, trapezius-training protocols among bodybuilders vary greatly.
Some complete a dozen sets per week, and some avoid training them completely.
Finding the right combination of training techniques to best accentuate your strengths and downplay your weaknesses is the key to successful trap training.
Typically, most beginner and intermediate bodybuilders need some type of trapezius training.
Even though they receive secondary stimulation from shoulder and back movements, only direct weight work can guarantee a base foundation of muscle in this group.
The following exercises are effective at hitting the traps, either directly or indirectly.
Barbell Shrugs Behind The Back Barbell Shrugs Cable Shrugs Machine Shoulder Shrugs Smith Machine Shrugs Upright Cable Rows Dumbbell Shrugs Smith Machine Upright Rows Standing Dumbbell Upright Rows Upright Barbell Rows The most popular trapezius movement is the shrug.
Typically completed with a barbell or dumbbells, this movement involves elevating the shoulders and moving the weight 2 to 4 inches.
Due to this very limited range of motion, heavy weight should be used to ensure adequate muscle stimulation.
Shrugs work the upper trapezius, the part most visible to the eye when it comes to both the judges and the general public.
If you are already a short and stocky guy, doing a great deal of shrugs will cause you to appear shorter and stockier, which isn't a good thing if you hope to win a bodybuilding show.
On the other hand, if you are tall and lanky, using shrugs to build up your upper traps is a wonderful idea - it will fill you out and make you appear bigger.
Do your traps need help? Take front and rear pictures of yourself, standing and relaxed.
Compare them to those of competitive bodybuilders with a similar body type.
See how they were able to use the traps to complement their body type.
Do they have thick, well-developed traps? Or are they very small to accentuate other body parts? Remember, no two physiques or body types are the same, so no two trapezius-training plans will be the same either.
Good luck!