Good day to you, dear readers! If you are an avid gym visitor, then one of your goals is probably a powerful back. Or as they say in the common people - "back sho equator"!
But today we will not talk about her, or rather not about her entire muscle mass. After all, just as a good house should end with a beautiful and strong roof, so our back should end with powerful trapezoids. And in order to achieve the expressiveness of this muscle group, you need to know the exercises for the trapezoid, which will pump it best. This is what I will tell you today!
Let's start with the basics, because without them we are doomed to failure in training. What do we know about trapeziums? First of all, this muscle got its name because of the shape resembling a geometric figure - a trapezoid. It consists of two muscles located on both sides of the spine. Individually, each muscle has the shape of a triangle. One side is attached to the spinous processes of the vertebrae and the occipital bone, the other to the acromion and the lower spine of the scapula.
The muscle can be divided into lower (lower trapezius), middle (middle trapezius) and upper part (upper trapezius). Each of which performs a specific function, but at the same time they also have common functions, for example, bringing the shoulder blades together. But let's go in order.
The bottom of the trapezium lowers the shoulder blades, that is, it is included in the work with bench presses and. Also, its function, like the rest of the trapezoid, is to reduce the shoulder blades.
The middle of the trapezius is primarily responsible for bringing the shoulder blades to the spine. In addition to this, she is a synergist (assistant) when spreading her arms back.
The top of the trapezium, in addition to bringing the shoulder blades together, is responsible for lifting them up and lifting the entire shoulder girdle. Now, armed with a brief knowledge of anatomy, you can go directly to pumping the trapeze!
Exercises for the trapezius muscles
Of course, it is better to train the trapeze in the gym, as this muscle group loves big weights. But this does not mean at all that it will not be possible to give them a "thrashing" at home!
Home exercises
- Boat. The exercise affects the trapezium with an emphasis on the middle and lower parts. The emphasis of the load can be changed by changing the position of the hands. The execution technique is illustrated in the photo.
With the direction of the hands in front of you, the load is received to a greater extent by the middle and upper parts. When the arms are directed perpendicular to the body, the middle of the trapezium is most involved. If you take your hands back, then the emphasis will move to the lower part. Squeeze your shoulder blades while doing the exercise. Do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps
- Push-ups with a raised pelvis. An effective exercise for the lower part of the trapezium. Make sure your back is straight during the movement. Legs can be slightly bent at the knees. Hands should work like normal push-ups. Do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.
For fruitful home training, it would be nice to work out with a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells. They will make a significant contribution to the development of your trapezoid. But there is a way to solve the problem without significant costs - train with an expander!
- Shrugs with an expander. The movement is the best effect on the top of the trapezium. First, stand in the starting position as in the picture.
Then pull the shoulder girdle up, you should aim to pull the shoulders as close to the ears as possible. When performing the exercise, keep your back straight, do not tilt your head down. Also avoid rotating your shoulders like some of the "masters" in the gym do. Do 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps.
- Breeding hands back with an expander. The exercise involves the trapezoid with an emphasis on the middle. Be sure to bring your shoulder blades together as you move. Do 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps.
- Standing presses with an expander. The main load falls on the shoulders. But as I said, the trapezium grows in combination with other muscles. In this case, the bottom of the trapezoid will receive its portion of the load. Do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.
Gym exercises
For a truly powerful trapezius muscle, go straight to the gym. Remember when I said that this muscle loves the base? Here! And what can be the base without a barbell or a pair of weighty dumbbells!
- Shrugs with a barbell. It is important to follow the correct technique. Keep your back straight, do not tilt your head forward. Do not be too lazy to install the barbell on the racks at the required height. In order not to bend down behind her before each approach. Use wrist straps. Since the hands tend to get tired faster than the trapezoid. In addition, when using a large weight without straps, it will be difficult to hold the barbell. Do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.
- Shrugs with dumbbells. Unlike barbells, dumbbells allow you to increase the range of motion. Do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.
- Shrugs on an incline bench. Unlike classic shrags, here your body is tilted and the load is shifted to the middle of the trapezius muscles. Perform dumbbell raises by moving your shoulders vertically upwards and pulling your shoulder blades together. Do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.
- . Take the bar with a narrow grip, since the distribution of the load between the shoulders and the trapezium depends on the width of the grip. The closer the brushes are to each other, the more the trapezoidal ones are loaded. Do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.
Exercises on the horizontal bar
If you are a street workout fan then the following exercises will help you build a powerful back without any weak spots.
