How to train the middle and lower trapezius muscles

Nowadays, people pay more and more attention to personal health, because only with good health can we enjoy a good life.

Many people go to the gym to exercise, and many men have a special liking for fitness. They first want to build up well-developed muscles to make themselves look more masculine and attract more girls' attention. However, there are many ways to build muscles. If we want to build our middle and lower trapezius muscles, what are some good training methods? Let me share some methods with you below.

How to train the upper trapezius muscle:

Shrug exercise: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hold a barbell or dumbbell, such as a Wellness Rack, in both hands, and place it in front of your body, keeping it shoulder-width or slightly wider, with your hands placed just enough to touch the sides of your thighs. Do not bend your arms, and shrug your shoulders vertically upward. Remember not to move your shoulders one after another when shrugging. When the shrug reaches the highest point, stay for one second, then slowly lower it back to the original position to complete one movement.

Eight shrug exercises to build your trapezius muscles:

Exercise 1: Standing machine shrug

The machine can be a Smith machine, Hammer Press, or standing calf machine. The movement route when practicing on equipment is fixed, and you just need to stand in the right position to do the movement. The machine demonstrated here is the Hymer machine, and the other machines are similar. One advantage of using a calf machine is that you don't have to hold the machine directly with your hands. Starting position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hold the handles with your hands, and let your shoulders relax naturally.

Exercise: Inhale and hold your breath as you raise your shoulders. Start exhaling when your shoulders reach the top, and then lower your shoulders to return to the original position. Look forward and control the speed and rhythm of the entire movement.

Exercise 2: Dumbbell Shrug

This is one of the basic exercises for the trapezius muscles. Many bodybuilders like this exercise because everyone can position the dumbbells according to their feeling to the place where they can exert the most force.

Starting position: Stand upright with dumbbells in your hands at your sides. The front end of the dumbbell rotates slightly inward at an angle of about 45 degrees. Let your shoulders drop and relax your trapezius muscles.

Exercise: Inhale, hold your breath as you lift your shoulders, and bring your shoulders as close to your ears as possible. Keep your back straight and don't bend your elbows. Exhale at the top while lowering your shoulders. Look forward and control the speed and rhythm of your movements.

Exercise three seated machine shrug

The machines available are the Nautilus, Keiser or Hemmer machines. Seated exercises are particularly suitable for athletes with lower limb or back injuries. Pay attention to maintaining correct sitting posture.

Starting position: Adjust the seat height to a position where the trapezius muscles can be fully stretched after the arms are straightened. Hold the handle tightly.

Exercise: Inhale and hold your breath as you lift your shoulders. Lift your shoulders as high as possible and keep them back. Exhale when you reach the top, while lowering your shoulders back to the original position. Look forward and control the speed and rhythm of your movements.

Exercise Four Power Dumbbell Shrugs

This is a more difficult exercise, similar to the barbell shrug. Most people choose a barbell, but dumbbells can add some variety to the movement.

Starting position: Stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart. Grip dumbbells with both hands. Lean your upper body forward slightly, bend your knees slightly, and place the dumbbells in front of your thighs. Let your shoulders drop, stretch your arms straight, straighten your chest and abdomen, and look forward.

Exercise: Inhale and hold your breath as you push your legs and extend your ankles. The gluteal and hamstring muscles assist the trapezius muscles in completing the shoulder shrug movement, but make sure the dumbbells rise vertically. Exhale at the top of the movement. At this point, you should be standing on the soles of your feet, with your arms straight and your shoulders as close to your ears as possible. Pay attention to controlling the speed when restoring.

Barbell shrug after practicing the five elements

This exercise was made famous by several former Mr. Olympias, such as Lee Haney. Squat with the barbell behind you, with the bar below your hips.

Starting position: Stand upright, hold the barbell with both hands behind your back, with your grip wider than your legs, shoulders hanging down, and your trapezius muscles fully stretched.

Exercise: Inhale and hold your breath as you shrug your shoulders. Keep your shoulders back and don't bend your elbows. Exhale at the top and lower your shoulders back down in a controlled manner. Look forward.

Exercise Six Barbell Shrugs

This is the basic movement that should be chosen for training the trapezius muscles, which can effectively increase the size of the trapezius muscles.

Starting position: Stand upright, hold the barbell in front of you with your hands on the outside of your arms. Let your shoulders drop, fully stretching your trapezius muscles.

Exercise: Inhale and hold your breath as you shrug your shoulders. Bring your shoulders as close to your ears as possible. Keep your shoulders back and don't bend your elbows. Exhale at the top and lower your shoulders vertically to the original position. Look forward and control the speed and rhythm of your movements.

Exercise 7 Barbell Power Shrug

This is an explosive barbell shrug suitable for experienced practitioners. Many athletes like this exercise because it allows for the use of heavier weights. This exercise can only be mastered after you are familiar with the basic technique of the shrug.

Starting position: Stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart. Grip the barbell with your hands on the outside of your thighs. Lean your upper body forward slightly, bend your knees slightly, and the bar should be exactly in the middle of the front of your thighs. Let your shoulders drop, fully stretching your trapezius muscles. Stretch your arms straight. Keep your chest up and abdomen in, and look forward.

Exercise: Inhale and hold your breath while pushing your legs forward and stretching. Use your gluteal and hamstring muscles to raise the barbell, and assist your trapezius muscles in bringing your shoulders as close to your ears as possible. Exhale at the top. At this time, you should look at the ground with the front of your feet, with your arms straight and your shoulders at the highest point. Then lower the barbell in a controlled manner. The entire movement should be completed quickly and forcefully.

Wide-grip powerful shrug exercise

Also known as the "snatch shrug," it is similar to the wide-grip pull-up in snatch training and is also an explosive exercise.

Starting position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hold the barbell with your hands 10-15 cm wider than shoulder width on each side. Lean your upper body forward slightly, bend your knees slightly so that the bar is at the middle of your thighs. Let your shoulders drop, fully stretching your trapezius muscles. Keep your chest up and abdomen in, and look forward.

Exercise: Inhale, then hold your breath, use explosive force to push your legs and extend your ankles. The strength of your gluteal muscles and thighs creates inertia to lift the barbell up, helping to lift your shoulders up and close to your ears. Exhale at the top, now you should land on the balls of your feet with your arms straight. Controlled lowering of the barbell to recover