Traps are very important muscles that you shouldn't neglect in your workouts. Besides serving several important functions, they look great and add character to your physique. Here you'll learn what the upper back muscles are responsible for and how to train them effectively and safely.
How to Train Traps? Best Exercises for Upper Back Muscles Table of Contents: How to Train Traps? Best Exercises for Upper Back Muscles Structure and Functions of Upper Back Muscles (Traps) – Anatomy How to Safely Train Traps? Why You Should Train Traps When to Train Traps Best Exercises for Traps at Home/Without Equipment Best Exercises for Traps with Dumbbells or on a Pulley How to Train Traps – Summary Recommended by the Author
The trapezius muscle is a large muscle that runs along the spine through the shoulder blade, forming a triangle shape. This muscle is involved in lifting the arms and supports the shoulders and arms. It was formerly called the hood muscle. It belongs to the group of superficial back muscles, and its lower part partially covers the latissimus dorsi muscles. The attachment points of the trapezius muscle extend from the base of the skull to the spinous processes of the twelve thoracic vertebrae. The deepest muscle fibers are attached to the scapular spine. The intermediate fibers to the acromion, and the upper fibers to the end of the acromial clavicle. The traps also work with the rhomboid muscle and the levator scapulae. This allows them to move the scapula toward the spine and lower the shoulder joint. They are also responsible for bending the head backward and lifting the torso upward. Additionally, the trapezius muscle retracts the shoulder and presses the scapula against the rib cage.
The levator scapulae is another muscle from the group of superficial back muscles. It belongs to the group of spinocostal muscles (the trapezius and rhomboid muscles also belong to this group). It has the shape of an elongated triangle. It is located on the lateral surface of the neck between the upper angle of the scapula and the upper half of the cervical spine. It works with the upper part of the trapezius muscle, pulling the scapula upward and medially, and the acromion laterally. Like the rhomboid muscle located under the trapezius muscle, it pulls the scapula upward and medially. When the shoulder girdle is in a fixed position, it bends the cervical spine. Acting unilaterally, it pulls the head to the side, and bilaterally, it pulls it backward. Its attachments are located at the upper angle of the scapula and the upper part of its medial border. On the other side, it is attached to the posterior tubercles of the transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae.
The rhomboid muscle is classified as a superficial back muscle as well as a supraspinatus (deep) muscle. It is covered by the trapezius muscle (trap) and connects the inner surface of the scapula with the neck. The attachments are located on the processes of the cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae and on the medial border of the scapula. The rhomboid muscle is divided into two muscle parts: the rhomboid minor and the rhomboid major. Its function is to pull the scapula upward and medially toward the spine.
If you want to have large traps, start your workout with a proper warm-up. Jogging on a treadmill, running in place, boxing jog, and jumping jacks work great. Similar to shoulder girdle muscles, a proper warm-up is essential when training the traps. Starting a workout without adequate preparation can end in injury. After a proper warm-up, it's worth stretching the traps and neck. Superficial and deep muscles work closely together during daily activities involving cervical spine stabilization. Regular tension in this area can cause contractures. Over time, this can even lead to dizziness. It's also worth mentioning the limited mobility and possible muscle pains. Therefore, it is important to maintain the flexibility of these muscles through regular stretching and massage. Below are some examples of stretches primarily for the trapezius muscle:
Nowadays, there is an increasing number of cervical spine pathologies. This is mainly due to a sedentary lifestyle, working at a computer, or browsing information on smartphones. The latter has a colossal impact on the work and quality of our upper backs. Regularly looking down at your phone significantly stresses the cervical vertebrae. This leads to compression of the structures within them. Prolonged time in this position weakens the cartilage-bone structures and eventually contributes to discopathy. This can severely hinder daily functioning. Of course, this is a long-term process, manifesting mainly in adulthood. However, it’s worth considering your health and taking care of it now! Training your back muscles, including the traps, will certainly support health prevention. Strong back muscles ensure a stable position and support the “framework” of the spine. Remember this in your daily routine when training other muscle groups.
An important aspect of trap training is whether to train them separately or combine them with other parts. Professional bodybuilders split their workouts into specific muscle groups. Hence, you can see isolated trap workouts. This is the case with high intensity and attention to the smallest details, where the bodybuilding stage verifies shortcomings. For amateur training and wanting to develop this part, it’s not necessary to isolate the traps. After a back or chest workout, you can successfully do a few isolated trap exercises. Excessive isolation and loading of the trapezius muscles won’t bring significant results. Introducing 1-2 isolated exercises for the traps will suffice. The trapezius, rhomboid, and levator scapulae muscles are also engaged during shoulder and back workouts.
Some of the exercises listed below are easiest to perform with dumbbells. If you don’t have such equipment at home, replace them with water bottles, for example. If a bottle isn’t enough, try a whole pack. The important thing is to hold objects of the same weight in both hands.
I’ve presented what I believe are the most effective exercises for traps. You can take care of the trapezius muscle's condition both at the gym and at home. When training at home, it’s worth equipping yourself with dumbbells. This will make things much easier. It will also be a safer solution than water packs. A pull-up bar is also a good option. Pull-ups on a bar help increase the strength of the entire shoulder girdle. If you can’t pull up yet, don’t worry. At first, it’s enough to slowly lower yourself from the bar. A resistance band can also help. Loop it through the middle of the bar and place your feet in it. This will significantly increase the number of reps you can do. You also know that for amateur training, there’s no need to isolate the traps entirely. The best results will be achieved by doing 1-2 exercises along with other muscle group workouts. The traps work primarily during shoulder and back exercises. Therefore, I recommend training them during such workouts.