- Pull-ups with a wide grip to the chest. Regular pull-ups, but your trapezoid will “explode”. Try to reach the crossbar with your chest. Exercises on the horizontal bar are not simple. And if you find it difficult to fulfill them, enlist the help of a partner. Or use a gravitron (pull-up machine with a counterweight). Do 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.
- Head pull-ups. Exercise is able to accentuate your trapezium. The main thing is to focus on their reduction. Do 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.
- Pull up on the bar. To complete the exercise, you need to find a lower bar, as your feet should rest on the ground. At the bottom point, stretch the trapezium, and at the top, reduce and reduce the shoulder blades as much as possible. Do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.
This concludes the review of the exercises. I have tried to pick the best ones for you. Now your trapezium will definitely grow! The main thing is to follow the correct technique and feel the target muscle. During heavy sets (with large weights) use a belt and straps, they will save you from injury!
And yet, trapeze training is suitable not only for men, but also for women. Girls, doing exercises with light weights will strengthen your upper back, which will help improve your posture and spinal health!
And I say goodbye to you on this. Subscribe to updates, leave comments and repost on social networks. Your feedback is important to me! See you soon!
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Hello everyone! Our poor shoulders! How many kinds of burdens they have to carry on themselves! And if in ordinary life you can somehow minimize these difficulties, then in the gym you can’t get away from them. Otherwise, you won’t lift the barbell for a squat, and you won’t shake dumbbells by the head, and you won’t do many more good and important exercises.
In general, no matter how you dodge, no matter how you put off exercises for the trapezius muscles in the farthest box, they cannot be avoided. And is it necessary? After all, everyone who goes to the gym for more than a month knows very well that a good workout makes us happy, releases endorphins into the blood, and we run home skipping with a full-fledged desire to live on. Video motivation.
Let's literally study under a microscope the smallest details of how to pump up a trapezoid?
Trapezius or trapezius muscles - the name is quite speaking. They are located in the very upper part of the back and form our shoulders. In addition, they connect the latissimus dorsi and deltas, as well as the muscles of the neck, forming a kind of triangle with a wide base and a beveled top.
- The very top of this muscle raises the scapular bone and, directly, the shoulders themselves up.
- The middle part helps to move our shoulder blades towards the spine.
- And the bottom one works as a countermeasure.
Accordingly, in order to ideally pump all this muscle, you need to perform movements in three different directions. That is why one exercise on the trapezoid is often not enough. Before class, warm up and be sure to just hang relaxed on the bar for a few minutes.
What isolating exercises are there for trapeze?
In fact, the only complex that can be cited as an example in this section is shrugs. But they are very diverse and you can always choose a load to your liking.
Please note that in any work with the trapeze, do not take a lot of weight. It can negatively affect your posture and will not allow you to focus on the correct technique for performing the exercise.
Shrugs usually work well on the upper part of the trapezius muscle. A small load will also fall on the rhomboid muscles, as well as on those that raise the scapula.
Shrugs can be done with dumbbells, barbells, or parallel bars. The first two varieties are best done in an upright position.
Perform shrugs with dumbbells
How to swing a trapezoid with such shells?
How are barbell shrugs made?
In the starting position, when performing such an exercise, the legs are placed a little wider than when working with dumbbells. How to properly inflate a trapezoid in order to comply with all aspects of safety?
Shrug technique on an incline bench
In principle, in this case, the answer on how to pump up the upper trapezoid on a horizontal bench will be about the same as in the previous cases.
Learning to make shrugs on uneven bars
It remains to understand the technique of making scars with the help of bars.
So, how to swing a trapezoid using this sports equipment?
- It is necessary to keep the body in a straight position on outstretched arms in the starting position. Now your shoulders are tense, and you are trying to raise the body even higher.
By the way, this is the same option that answers the query: “How to pump up the lower part of the trapezoid”? You will feel this best if you hold the top position for 10 seconds.
- Then, after the same rest, we repeat the approach.
We work out the trapezoid with the help of other exercises
Let us also consider other complexes on the trapezium. For example, one-arm dumbbell rows have proven themselves well.
Now you know how efficiently and quickly you can pump your trapezium. What's next in line for you? ? ? ?By the way, I advise you to read my course on the press on this page.
Here you will find answers to all your questions, that is, not only about how to properly download the press (video and photo materials), but also other useful information that will make a washboard out of your press.
That's all for today, stubborn and purposeful kachata! And remember that if you are currently stagnant and the goal seems completely unattainable to you, then even famous geniuses experienced moments of collapse and failure. For example, Einstein was considered mentally retarded at school, and Mendeleev was given a C in chemistry.
