If you’ve ever walked into an old-school gym, you’ve come across an Iron Age strength sage. He tried to persuade him that there was only one way to build a series of big traps. He shrugs a lot.
he was wrong Not only is this trademark trapezius exercise overrated, but when it comes to productive shoulder training, shrugging is more overwhelming than effective. men’s health Fitness Director Ebenezer Samuel (CSCS) gives an ego boost every time he hits a few extra 45s on either side of the bar. It’s not a blueprint plan for a successful shoulder and upper back workout.
Both trainers shrug their shoulders and leave it to the old-school training warriors, suggesting instead getting a better return on their investment in traps with more effective exercises.
Why You Should Stop Shrugging
First, here’s why you should stop shrugging.
Shrug your shoulders and lose your posture
Most people often find themselves slouching all day long with pressure on their shoulders and high-tech neck. The continuous upward driving and squeezing movements of the shrug are the opposite. Not only does it lead to shoulder problems, it also puts a lot of unnecessary strain on your neck.
Shrugging allows you to slip into dangerous positions
Shrugging something heavy on our shoulders usually relegates us to an uncomfortable forward (or forward) position. Instead, you should focus on retracting your shoulder blades to lift your shoulders. Spine flexion becomes more important than it should be because you may not be able to stabilize your spine correctly.
you’ve already targeted enough traps
Not only is shrug overrated, but if you’re already working your muscles every time you do a set of military presses, lateral raises, especially deadlifts, you’re overdoing the trap. This is more than enough for the heavy lifting the trap is undergoing. It’s time to shrug.
Three Alternatives to Shrugging for Traps Training
3 sets of 8-10 reps
This chest-supported row variation allows for greater contraction of the shoulder blades while hitting the lower trap at a different angle than in a standing shrug. You can also change the upper back and target areas of the trap by changing the angle of your elbows. Remember, the trap’s key function is to stabilize the scapula as well as shrug or lower the shoulder, and Incline His Row does a good job of dealing with this.
3 sets of 12-15 reps
There are many ways to perform a face pull, each one perfect for challenging scapular stability. Face pulls can also help improve posture, as this movement is great for strengthening the contraction of the shoulder blades.
3 sets of 8-10 reps
Finally, for much more effective stimulation than shrugging, exercises that allow you to move heavy weights. You can set the pins at several different levels above or below your knees. Using this deadlift variation, you can hit not only the traps, but the entire backward chain from your hips to your entire back.
Jeff Tomko is a freelance fitness writer with articles for Muscle and Fitness, Men’s Fitness and Men’s Health.
This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in a different format or find more information on the website.
