How Many Sets for Traps?

Training Bodybuilding
21

[quote]roguevampire wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:
I honestly think the weight used for traps is way more important than how many sets are actually done.

I have done just 3 sets for traps for about a decade…but I also use more weight than most people.[/quote]

I couldn’t disagree more. It has very little to do with the amount of weight you use. A perfect example, is this guy at another gym i once trained at, piled on the weight 6 45’s on each side, he’d bang out 4 or 5 reps and done. yet, his traps were nothing. me, I do maybe 4 plates per side on the smith machine, i bring them up high, hold them for a split second, then down. do that for a good 10-12 reps. and my traps are huge. form is everything with traps. The amount of weight used is only good for the ego. If you can do alot of weight with good from, then great. but heavy is different for everyone. [/quote]

He never said anything about using shitty form. Bad form = doesnt hit the target. Obviously if the target muscle isnt being stimulated the whole workout is a waste of time. Youre stating the obvious. Im not sure why.

22

[quote]roguevampire wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:
I honestly think the weight used for traps is way more important than how many sets are actually done.

I have done just 3 sets for traps for about a decade…but I also use more weight than most people.[/quote]

I couldn’t disagree more. It has very little to do with the amount of weight you use. A perfect example, is this guy at another gym i once trained at, piled on the weight 6 45’s on each side, he’d bang out 4 or 5 reps and done. yet, his traps were nothing. me, I do maybe 4 plates per side on the smith machine, i bring them up high, hold them for a split second, then down. do that for a good 10-12 reps. and my traps are huge. form is everything with traps. The amount of weight used is only good for the ego. If you can do alot of weight with good from, then great. but heavy is different for everyone. [/quote]

?

I use good form and don’t use straps.

Do I look like someone who needed that advice?

I lift heavy weight that actually targets the intended muscle group. Why would I have to explain that as if I’m a newb?

23

Back when I did shrugs it generally was 2 or 3 sets of traditional BB shrugs, then 2 sets of Haney shrugs, both done with enough weight to hit failure around 10 reps. And since I’m not working grip, straps are welcome.

Now I do rack pulls, one heavy set of 3-6 reps, and one moderate set of 8-12 reps, I shrug the weight on top and try to pull my shoulder blades together, I also emphasize on a slow descent although Dante doesn’t like people doing this on the basic DC split. Never seen better trap/thickness growth in such a short time.

24

[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:

[quote]roguevampire wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:
I honestly think the weight used for traps is way more important than how many sets are actually done.

I have done just 3 sets for traps for about a decade…but I also use more weight than most people.[/quote]

I couldn’t disagree more. It has very little to do with the amount of weight you use. A perfect example, is this guy at another gym i once trained at, piled on the weight 6 45’s on each side, he’d bang out 4 or 5 reps and done. yet, his traps were nothing. me, I do maybe 4 plates per side on the smith machine, i bring them up high, hold them for a split second, then down. do that for a good 10-12 reps. and my traps are huge. form is everything with traps. The amount of weight used is only good for the ego. If you can do alot of weight with good from, then great. but heavy is different for everyone. [/quote]

He never said anything about using shitty form. Bad form = doesnt hit the target. Obviously if the target muscle isnt being stimulated the whole workout is a waste of time. Youre stating the obvious. Im not sure why. [/quote]

He made the point that the amount of weight is the most important factor. I just don’t think it is. I can do shrugs with just 225lbs and still get a great workout with it.

25

[quote]roguevampire wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:
I honestly think the weight used for traps is way more important than how many sets are actually done.

I have done just 3 sets for traps for about a decade…but I also use more weight than most people.[/quote]

I couldn’t disagree more. It has very little to do with the amount of weight you use. A perfect example, is this guy at another gym i once trained at, piled on the weight 6 45’s on each side, he’d bang out 4 or 5 reps and done. yet, his traps were nothing. me, I do maybe 4 plates per side on the smith machine, i bring them up high, hold them for a split second, then down. do that for a good 10-12 reps. and my traps are huge. form is everything with traps. The amount of weight used is only good for the ego. If you can do alot of weight with good from, then great. but heavy is different for everyone. [/quote]

I think it is also important to consider the overall size of the person. You aren’t going to see massive traps on a 150lber.

26

OP give what you have laid out a try for a few months and you will see results as long as your eating enough. How long have you been lifting?

27

Why would the number of sets be different than for any other muscle group?

28

[quote]roguevampire wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:
I honestly think the weight used for traps is way more important than how many sets are actually done.

