How to Build Traps: The Best Trap Exercises for Each Part

To build traps, train all three parts: heavy shrugs and deadlifts for the upper traps, rows and face pulls for the middle, and Y-raises or prone raises for the lower traps. Do about 6-12 hard sets per week, hold the top of each shrug for a second, and use lifting straps once your grip gives out before your traps do.

Traps are one of the easier muscles to grow because they respond well to heavy loads. The bigger question is how much you actually want. Here's how to train them and how to keep them in proportion.

The three parts of the traps

The trapezius is a large, flat, kite-shaped muscle that runs from the base of your skull down to the middle of your back and out to your shoulder blades. The upper fibers lift the shoulders toward the ears (shrugging). The middle fibers pull the shoulder blades together. The lower fibers pull them down and help rotate them when you raise your arms overhead.

Upper traps give you the slope from neck to shoulder. Middle and lower traps add thickness to the upper back and keep your shoulders healthy when you press. Training only shrugs builds one third of the muscle.

Lots of people who sit at a desk all day have tight, overworked upper traps and weak lower ones. That's not a reason to skip shrugs, but it is a reason to give the lower traps real attention. Strong lower traps help pull the shoulder blades down and back, which makes overhead pressing smoother and can make you look taller and broader standing still.

Shrug technique that works

Stand tall holding dumbbells or a barbell, arms straight. Lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears, hold for one second, and lower slowly until you feel a stretch. Don't roll your shoulders forward or back. It adds nothing and can irritate the joint.

Keep your arms relaxed, like hooks. If your elbows bend, your biceps are taking over. Use straps once the weight gets heavy, because your forearms will quit long before your traps do. Train grip separately if it's holding you back; the post on how to get bigger forearms covers that. Many lifters can shrug 185-315 lb (85-140 kg) on a barbell for clean reps after a year or two of training.

The best trap exercises

Pick one or two upper trap moves and one or two for the mid and lower traps:

• Barbell or dumbbell shrug: 3-4 sets of 8-15. The main upper trap builder.
• Trap bar or Smith machine shrug: 3 sets of 10-15. Comfortable and easy to load heavy.
• Deadlift or rack pull: 3 sets of 5-8. Builds the traps along with the whole back.
• Wide-grip chest-supported row: 3 sets of 10-12, pulling to the upper chest for the mid traps.
• Face pull: 3 sets of 12-15. Mid traps and rear delts (more on those in the best rear delt exercises).
• Prone Y-raise: 2-3 sets of 10-15 with light dumbbells, lying chest down on an incline bench. Targets the lower traps.
• Farmer's carry: 3 walks of 30-40 meters with heavy dumbbells. Traps, grip and core.

Sets, reps and frequency

Traps already get work from deadlifts, rows and even lateral raises, so direct work can stay moderate. Aim for 6-12 hard direct sets per week over two sessions. Use 8-15 reps for shrugs and 10-15 for Y-raises and face pulls.

Take most sets to one or two reps short of failure, and the occasional final set of shrugs to failure if you want. Our post on training to failure covers when that's worth it. Add weight in small steps, about 10 lb (5 kg) on a barbell shrug at a time.

The lower trap moves are the exception to heavy loading. Prone Y-raises often start with 2-5 lb (1-2 kg) dumbbells, or no weight at all. That isn't weakness, it's just a small muscle working at a long lever. Move slowly, lift with the thumbs pointing up, and stop if your lower back arches to help. Add a rep before you add weight.

A sample trap routine

Put these at the end of your back or pull days. Rest 60-90 seconds between sets. If you deadlift heavy on Day 1, you can drop the barbell shrugs to 2 sets, since the deadlift already loaded your upper traps a lot.

• Day 1 (heavy): barbell shrug 4x8-12 with a 1-second hold, wide-grip chest-supported row 3x10-12, farmer's carry 3x30 meters.
• Day 2 (light): dumbbell shrug 3x12-15, face pull 3x12-15, prone Y-raise 3x12.
• No gym: heavy suitcase or backpack carries, dumbbell shrugs and band face pulls cover all three parts at home.

How much trap size do you want?

Big upper traps look powerful, but they also fill the slope between your neck and shoulders, which can make the shoulders look narrower. If your goal is a wide, tapered look, focus on side delts and lats, with traps in support. The posts on back exercises for width and a shoulder workout for wider shoulders show how those pieces fit.

Strong mid and lower traps also make your other lifts better. They keep the shoulder blades stable for pressing, help you hold a heavy deadlift, and give your arms a solid base for curls and pressdowns, which ties into how to get bigger arms. To see a thicker upper back on your own photo, try the back editor.

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