Logan Steele
The trapezius muscle, commonly known as traps, is a large muscle that runs from the base of the skull, down the neck and across the shoulders, continuing down the spine in a V shape. It is one of the most used muscle groups in the body, playing a role in maintaining good posture and lifting and moving the arms. Training the trapezius muscle can be done through various exercises, some of which include the use of gym equipment such as barbells and dumbbells, while others can be performed using just your body resistance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle Type | Trapezius (or "traps") |
| Muscle Shape | Diamond-shaped, stingray-shaped, or trapezoid-shaped |
| Muscle Location | Upper back, neck, and shoulders |
| Muscle Function | Supports arms and shoulders, rotates and moves scapula, stabilizes spine, maintains posture |
| Training Exercises | Shrugs, deadlifts, rows, reverse dumbbell flyes, barbell rows, cable rows, dumbbell rows, seal rows, overhead presses, bent over rows, seated rows, straight-arm dips |
| Training Tips | Target full range of motion, combine with isometric exercises, focus on specific trap regions (upper, middle, lower) |
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What You'll Learn
Anatomy of the trapezius muscle
The trapezius muscle is a large, triangular, paired muscle located on the posterior aspect of the neck and thorax. It is one of the widest back muscles, extending from the cervical to the thoracic region. The muscle is often referred to as the "traps" and is subdivided into three main regions: upper, middle, and lower. The upper trapezius primarily lifts and rotates the shoulder blades upward, as when shrugging the shoulders. The middle trapezius pulls the shoulder blades together, and the lower trapezius rotates the shoulder blades downward.
The trapezius muscle has several origin points along the midline of the posterior neck and back. The upper fibres attach at the base of the skull, on the posterior neck ligaments, and on the cervical vertebrae down to C6. The middle fibres originate from the spinous processes of T1-T4 vertebrae, and the lower fibres originate from the spinous processes of the T4-T12 vertebrae. The muscle is supplied by the superficial cervical artery, or by a branch from the transverse cervical artery in the case of the middle fibres.
The trapezius muscle is involved in movements of the shoulder girdle and is therefore considered a muscle of the upper limb. It stabilises and moves the scapula, assisting in postural attributes and allowing the spinal column to remain erect when standing. The muscle also controls head balance through muscular control of the cervical spine. In addition, the trapezius is used for active movements such as side bending, rotation of the head, elevating and depressing the shoulders, and internally rotating the arm.
The susceptibility of the trapezius muscle to damage is influenced by muscle fibre type proportion, its level of voluntary activation, and the working sarcomere lengths of its muscle fibres. Tearing or straining the trapezius is uncommon, usually occurring only in bodybuilders lifting extremely heavy weights or during high-velocity accidents such as car crashes.
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Upper trapezius exercises
The trapezius muscle is a large, diamond-shaped muscle on the upper back, often referred to as "traps". It has upper, middle, and lower portions that perform different movements. The upper trapezius primarily lifts and rotates the shoulder blades upward, as when shrugging the shoulders.
Shoulder Shrugs
Shoulder shrugs are a simple exercise for working the upper trapezius. They can be performed with or without weights. If using weights, these can be body weight, free weights, or fixed weights on equipment. To perform a shoulder shrug, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, core tight, and legs straight but knees relaxed. Move your shoulders straight up and down.
Barbell Shrug
This is a variation of the shoulder shrug that uses a barbell. Stand with your feet directly under your hips, chest proud, and gaze forward. Take a breath, engage your core, and hold the barbell with both hands in front of you with an overhand grip that is shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. The barbell should be slightly touching your thighs. Keeping your arms long, raise your shoulders, shrugging them up towards your ears. Pause at the top for a second, then slowly lower your shoulders back down. Repeat this movement for 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions.
Dumbbell Shrug
This is another variation of the shoulder shrug that uses dumbbells. Select a pair of dumbbells and hold them by your side, with your palms facing your thighs. Stand with your feet directly under your hips, chest proud, and gaze forward. Take a breath, engage your core, and keeping your arms long, raise your shoulders, shrugging them up towards your ears. Pause briefly at the top, then slowly lower your shoulders back down. Repeat this movement for 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions.
Overhead Press
This exercise targets the middle trapezius but also works the upper trapezius. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, one leg forward of the other, and knees slightly bent. Grab a dumbbell in each hand and keep your body still. Raise the dumbbells up and towards your sides as you bend your elbows, taking your arms backward so that your elbows protrude behind you. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 8-10 (or 12-15) reps.
Farmer's Walk
This carrying exercise provides the high-tension, long-duration stimulus that the upper trapezius needs.
Rack Pulls
Rack pulls are similar to deadlifts, but instead of lifting the bar from the floor, you pull from a rack at roughly knee height. This isolates the upper portion of the trapezius.
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Middle trapezius exercises
The trapezius muscle is a large, stingray-shaped muscle that starts right below the skull, runs down the neck and across the shoulders, and continues down the spine in a "V" shape. It is divided into three parts: the upper, middle, and lower trapezius. The middle trapezius is responsible for scapular retraction and pulling back the shoulder blade. Poor function of the middle trapezius can lead to shoulder, neck, and elbow pain. Here are some exercises to target the middle trapezius:
Face-Down Arm Lift
Lie face down with your arm over the side of a table or bench. Keep your neck in a relaxed, neutral position, resting on your other forearm. With your thumb up and arm straight, lift your arm towards the ceiling at a 90-degree angle (the 9:00 and 3:00 positions of a clock). This position aligns with the muscle fibres of the middle trapezius. Be careful to avoid shrugging your entire shoulder as you raise your arm. Instead, tilt the shoulder blade backward as you raise your arm. Pause at the top of the movement, then return to the starting position in a controlled manner. This exercise strengthens all parts of the trapezius.