I have done just 3 sets for traps for about a decade…but I also use more weight than most people.[/quote]

I couldn’t disagree more. It has very little to do with the amount of weight you use. A perfect example, is this guy at another gym i once trained at, piled on the weight 6 45’s on each side, he’d bang out 4 or 5 reps and done. yet, his traps were nothing. me, I do maybe 4 plates per side on the smith machine, i bring them up high, hold them for a split second, then down. do that for a good 10-12 reps. and my traps are huge. form is everything with traps. The amount of weight used is only good for the ego. If you can do alot of weight with good from, then great. but heavy is different for everyone. [/quote]

You’re also a dumbass troll and the only reason anyone ever reads your posts on here is for comedic value.
The only way you’d ever get big traps is via 3 grams of test per week.

Wait, we’re talking about you here. Make that 3 grams a day. For 400 years straight or however old you claim you are.

29

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:

[quote]roguevampire wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:
I honestly think the weight used for traps is way more important than how many sets are actually done.

I have done just 3 sets for traps for about a decade…but I also use more weight than most people.[/quote]

I couldn’t disagree more. It has very little to do with the amount of weight you use. A perfect example, is this guy at another gym i once trained at, piled on the weight 6 45’s on each side, he’d bang out 4 or 5 reps and done. yet, his traps were nothing. me, I do maybe 4 plates per side on the smith machine, i bring them up high, hold them for a split second, then down. do that for a good 10-12 reps. and my traps are huge. form is everything with traps. The amount of weight used is only good for the ego. If you can do alot of weight with good from, then great. but heavy is different for everyone. [/quote]

You’re also a dumbass troll and the only reason anyone ever reads your posts on here is for comedic value.
The only way you’d ever get big traps is via 3 grams of test per week.

Wait, we’re talking about you here. Make that 3 grams a day. For 400 years straight or however old you claim you are.
[/quote]

you counter my argument with insults. Thats a sign of weakness. listen buddy, exactly what did i say that is untrue. take curls for example, how many times do you see guys curling tons of weight, yet have puny arms. Then you see guys with huge arms, doing nice controlled reps with alot less weight. yet, their arms are alot bigger. Could these guys do more weight, sure they could. but they use good form.

You call me a dumbass and a troll, yet, i have been lifting for far longer than you have and I am far bigger than you are. any bodybuilding expert or strength authority will tell you that form is the key to muscle growth not simply using heavy weight. Think before you call someone a dumbass.

30

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:

[quote]roguevampire wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:
I honestly think the weight used for traps is way more important than how many sets are actually done.

I have done just 3 sets for traps for about a decade…but I also use more weight than most people.[/quote]

I couldn’t disagree more. It has very little to do with the amount of weight you use. A perfect example, is this guy at another gym i once trained at, piled on the weight 6 45’s on each side, he’d bang out 4 or 5 reps and done. yet, his traps were nothing. me, I do maybe 4 plates per side on the smith machine, i bring them up high, hold them for a split second, then down. do that for a good 10-12 reps. and my traps are huge. form is everything with traps. The amount of weight used is only good for the ego. If you can do alot of weight with good from, then great. but heavy is different for everyone. [/quote]

You’re also a dumbass troll and the only reason anyone ever reads your posts on here is for comedic value.
The only way you’d ever get big traps is via 3 grams of test per week.

Wait, we’re talking about you here. Make that 3 grams a day. For 400 years straight or however old you claim you are.
[/quote]

When did i ever claim to be 400 years old???

31

[quote]roguevampire wrote:

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:

[quote]roguevampire wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:
I honestly think the weight used for traps is way more important than how many sets are actually done.

I have done just 3 sets for traps for about a decade…but I also use more weight than most people.[/quote]

I couldn’t disagree more. It has very little to do with the amount of weight you use. A perfect example, is this guy at another gym i once trained at, piled on the weight 6 45’s on each side, he’d bang out 4 or 5 reps and done. yet, his traps were nothing. me, I do maybe 4 plates per side on the smith machine, i bring them up high, hold them for a split second, then down. do that for a good 10-12 reps. and my traps are huge. form is everything with traps. The amount of weight used is only good for the ego. If you can do alot of weight with good from, then great. but heavy is different for everyone. [/quote]

You’re also a dumbass troll and the only reason anyone ever reads your posts on here is for comedic value.
The only way you’d ever get big traps is via 3 grams of test per week.

