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There are a lot of trap exercises that will help you to build a pair of massive traps. The problem is, we tend to fall in love with just shrugs and that is a big mistake on many levels. In this video, I’m going to show you 6 of the best trap exercises that you’ve never done while making sure to mix in lower trap exercises as well. No balanced set of trapezius muscles will ever be complete without paying attention to the bottom half of this important and large muscle group.
It helps to first understand the anatomy of the traps. This kite shaped muscle is one of the largest in your back as it spans from the top of your lower back all the way up to the back of your head. The more commonly associated area of the muscle is this area near the top that sticks up on top of your shoulders and gets noticed whenever someone looks at you from the front. The lesser known area is the lower traps which plays an important function in shoulder balance and postural integrity.
Here, we are going to cover 6 trap exercises that hit both the upper and lower portions of the traps. We start with the upper however by performing the common shrug exercise, but this time from our knees. The benefit of doing the exercise from your knees is that it removes the legs from the equation and prevents you from generating too much momentum during the more commonly performed standing barbell or dumbbell shrug.
Next we stay in the kneeling position and perform the overhead trap raise. I’m demonstrating this with a cable here but you can easily do it with a resistance band as well. The key is that this move shifts the focus to the lower traps and really fires them up. The goal is to raise your arms up overhead as far as you can while keeping your arms straight. Slowly lower on the way down and repeat until your lower traps are on fire.
Next we look at the twisting trap raise. Here we are taking advantage of the direction of the fibers of the upper traps. These muscles run more east to west than they do up and down. This means that if we want to contract this muscle best we want to give it an opportunity to fire in the same direction. The cable trap twist lets us do this while still allowing us to get an all important retraction of the scapula at the top of the move with resistance.
The dumbbell trap row is a killer but worth the pain it delivers in helping you to build bigger traps. Here you are going to perform a dumbbell row but will be initiating from the traps on every rep. Squeeze as hard as you can and maintain that as you perform each row. This one is a definite burner but so rewarding.
Finally, the two lightest exercises for your traps may be the hardest. Here you want to squeeze your lower traps to perform the prone press. You may find that you can’t use any weight here at all and that is not a problem. The key is to overload the lower traps and force them to work. The tubing reverse trap fly is yet another example of how light resistance can still hammer your traps and get them to respond to your training.
If you are looking for a complete program that will not only build your traps but everything else, head to and get the ATHLEAN-X Training System. Start training like an athlete and build muscular, towering traps in no time.
For more videos on trap workouts and exercises for bigger traps, be sure to subscribe to our channel here on youtube at
36 comments
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0:50 Just realized he was on his knees
Just added most of these to my workout for shoulder and trap day and it was amazing
What about the Venus trap fly?
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
This is cool! Thanks, Jeff! Just bought the Athlean-X rubber bands from a city near the sea here, training is awesome again!! Thumbs up ^^
Miss your videos 🙂
the guy looks like a ripped white obama
This guys like 2% bf
your right shoulder goes much higher than your left. looks like an imbalance that is killing your gains
Thank you for showing me those exercises for the traps they make a lot of sense
thank you very much jeff for the Italian subtitles Italy would like to thank one of your fans who have always been Italian❤❤❤❤🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹❤👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾💪🏾👍🏾
Looking like Yujiro Hanma
Hey Jeff, thanks for putting out good, no-nonsense, info. I've just started back up with weight training and you motivate the hell out of me. Ooorraah!! Semper Fi.
I can't kneel. Can I sit?
I TRAPLEAN X I
After watching and trying thousands of YouTube workouts, simply put, Jeff is the best.
Just shrug
Why does his back look like a viper? 🤨
simple and effective, thank you for the visualisation too, it realy helps with the body mind connection as you know which muscles you are targeting.
Thank you Jeff
Thanks. I'll bookmark this in my playlists for future review.
You're awesome 👌 man!
Chutiya bna rha he bs
Thanks for these. Is it better to do these on pull day when doing back or on a push day after shoulders are warmed up?
TXS!🙏
Did you came up with exercise 3, while shooting video?
I just have to say,I love your exercises. I've been doing them in the gym, and they've given some surprisingly effective burns to me.
When Jeff uses 5 lbs dumbbells that means use no dumbbells
Farmers picks u forgot
I ain't going to lie dumbbell prone press looking thick😎
Jeff have you ever competed in bodybuilding?
Dumballes yes I can feel them way up deep inside my butthole way up damned.
The dumbbell prone press hurts like a bastard! Even with 2kg at the end of a workout!
Chael sonnen lite😂
I actually love your efficiency. Work not one, but many.
I like the kneeling shrug. Will have to try that.