Building mass and strength in your traps not only gives you a classic bodybuilder look, but it also helps you maintain proper posture when performing heavy lifts.
You need to be able to depress and retract your scapula for maximum back and shoulder performance, which you won’t be able to do if your lower traps are weak.
Best exercises for well-developed traps
For your back and shoulders to function properly, there must be a balance between your lower traps, upper traps, deltoids aka delts, and serratus, which connects the ribs to the scapula. Any training plan should include trapezius strengthening exercises.
Check out this list of five exercises that will help you in building lower traps.
1) Face pull
Face pulls are an excellent exercise for the muscles of the back deltoids, trapezius, and upper back. They also aid in the development of a thick upper back, which can be used as a foundation for a powerful bench press.
Here are the steps to follow for a proper face pull:
Set up a cable pulley so that it is positioned at the top of the pulley system, above your head. With your palms facing out, reach up and grab the rope handles with both hands. Take a step back and extend your arms fully. Lean back slightly at a 20-degree angle, tightening and engaging your core. Pull the rope just far enough towards you to begin raising the weight from the stack, then engage your shoulders. Pull the rope handles up towards your brow. Engage your rear delts and traps by retracting your scapula (squeezing your shoulder blades together). As your elbows stretch outward towards the sides, keep your palms facing in. Reverse the movement and extend your arms slowly without letting your shoulders or chest to roll forward. Maintain proper posture throughout the workout.
2) Farmer’s Carry
Farmer’s carry engages the lower and upper traps and activates a wide range of muscle groups.
Here are the steps to do farmer’s carry correctly:
Start with your weight to the side of your body in a standing stance. Shoulders must be higher than feet. Squat down with your hands to the side, chest up, and shoulders back, as if you’re going to deadlift. Set your eyes forward and begin to take small controlled steps, trying not to use the side-to-side bobbing action to produce momentum to go forward, while maintaining a tight core and active shoulders. Walk about 20 to 50 feet, then set your equipment down, take a small break, and repeat.
3) T-bar row
One of the best exercises for your lower traps is the T-Bar row. This technique effectively isolates the trapezius with a focus on scapular retraction, which aids in the development of strength, lean muscular mass, and core stability.
Follow these steps to perform the T-bar row properly:
For the t-bar machine, add a tolerable amount of weight. Place your feet on the rear of the machine, on the foot plate, at shoulder width. Grab the handles of the t-bar machine and move over exactly beneath you, facing chest down. Pull the t-bar row towards you by tightening and engaging your core (similar to a bench press in reverse). At the height of the movement, retract your scapulae and push your shoulder blades together while sweeping your elbows back. Reverse the movement and extend your arms slowly without letting your shoulders or chest to roll forward. Maintain proper posture throughout the workout.
4) Upright rows
Upright rows are an excellent exercise to include in your trap muscle regimen. They also put your anterior and posterior deltoids to the test.
Here are the steps to perform the upright rows correctly:
Inhale deeply and tighten your abdominal muscles. Maintain a straight back, a raised chest, and forward-focused eyes. As you exhale, lift the barbell straight up (towards the chin). Keep the bar close to the body and lead with the elbows. Your arms should not extend higher than parallels to your shoulders; slightly lower is acceptable. At the top of the elevator, take a breather. As you inhale, lower the barbell back to its starting position.
5) Rack Pulls
Rack pulls focus on the top section of the deadlift, which places greater pressure on the upper body, back, and traps muscles.
Below are the steps to follow to acing the rack pulls:
Approach the bar with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes just under it, facing straight ahead. Your chest is up, your shoulders are back, your body is straight, and your eyes are fixed on the road ahead. Lean forward at the hips and bend your knees slightly, holding the bar with your hands just outside the knees. The bar can be held in either an overhand or mixed grip. Take a deep breath and begin lifting the bar. Push through the heels and extend through the hips and knees as you raise. Pull the weight up and back while also drawing your shoulders back until you reach a lockout. Keep the weight in the top position. Bend your knees and drop your upper body to return the bar to the rack.
The issue is that weak lower traps can make other exercises like chest pressing more dangerous. Hence, it is best to include the above-mentioned exercises in your workout plan.
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