Wait, we’re talking about you here. Make that 3 grams a day. For 400 years straight or however old you claim you are.
[/quote]

When did i ever claim to be 400 years old???[/quote]

Was it 200?

Whatever. Go sparkle in the sun.

32

How come the people with the biggest traps seem to have the simplest approach?

I detect a pattern.

33

Thx for the replies all. Which one of these exercises hit the mid delts more,clean and press or seated bradford press?

34

PX, if you don’t mind sharing how much are you lifting for your traps work?

35

[quote]forlife wrote:
PX, if you don’t mind sharing how much are you lifting for your traps work?[/quote]

I used to go up to 6 plates a side on the hs shrug machine but the one I use now only goes up to 5…so I do my reps slower now and hold the peak contraction.

If your want shoulders that look like basketballs and huge traps (not just ok like most lifters) then you will need to do more direct training.

That means overhead presses and high inclines (or frontraises) for anterior delts

side lateral raises for lateral delts

and either bent over raises, the reverse pec deck or even high rows for posterior delts.

Yeah, “cleans and deadlifts” seem to be the really cool answer. All I know is I see few really fucking huge traps that avoided shrugs…and most people here don’t have traps that big.

Other than that, it just takes time. I trained shoulders twice a week for a very long time and often still do. It hurt for them to get like that.

36

[quote]Professor X wrote:
If your want shoulders that look like basketballs and huge traps (not just ok like most lifters) then you will need to do more direct training.
[/quote]

Nope. Too simple. Too ‘intuitive’. Could never work. Sorry. Buh-bye now.

37

Great timing, just got done doing traps today.

High volume heavy weight (for me)

4 sets of 10 at 405
3 sets to failure at 225 close grip
3 set of 10 reverse grip
3 sets of 10 275 behind the back
2 sets to failure single arm dumbells with 55 lbs.

I think you need to do what works for your body. If what you’re doing isn’t working then you need to up the ante. For example - I didn’t get a good pump today, guess what, I’ll be hitting traps again in a 2-3 days until they give me what I’m looking for. Only then do they get a break.

38

Rogue, you’re a fucking monster. You really need to create a forum about how you train. I’m sure we could all learn so much from you.

39

[quote]roguevampire wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:
I honestly think the weight used for traps is way more important than how many sets are actually done.

I have done just 3 sets for traps for about a decade…but I also use more weight than most people.[/quote]

I couldn’t disagree more. It has very little to do with the amount of weight you use. A perfect example, is this guy at another gym i once trained at, piled on the weight 6 45’s on each side, he’d bang out 4 or 5 reps and done. yet, his traps were nothing. me, I do maybe 4 plates per side on the smith machine, i bring them up high, hold them for a split second, then down. do that for a good 10-12 reps. and my traps are huge. form is everything with traps. The amount of weight used is only good for the ego. If you can do alot of weight with good from, then great. but heavy is different for everyone. [/quote]

I agree with twilight. I see people at the gym that stack a ton of weight on the bar and do these little bounce thingies with their shoulders and call them shrugs. Not saying ProfX does that obviously but a lot of people that are so concerned with shrugging a shit ton of weight over form do. It is such a small range of motion that just does not really justify cheating imo. 15-20 rep sets w/ 315 really strict will torch the hell out of my traps.

40

[quote]Maiden3.16 wrote:

[quote]roguevampire wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:
I honestly think the weight used for traps is way more important than how many sets are actually done.

I have done just 3 sets for traps for about a decade…but I also use more weight than most people.[/quote]

I couldn’t disagree more. It has very little to do with the amount of weight you use. A perfect example, is this guy at another gym i once trained at, piled on the weight 6 45’s on each side, he’d bang out 4 or 5 reps and done. yet, his traps were nothing. me, I do maybe 4 plates per side on the smith machine, i bring them up high, hold them for a split second, then down. do that for a good 10-12 reps. and my traps are huge. form is everything with traps. The amount of weight used is only good for the ego. If you can do alot of weight with good from, then great. but heavy is different for everyone. [/quote]

I agree with twilight. I see people at the gym that stack a ton of weight on the bar and do these little bounce thingies with their shoulders and call them shrugs. Not saying ProfX does that obviously but a lot of people that are so concerned with shrugging a shit ton of weight over form do. It is such a small range of motion that just does not really justify cheating imo. 15-20 rep sets w/ 315 really strict will torch the hell out of my traps.
[/quote]

Hmmm, I see people all of the time in the gym for years who look exactly the same or worse. Clearly it is the gym that is the problem.