Dumbbell Side-Lying Shoulder External Rotation
Lie on your side holding a dumbbell with your elbow bent. Place a towel roll in the armpit to increase activation of your rotator cuff. Rotate your arm upwards, maintaining your elbow against the side of your body. Hold the top position for 1-2 seconds, then slowly lower the weight. Pull your shoulder blade back as you raise your arm to increase activation of the middle trapezius.
Shoulder Shrugs
Shoulder shrugs are a great exercise option for strengthening your middle trapezius. They can be performed with dumbbells, a barbell, cables, or a trap bar. Select a weight and stand with your feet directly below your hips, chest proud, and gaze forward. Take a breath, engage your core, and raise your shoulders towards your ears. Slowly lower your shoulders and repeat.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are a compound movement that targets the middle trapezius. They require you to recruit back muscles, including the trapezius, to hang onto the weight as you raise it off the floor.
Rows
Rows are another compound movement that targets the middle trapezius. They can be performed with a barbell or with dumbbells.
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Lower trapezius exercises
The trapezius muscle is a large back muscle that runs from the base of the neck, across to the shoulder blades, and connects to the lower thoracic vertebrae in the middle of the back. It is one of the most used muscle groups in the body, playing a role in maintaining good posture, lifting and moving the arms, and rotating the neck and head.
The trapezius has three main regions: upper, middle, and lower. The lower trapezius is responsible for rotating the shoulder blades downward and creating concentrated tension to stabilize the shoulder blades and maintain an upright posture.
- Y Press: This is a long-duration exercise where you hold a contraction for an extended period.
- Face Pull Press: This is a focused tension exercise that is repetition-based. It can be performed with a heavy weight and lower reps or lighter weight and higher reps.
- Straight-arm dips: This exercise specifically targets the lower trapezius.
- Cable pulley exercise: Raise the cable pulley above your height, attach a rope, and take a few steps back so the cable is tight and your arms are fully extended. Pull the rope towards you with your elbows flared out and hold for one count, contracting your shoulder blades together.
- Pull-up bar exercise: Grasp a pull-up bar with your palms facing you and your feet crossed behind you. Keep your torso straight while creating a curvature in your lower back. Exhale and pull yourself up, focusing on using your bicep muscles and middle back. Hold for one count, then slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.
It is important to note that lower trapezius exercises do not only target the lower trapezius muscles but also work the upper back, shoulders, arms, and core. These exercises can help improve mobility, flexibility, and stability, as well as reduce pain and prevent future injuries.
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Training with and without weights
Training the trapezius muscle is important for both form and function. The trapezius muscle, or traps, starts right below the skull, runs down the neck and across the shoulders, and then continues down the spine in a "V" shape. It is a superficial muscle that makes up a large area of the upper back and is responsible for neck, head, shoulder, and torso movements. It also stabilises the spine and helps maintain proper posture.
Training with Weights
Training the trapezius with weights can help build bigger traps. The barbell shrug exercise is a well-known method for developing big traps as it primarily targets the upper trapezius muscles and allows you to use more weight than other trap exercises. It can be paired with an overhead plate raise to build bigger traps faster. This can be done by performing a drop set of the two exercises, starting from 10 reps, and at the end of each set, holding the shrug for the same number of seconds as the reps. You can also incorporate progressive overload techniques by gradually increasing the weight, reps, sets, or frequency of your trap-focused exercises.
Another exercise that can be done with weights is the classic pull-up. Grab the pull-up bar with a tight overhand grip, and squeeze your shoulder blades, abs, and glutes to create full-body tension before you start doing reps. Pull yourself up to the bar, pausing briefly at the top, and then slowly lower yourself back down.
Deadlifts are another great exercise for the trapezius muscle. This exercise requires you to recruit back muscles, especially your traps, to hang onto the weight as your big leg muscles work to raise it off the floor. You can use a trap bar to work with heavier loads than a standard barbell.
Training without Weights
Training the trapezius without weights is also possible and can be effective in building strength and improving posture. One exercise that can be done without weights is shrugging the shoulders. This can be done by standing with your feet directly below your hips, chest proud, and gaze forward. Take a breath, engage your core, and raise your shoulders up towards your ears.
Another exercise is to rest your arms by your side and then raise them up and externally rotate your shoulders to form a "W" shape. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds, taking a short 10-second break if needed. This exercise is especially beneficial for those who work at a desk and spend a lot of time doing computer work, as it helps to restore balance and good posture.
It is important to note that when performing any trapezius exercises, you should start gently and use proper form to avoid injury.
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Frequently asked questions
The trapezius muscle is a large, diamond-shaped muscle that runs across the upper back, starting from the base of the skull, down the neck, across the shoulders, and down the spine in a "V" shape.
The trapezius muscle supports the arms and shoulders, and rotates and moves the scapula. It is involved in a variety of upper body movements and exercises, such as deadlifting, pulling, rowing, and overhead pressing.
The trapezius muscle is one of the most used muscle groups in the body due to its role in maintaining good posture and lifting and moving the arms. Having a strong trapezius muscle can improve sporting abilities and everyday fitness, as well as help prevent injuries.
Some exercises that target the trapezius muscle include shrugs, deadlifts, rows, and overhead presses. These exercises can be performed with or without weights, such as dumbbells or barbells.
The frequency of training the trapezius muscle depends on several factors, including the susceptibility of the muscle to damage, the amount of muscle damage experienced after a workout, and the specific training goals. It is recommended to consult with a fitness professional to design a training program that takes into account individual factors and goals.