Ignore the criticism of envious people, but always listen to those who have become authority for you. I look forward to visiting you again.
Introduction
There is probably no other muscle group that so clearly symbolizes undisguised physical strength as the trapezium. A person with pumped up trapezius muscles of the back looks really powerful and aggressive even in clothes.
But, as a rule, competing athletes who sit tight on “chemistry” can boast of a really well-developed top of the back. And all because, according to scientific research, steroids (which serious bodybuilders use very actively) have a much stronger effect on the muscles of the shoulder girdle than, say, on the legs. In other words - you see a man with big trapezes, so he is almost certainly a "chemist".
This is of course wonderful, but then how can we, ordinary gym visitors who dream of gaining muscle mass in a natural way, walk without trapezes? Of course not, but you will have to forget about the seeming simplicity in training trapeziums. To increase muscle mass and the shape of the trapezoid, you need to significantly expand your arsenal of exercises and tune in to long and hard work.
Triple Strike
The trapezius muscle is a group of three separate muscles, each attached at a different angle. They start at the base of the neck, cross a significant part of the back, ending at its middle. To pump up the trapezoid, giving it height and thickness, standing alone is not enough.
The training complex for this muscle group should consist of at least three, or better, four exercises for the trapezoid, each of which should be performed at a certain angle, while loading its section (upper, middle and lower) and even the entire muscle group as a whole.
Trapeze exercises | Upper section
The muscle fibers of this section are attached at an angle of 45 ° to the line of the spine. This means that for their maximum involvement in the work, the body must be tilted to the ground at exactly the same angle. Standing barbell shrugs load this section quite hard, allowing the trapezius muscles to grow in height, but the upper back remains flat and empty.
To increase the effectiveness of barbell shrugs, you need to perform them in an explosive manner, throwing the projectile upwards using momentum. At the same time, the grip of the bar should be slightly wider than usual - this will allow you to stretch your muscles more.
But at the same time, it is worth noting that many professional bodybuilders perform explosive shrugs with dumbbells, preferring them over a barbell, since the trajectory of the dumbbells is larger.
If we talk about the isolated study of the upper section, then the best exercise for the trapezoid with an emphasis on its thickening is shrugs in an incline in a cable simulator.
This exercise is performed for the trapezoid as follows:
- We stand at the lower block, slightly bend our knees, tilt the body forward and take the rope handle of the block, while our hands are pressed to the body.
- On inspiration, we make a traction movement to the body to the level of the chest, raising the shoulders and at the same time bringing the shoulder blades together. We pause at the top of the trajectory and slowly lower our hands to the starting position.
An alternative to this exercise can be tilted barbell row. But only you need to pull the neck not to the belt, but higher.
In terms of its effectiveness, it loses to a cable simulator, since the load vector in it is directed strictly down, and in the block - down and forward. But on the other hand, such an exercise allows you to use much more working weight. Periodic alternation of both exercises will allow each time to load the muscles in a new way.
Trapeze exercises |middle department
The fibers of the middle section of the trapezius muscle are attached at an angle of 60 ° to the middle of the body and their only function is to reduce the shoulder blades. It is they who give the muscles of the upper back thickness and power. The best exercise for the trapeze, with an emphasis on the middle, are shrugs with dumbbells lying on an incline bench.
The technique for performing this exercise for trapeze is as follows:
- Lie down on an incline bench face down. The angle of the bench must be changed with each approach, lowering it lower and lower, from 45 ° to 60 °. So it will turn out to work out this department with a higher level of workload.
- The head is on weight, the legs rest on the floor, the arms hang freely down.
- Raise the dumbbells while inhaling, bringing the shoulder blades to their full contraction, pause and lower the dumbbells as you exhale.
The problem of developing and increasing the muscle mass of the middle of the trapezius is that it is quite difficult to engage and feel it. To improve the quality of the dumbbell shrugs on an incline bench, you need to imagine that while lifting the shoulder blades, you are squeezing the tennis ball between them with all your might. Such visualization helps to significantly increase the effectiveness of such a difficult exercise.
Top 10 Rear Delt Exercises:
An alternative to shrugs on an incline bench will be breeding with dumbbells in an incline. They are very similar to the exercise for the rear deltas, but differ only in the location of the hands.
To involve the deltas in the work, the hands must be raised to shoulder level, to load the trapezium, on the contrary, they must be lowered to the middle of the body. And the dumbbells themselves need to be taken heavier.
