7 Best Exercises to Get Bigger Traps for Men

Nothing screams 'cool guy' like a great set of traps. To build these muscles, you have to perform the right exercises that will get not only your targeted muscle group but also other related muscles activated and strengthened. After all, lifting heavy isn’t everything; you want to build strong muscles!

When it comes to building bigger trapezius muscles, the two biggest exercises are the shrugs and the deadlift. While both are excellent, they also have their drawbacks.

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Seven best trapezius muscle exercises to go along with each exercise:

#1 Farmer's Walk:

The upper back, lats, traps, forearms, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes are the muscles most affected by the farmer's walk. This exercise is also excellent for increasing grip strength.

Here's how you do it:

• On either side of your torso, hold a dumbbell or kettlebell (or a weight of your choice) in each hand.

• As you engage your core and back, maintain a firm and upright posture.

• Take slow, deliberate steps while maintaining good posture.

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#2 Face Pull

One of the best trapezius workouts for bulk is this often-overlooked trapezius exercise. The face pull can be done on a cable machine or with a resistance band, and it tends to improve strength in the lower trapezius muscles.

Here's how to do the face pull:

• Place the cable at or near eye level.

• Grip the rope handles with an overhand grip in each hand.

• Pull the wire towards your face, keeping your elbows high and your back straight.

• Bring the cable as close to your face as possible, hold for a moment, and then return.

• Repeat

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#3 Barbell Shrug

Barbell shrugs, another of the finest trapezius workouts for mass, target the upper trapezius muscles, enhancing shoulder movement and strength.

Here's how you do the barbell shrug:

• Raise the barbell using an overhand grip.

• Allow the bar to hang in front of your waist at arm's length.

• Lean forward at about 10 degrees at the hips with your back slightly arched.

• Bend your knees slightly and maintain your arms straight as you shrug your shoulders up as high as you can.

• Take a brief pause and return back to the starting position.

• Repeat

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#4 Rack Pull

With this classic exercise, which builds strength and improves formation, you're working more than just the trapezius muscles.

Here's how you do it:

• Place the barbell on a rack so that it is just above shin level.

• Push-ups are usually better when you grab the bar with an overhand grip.

• Hinge at the waist as you draw the bar upward while keeping your back straight by pushing your hips back and your feet through the floor.

• Hold for a count before returning to the starting position with caution. Repeat

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#5 Dumbbell Shrug

This traditional trap exercise improves shoulder stability and movement, among other things, and is less intense relative of the barbell shrug. Perform the following actions:

How to do the dumbbell shrugs:

• In each hand, hold a dumbbell.

• With your hands facing each other, hang your arms on either side of your body.

• In the top posture, shrug your shoulders as high as you can and pause for a count.

• Return to where you started and repeat the process.

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#6 Dumbbell Jump Shrug

If you haven't already noticed, good trap workouts include a lot of shrugging. Just remember to keep complete control over the weights during the procedure.

• Bend your hips and knees while holding a dumbbell in each hand.

• With your palms facing your sides and your back at a straight angle, hang your arms so that the weights are just below your knees.

• Toss your hips forward, shrug your shoulders hard, and jump as high as you can in one motion.

• Land, reset, and do it all over again.

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#7 Barbell Row

This following exercise, which promotes stability and strength, will give your rhomboids, middle, and lower trapezius muscles a good workout.

This is how you do it:

• With your hands just past shoulder-width apart, grab the barbell with an overhand grip.

• Hold a barbell at arm's length.

• Bend your hips and knees until your upper torso is virtually parallel to the floor, keeping your back arched naturally.

• Squeeze your shoulders and pull the bar towards your upper abs, holding at the top.

• Return to the first position slowly and repeat the process.

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Takeaway

With a balanced trap workout, you’ll be training your traps to build up muscle fibers evenly. That way, you won’t have a wide gap between the high and low traps. By focusing on a few key exercises, you can hit every angle without playing favorites.