About this workout
Big traps make you look powerful from every angle, filling the space between your neck and shoulders and finishing off a complete physique. They also respond incredibly well to direct work, which most people never give them beyond a few lazy shrugs. This 8 week plan trains the traps hard and completely, three days a week: heavy shrugs for the upper traps, upright rows and carries for size and thickness, and face pulls for the often-neglected mid and lower traps. Build a yoke that turns heads.
Who This Program Is For
- You want bigger, more powerful looking traps.
- You can add three short trap sessions a week.
- You have access to barbells, dumbbells and cables.
- You already train and want to specialize on the traps.
Who this is NOT for: total beginners, whose traps grow from general pulling at first. This is for bringing up traps that lag or that you want to make a standout feature.
What You'll Need
- Barbells, dumbbells, cables and space to carry.
- Straps for the heavy shrugs and carries when your grip gives out.
- A log to progress the heavy shrug loads.
The Program
Three sessions a week that train the whole trapezius: the upper traps with shrugs, the mid and lower traps with face pulls and rows, and overall thickness with rack pulls and carries. Shrug straight up and hold the squeeze at the top; do not roll the shoulders.
| Day 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Shrugs | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Barbell Shrugs | 5 | 10-12 | 90 sec |
| Dumbbell Shrugs | 3 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Barbell Upright Row | 3 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
| Face Pulls | 4 | 15-20 | 45 sec |
| Farmers Walk | 3 | 40 yards | 90 sec |
| Day 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Thickness | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Rack Pulls | 4 | 6-8 | 2 min |
| Behind The Back Barbell Shrugs | 3 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Cable Shrugs | 3 | 15 | 45 sec |
| Cable Upright Row | 3 | 12 | 45 sec |
| Face Pulls | 4 | 15-20 | 45 sec |
| Day 3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume and Detail | |||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| Dumbbell Shrugs | 5 | 15 | 60 sec |
| Smith Machine Shrugs | 3 | 12-15 | 60 sec |
| Dumbbell Upright Row | 3 | 12 | 45 sec |
| Face Pulls | 4 | 20 | 45 sec |
| Farmers Walk | 3 | 40 yards | 90 sec |
How to Progress
Eight weeks of building a bigger yoke.
Weeks 1 to 3. Set your shrug weights and focus on a full range with a hard squeeze at the top. Do not use so much weight that you can only twitch it up.
Weeks 4 to 6. Add weight to the shrugs and rack pulls and hold the top squeeze longer. The traps grow fast with this direct work.
Weeks 7 to 8. Push the heavy shrug loads to their peak with a real squeeze. After eight weeks your traps should be visibly fuller and more powerful.
Warm-Up and Recovery Notes
Warm up the neck, shoulders and upper back with light shrugs and band pull-aparts before loading heavy. Heavy shrugs on a cold upper back can tweak the neck.
Traps recover well, but the grip and lower back take a load from heavy shrugs and rack pulls. Use straps when needed and keep your lower back braced on the rack pulls.
Nutrition and Supplementation
Building muscle needs protein and enough food. Aim for about one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight and eat at maintenance or a slight surplus.
Support: protein powder for protein, creatine monohydrate at 5 grams a day, and a daily multivitamin.
FAQ
Do traps really need direct work? To make them a standout feature, yes. General pulling builds them somewhat, but heavy, direct shrug and upright row work is what turns them into a yoke.
Why include face pulls? Because the trapezius is more than the upper shrug portion. Face pulls build the mid and lower traps for a complete, healthy upper back.
Should I roll my shoulders on shrugs? No. Shrug straight up toward your ears and squeeze; rolling adds nothing and can irritate the shoulder.
Questions and results
Ask a coach
Running this program? Tell us what week you are on and how the progression is going. A coach answers every question here.