Trapeze exercises |lower division
The development of this section is mainly carried out by competitive bodybuilders seeking to increase the detail and muscularity of the back. The developed muscles of the bottom give the trapezoid the correct finished shape. The muscle fibers of this segment are also located at an angle of 45° to the spine, but in a mirror position from the upper section.
The overhead crossover pulley is the best exercise for the trapezius, with an emphasis on the lower segment of the trapezius.
The technique for performing this exercise for trapeze is as follows:
- We stand between the two upper blocks
- With the right hand we take the handle of the left block, and with the left for the right, and bend in the lower back
- While inhaling, we make a crossing movement, spreading our arms to the sides and down, at the same time bringing the shoulder blades together until they are fully contracted. We pause, additionally straining the upper back
- Exhale and return your hands to the starting position.
Conclusion: all three sections of the trapezius muscle have one common function - the reduction of the shoulder blades. The ability to shorten them is the main condition for building thick and powerful trapeziums. And this means that shrugs with dumbbells should be a must-have addition to shrugs with a standing barbell.
How to pump up a trapezoid |Rules for gaining muscle mass
As in the case of gaining muscle mass of any hard-growing muscle group, you will have to work hard on the trapezium. But the process of gaining trapezoid muscle mass can be significantly accelerated if you follow the following rules:
RULE 1. Exercises for the trapezoid involve the same assistant muscles as traction movements on the back. But since the back is always pumped first, and the trapeze is loaded only at the end of the workout, tired psoas and back extensors will not allow you to pump the trapeze well on the day of the back workout. It is better to swing a trapezoid with shoulders.
RULE 2. In most people, the trapezius muscles are made up of fast-twitch fibers. They are very hardy and do not respond to multi-repetition load. This means that the number of repetitions in trapezoid exercises should not exceed 6-9.
RULE 3. The trapezius muscle must be consciously stretched. It is necessary to start the exercises with the shoulders lowered down, so that the trapeziums are in a stretched position already at the start. And you need to complete the set of exercises for the trapezius muscle with one approach of static holding the barbell / dumbbells for 30-40 seconds. But the weight of the burden at the same time should be 25-30% more than the working one.
RULE 4. Muscles during the performance of any exercise for trapeze, shrugs with a barbell or with dumbbells, you need to constantly keep in tension, not allowing them to relax even for a moment. The weight of the projectile may have to be reduced, but the involvement of the muscles in the work will increase very much.
Conclusion: swinging the trapezoid correctly is not at all easy. But on the other hand, the result of such efforts manifests itself very quickly.
How to pump up a trapeze at home |farmer's walk
Using a professional trapezoid construction algorithm, you can significantly accelerate the recruitment of muscle mass in this department. Moreover, both in the gym and at home. Pumping up a trapezoid at home is not at all more difficult than in the gym. Standing barbell shrugs will be lacking, but in addition to them, in your trapeze training complex, you can include such an unpopular exercise in the bodybuilding environment as the “farmer’s walk”.
It is mainly performed by strongmen, as one of the most spectacular power extreme exercises. Meanwhile, moving the load in the hands over a distance is a truly basic exercise for the whole body, since it loads the muscles of the core, legs, arms and, of course, the entire shoulder girdle, with an emphasis on the trapezius muscles.
The main benefits of a farmer's walk are:
- Much more time that the trapezius muscles spend under load. A typical exercise will take 30-40 seconds. Movement with a load can take up to a minute or more.
- Most of the time, the trapezius muscles are in a highly stretched position, which greatly enhances the effectiveness of this exercise.
- The versatility and simplicity of the "farmer's walk" allow you to use as shells, in addition to dumbbells, any symmetrically heavy objects (bags, water bottles, spare parts)
The technique for performing this exercise for trapeze is as follows:
- We stand between two shells, slightly bend our back in the lower back, and squat
- We take the shells exactly in the middle and straighten up with the effort of the legs
- We bring the shoulder blades together, raise our head and start moving forward
But since the farmer's walk is a serious basic exercise for the whole body, before performing it, you need to warm up well, paying special attention to the shoulder girdle, shoulder rotators and neck muscles.
Conclusion: If you have to swing a trapezoid at home, in addition to shrugs with dumbbells, you must include the "farmer's walk" in your training complex.
Conclusion
Proper trapeze training requires some rethinking of the usual approach to its development: a wider range of exercises and more time. Therefore, it makes sense to regard the increased work on recruiting muscle mass of the trapezius muscle as a period of specialization, reducing the load on other muscle sections, for example, on the shoulders, for this time.
