Q: I need help with my trap training and development. I do shrugs in various ways and it just doesn’t seem to be enough. Any suggestions or new ways to do the same thing?

A: I think Cleans, or hi-pulls in all forms - hangs, floor, power - creates a perfect opportunity for rapid mass gains. After you get form down, you can begin using heavier and heavier weight and it really does the trick. You’ll have more trap than you probably need. Watch that. It may feel like you’re not making headway now, but as soon as you adopt some Cleans into your routine, and begin boosting poundages, you’ll find that you’re growing really fast. You can get out of proportion quickly and overpower delts. So do shrugs (but have someone check your form) and then add some Cleans in once a week for about 6 to 8 weeks and reassess. You may find you need to do them less in the future. Also you might try shrugs with a trap (diamond) bar, upright rows, and some deadlifts with a rolling back of the shoulder at the top. or, you may want to stand in a standing calf machine and shrug the pads up off your shoulders.

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