# FITNESS and NUTRITION FORUM > WORKOUT AND TRAINING >  Regular shrugs or behind the back shrugs???????????

## Just2Big

Just did behind the back shruds today for the first time. I like them but was curious wich shrug hits your traps better? Any thoughts or exsperience?

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## terraj

I love behind the back shrugs...but my shoulders will not do them any more.

Lee Haney who had the most awesome traps swears by them-

Q | I've shrugged until my shoulders won't move, but I still can't build thick and imposing trapezius muscles. What am I doing wrong?

A | The trapezius muscles, those mighty wedges that appear to have been driven right down into the top of your back by John Henry and his 50-pound sledgehammer, seem on the surface like an easy muscle group to train--just shrug, right? However, it's not quite as easy as that.

First, consider where they're situated: between the shoulders, at the upper middle of the back. Second, they're not attached to any limb, so they cannot be flexed by the normal extensions and contractions of arms and legs. Third, it's open to interpretation as to whether they should be trained as part of a back workout, a shoulder workout or on their own.

Many lifters train traps on back day. Although that sounds logical, I've personally found that my back workout is one of the most exhausting in my program, which means that if I followed this method, by the time I got to shrugs, my traps would already be fatigued and could no longer exert maximum power through a full range of motion. You could prioritize your traps and train them at the start of your back workout, but then your back would suffer likewise.

By shifting my traps training to shoulders day, I've found that even after an extremely heavy shoulder workout, my traps are still much stronger than they are at the end of a back workout.

Front barbell shrugs, dumbbell shrugs, machine shrugs and behind-the-back barbell shrugs all isolate the trapezius muscles. I personally rely on behind-the-back barbell shrugs. During every rep, I get a powerful contraction that leads to results.

In order to raise the bar higher behind my back and get a greater range of motion for my traps, I grip the barbell behind me with my palms facing backward. To start the movement, I extend my traps to let the bar hang down as far as possible; then, I pull upward, bringing my shoulders as high as I can and squeezing my traps as I lift.

I've tried every shrug imaginable over the years, but I've found behind-the-back barbell shrugs attack my trapezius more directly and thoroughly than any other exercise. I've been faithful to them, and they've been faithful to me in building my traps. They should be just the thing you need to develop the type of imposing traps you're looking for.

Visit Lee's Web site at leehaney.com.

By Lee Haney

EIGHT-TIME MR. OLYMPIA

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## Just2Big

I hit mine on shoulder day. My traps are huge when I flex and just noticable when Im not. Im going to start to hit them hard. I want that "look how stupid he looks, look". LOL

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## dec11

yeah, behind the back shrugs work gr8

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## PC650

i do both behind and front. i love them both equaly

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## stevey_6t9

behind the back always.

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## NC600cbr

I've wacked the little big man downstairs a few times doing front shrugs.

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## Hobbitjones

^^^ hate when that happens!! And i do infront, behind, and dumbell this way i get those most variety in how i hit the traps!!

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## bass

i use cable machine, its much easier on the joints and can lift allot more, i can position myself to do front or back. works great.

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## JasonT

I do a variety, but behind the back is my favorite

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## BgMc31

As a powerlifter/strongman, the only time I do behind the back shrugs are as a warm up. As far as development I've yet to see a strongman, powerlifter, or olympic lifter of any prestige lacking trap development and most, if not all, do not do shrugs behind the back. But then again, who am I to argue with Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman. Both of whom do behind the back shrugs.

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## KimboHalfSlice

> Q | I've shrugged until my shoulders won't move, but I still can't build thick and imposing trapezius muscles. What am I doing wrong?


Here's what he *REALLY* said:

*A: Your traps are small because you haven't accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your saviour.*

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## Dog-Slime

Might have to try these out I always did normal shrugs but haven't done any direct trap work in almost 6 months. My traps stand out already and I used to get accused of lookin scary so I was lettin the rest of my body catch up. But now I kinda miss lookin scary lol

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## shafts basson

behind the back and front both irritate me. either im hitting my dick or hitting my ass. i just use dumbbells and cables now

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## baseline_9

I use both

Shrugs behind the back force you to sqweeze your shoulder blades together and therfore hit the lower part of the traps better I feel.

When doing shrugs in front i like to lean forwar slightly at the waist. If you do this correctly it will stretch the traps not only downwards but also forwards. I feel it increastes ROM and helps give a better contraction at Peak.

I reccomend everyone tries this out, wear a belt tho.

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## 5a_reductase

Would I be way off base by saying I consider traps almost like a secondary muscle group? Yes, I agree its very hard to isolate, because it seems as though you really never fully isolate this group and they seem to be real hard to get to failure because of all the other recruited muscles do most of the lifting. I had decent traps, but the big handle bars have eluded me too Bro!

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## Jahcuree

My ass gets in the way of behind the back shrugs :/

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## nbaylot33

My ghetto butt gets in my way of behind the back. I usually do front or db shrugs.

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## growing1

I've never done behind the back shrugs before. Always db shrugs. That Lee Haney Q&A seems very logical. How close do you need to have your hands? Just outside thigh like normal or wider

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## bezzy

good read shal put it into practice

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## BlInDsIdE

i like to mix both but i found super sets on a smith machine doing regular works well for me

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