I hope you find my article on upper back training useful and will allow you to pump up the trapezius big, thick and really powerful. May the force be with you. And mass!
The trapezius muscle is a flat broad muscle that occupies almost the entire back of the neck, upper back and part of the middle back.
The muscle has a triangular shape, the base of this triangle is facing the spine, and the apex is facing the greater process of the scapula (acromion). Together, both muscles look like a trapezoid.
Trapezoidal muscle consists of three portions, let's find out how to pump up a big trapezoid with the best exercises for this in the gym or at home.
Top portion. Its muscle fibers pass through the upper shoulder girdle and are attached to the collarbone in the upper chest. These fibers, when contracted, raise the shoulders and produce a "shrug", they are responsible for tilting the neck and head to the shoulder.
Average portion. Its fibers are responsible for almost all movements of the shoulder blades.
Bottom portion. The fibers of this portion pull the scapular bones down.
Training features
The division of the muscle into bundles of different functions created the need to work it out in three completely opposite directions. Therefore, the complex for the formation of a trapezoid is composed as at least three exercises: one for each serving. In this case, it is recommended to add weight during training.
Best Exercises
Barbell row to the chin in a standing position
When doing this exercise work the muscles of the trapezium, forearms, shoulders and upper back.
I.P. - Feet shoulder-width apart, barbell in fully extended and lowered arms. A narrow grip is applied, with palms facing you, since a narrow grip loads the trapezius muscles much better.
On an inhale, pull the barbell up to your chin. At the same time, at the top point, the elbows should be higher than the wrists. Slowly on the exhale, without jerking, lower the barbell to its original position.
You should not lift the projectile above the chin - this does not relieve the load on the trapezius muscles and interferes with the normal mechanics of our body.
The barbell lift is more efficient than other machines like Smith machine and block simulator.
Free weight stimulates the work of the stabilizer muscles during the entire movement, and this useful for the normal functioning of all muscle fibers.
When doing this exercise, try to keep the projectile as close to the body as possible. You should fully stretch and contract the muscle fibers at the top and bottom point.
How to perform this exercise with a narrow grip is shown in the video:
Shrugs with a barbell in lowered hands
This exercise also works the trapezium, forearms, shoulders, and upper back. Before starting the exercise, you should set the rack to a comfortable height.
I.P. - legs are shoulder-width apart. Remove the bar from the racks, while the arms are fully extended. The back is straightened, it should be ensured that the spine is always in a straight position.
While inhaling, raise your shoulders as high as possible, while your arms are also fully extended. As you exhale, slowly lower the bar to its original position, fully stretch the trapezium.
Important maintain range of motion and fully contract and stretch muscles on every repetition. This exercise is very simple, but at the same time, the most effective for the development of the trapezius muscles.
When performing movements, do not rotate your shoulders, as this can lead to injury. No extraneous movements are needed: the weight must strictly rise up, and fall strictly down.
Shrugs with dumbbells with arms down
When performing this exercise, the trapezium, forearms, shoulders and upper back work. I.P. - legs shoulder-width apart, and arms with dumbbells are lowered freely along the body, the abdominal muscles are tense, the back is straight, the lumbar region is maximally tense. The spine is straightened.
When inhaling, the shoulders rise as high as possible almost touching the earlobes. As you exhale, the arms with shells slowly return to their original position., the trapezium is fully stretched.
Taking shells from the floor and returning them to their place at the end of the exercise should be done carefully, sitting down and using only the strength of the leg muscles.
Muscles should be fully stretched and contracted with each repetition. Should observe the maximum amplitude and avoid incomplete repetitions.
How to properly perform push-ups on the chest to make it bumpy enough? For instructions go here:
Shrugs with a barbell behind your back
This exercise helps to develop correct posture and form a muscular corset. necessary not only in sports, but also in everyday life as the main factor in the prevention of diseases and injuries of the spine. When executing it works the top of the trapezoid, shoulders and forearms, as well as the upper back.
I.P. - stand up straight, put your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bend at the knees. Your partner should gently push the bar from behind you. It should be taken with an overhand grip, while the palms look back, the distance between them is slightly wider than the shoulders.
Straighten your back and pull your shoulders back, while you need to slightly raise your chest and pull in your stomach. Follow then, so that the spine retains its natural curves.
The arms are fully extended behind the back. Barbell at the level of the lower buttocks. Look straight. Raise your shoulders as you inhale as far as you can. At the same time, the arms are straightened throughout the movement. Only the shoulders work, and the back, legs and chest are motionless.
