# FITNESS and NUTRITION FORUM > WORKOUT AND TRAINING >  Wide grip barbell shrugs??

## bigboomer

Hey guys just wordering if useing a wide grip during barbell shrugs help with outer part of the trap...where the trap meets the shoulder..my traps are good, but I want more of that step up from the shoulder to neck..when I say wide grip I mean beyond shoulder with..I seen one guy doing this in the gym..if not what exercises helps with the outer

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## pskyle

Here is a quote I found from another forum...

"You are going to get a whole different stretch and feel to BB shrugs when using an extra wide grip. The traps are a diamond shaped muscle and a wider grip seems to hit most of the muscle better. Guy's with a good hand spacing can do the exercise with a collar to collar grip, fingers touching or overlapping the collars themselves. Seen some hold the 45's, on the BB, and shrug that way.

In any event, a extra wide hand spacing can affect the middle to lower trap even more when bent slightly forward from the waist. If you take a bent over rowing position and shrug the bar towards you, than you can reach the hard to hit mid to lower trap very well. Try a hold and squeeze at the top position. Very the rep numbers to see what really works for you and you alone. But lower and heavier trap shrugging can work for the majority of BB'ers.

If you want a different slant of trap training than do a set of shrugs followed by a set of power cleans (usually mid thigh as a starting position) . Three of these SS cycles for 8 to 12 reps. You should feel it very strongly for the next few days after. Also improved muscle growth. Good Luck."

Cheers...

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## BgMc31

olympic lifters and strongmen do them all the time. We call them snatch grip shrugs. Works well and definitely something to throw into your arsenal for greater strength and mass.

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## bigboomer

Thank for the replies guys..I love doin barbell shrugs like this, hits my whole trap like crazy....

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