Natural bodybuilder, powerlifter, and coach, Jeff Nippard is never afraid to admit that his physique is a work in progress, and explains that when it comes to shoulders, he has found that shrugs “just haven’t done much to grow them over the years.” To that end, he’s switched it up to focus on his upper trap workout, and he’s shared this new strategy on Instagram.
The trapezius muscle, or “trap,” is located on either side of your upper back and controls the motion and stability of your head, neck, and back. Common exercises that help to build mass in this area are carrying and shrugging motions, and with this in mind, Nippard says he is going to spend the next year focusing on two moves that he has previously left out of his sessions for the most part.
Exercise 1: The Overhead Cable Lu Raise
“The upper traps fire harder when the arms are up overhead,” says the coach. “I used to try to make this work by doing overhead (dumbbell) shrugs, but they are really awkward. Instead, these feel great, and they provide massive tension in that overhead position.”
How to do it: Stand side-on to the cable machine. “Set the cable at around shoulder height and then lift your arm to your ear,” explains Nippard.
Exercise 2: High-incline Dumbbell Shrug/Row
“A big part of developing that ‘upper yoke,’ is thickening up this zone in between your mid traps and your upper traps,” says Nippard. “To target this area, I started doing a hybrid movement in between a shrug and a row. It’s called the high-incline dumbbell shrug/row.”
How to do it: Lean stomach first onto an inclined bench, with your feet on the ground, then lower the dumbbells towards the floor, under your shoulders. “Instead of shrugging straight up, you shrug up and slightly back while letting your arms bend a bit” coaches Nippard. “Feel a huge squeeze at the top and a big stretch at the bottom.”
Add these movements into your own back and shoulder workout by adding 3 sets of 8-12 reps for that muscle building sweet spot, going heavy once you are happy with the form. “Hope this helps if you have stubborn traps like me!” encourages the clever Canadian.