At the top of the trapezoid, you should strain as much as possible, maintaining this position of the body for several seconds. to achieve the best effect. As you exhale, slowly lower your shoulders.
To strengthen the trapezius muscles, select the weight in proportion to your capabilities, do not forget to change it to a larger one as muscle strength and endurance develop.
At present, a toned and athletic body is an integral element of the image of a successful person who is always able to find a few hours a week for self-development.
This muscle group is one of the most important adductor muscles in the body, which have the functions of the main motor mechanisms.
The paired muscles of the trapezius are located behind on both sides of the spine, and the appearance of each individual muscle taken remotely resembles a triangle, and combining them gives the trapezius complex of muscles. The trapezoid connects the back of the head, shoulder joints and partially shoulder blades, being lowered just below the back.
Important: the trapezius muscles act in most cases with the muscles of the forearm, and therefore these muscle groups should always be pumped at the same time.
The main function of the trapezius complex of muscles is to carry out the movement of the shoulder blades in a cyclic movement up and down: the contraction of only the upper parts of the complex sets the motion for lifting, the lower parts for lowering.
Obviously, trapezoid work should be about doing exercises that raise and lower the shoulder blades, plus bring them together. The most useful exercises, therefore, are various wiring summaries using average weights, not maximum ones, exercises on horizontal bars, uneven bars, and classic push-ups.
The trapezius muscle (Latin musculus trapezius) is a flat wide muscle that occupies a superficial position in the back of the neck and in the upper back.
The trapezius muscle is located in the upper back. Its size makes it clear whether a person is engaged in strength training or not. As the size of the trapezius increases, the size of the neck increases, and the strength and power of this muscle is of great importance in many traction exercises and in various sports.
For example, by increasing the weight in shrugs, you thereby strengthen the muscles that are “responsible” for the upper phase of the deadlift in any of its variants (when you need to pull your shoulders back more). This will help you add to the deadlift itself.
Too developed upper and middle trapeziums visually narrow your shoulders, so you should not train them separately. This muscle group works great in many exercises and this is enough for its growth.
The structure of the trapezius muscle
The trapezius muscle has the shape of a triangle, with its base facing the spinal column, and its apex facing the acromion of the scapula. The trapezius muscles of both sides of the back together have the shape of a trapezoid. For those who have not yet understood, I explain that there are two triangles, one on the left and the other on the right. See the picture.
From an anatomical point of view, the trapezius muscle is divided into 3 parts:
- upper (in the neck)
- medium (top of shoulder blades)
- and lower ((between and under the shoulder blades)
Top of the trapezoid
When people talk about the "trapezius" they usually mean the upper part of it, since this is the area that most trapezius exercises work on. The top of the trapezoid, rotates, leads to the spine, raises and lowers the scapula (the movement when you shrug your shoulders), and assists with most head and neck movements.
Postural problems, such as a constant head forward (slouching), can lead to chronic tension in the upper trapezius muscle in a stretched state, which can be the result of both headache and pain in the cervical region.
In this case, you should avoid exercises that target the upper trapezius.
Middle and lower parts of the trapezoid
The middle and lower parts of the trapezoid work in back exercises such as horizontal rows or rowing.
This area of the trapezium, together with the rhomboid muscles, is responsible for bringing the scapula to the spine. The rhomboid muscles are not visible in the figure, as they are located deeper, that is, closer to the center of the body compared to the trapezius muscle.
Bringing the shoulder blades together is of great importance for stabilization and the correct biomechanical position of the body during exercise. Which, in turn, will allow you to perform the exercises technically correctly and as efficiently as possible.
Function of the trapezius muscle
The trapezius muscle brings the scapula closer to the spinal column, contracting with all bundles, raises the scapula, contracting with the upper bundles, and lowers, contracting with the lower ones.
When you try to plug your ears by shrugging your shoulders, you are using just the trapezius muscles.
It's no secret to anyone that bodybuilders, working in the gym on their figure, always use various dumbbells and barbells to put more stress on certain muscles. A controlled heavy load leads to a rupture of muscle fibers, their rapid healing and the emergence of new, stronger ones.
Important: it is impossible to pump the trapezius muscles without working with additional weights; exercises that are performed with their own weight can only help to lose weight, but no more.
The classic exercise is the so-called “shrugs”, which, firstly, are very easy to do at home, and secondly, they have a simple execution technique.
This exercise focuses on the vertical work of the muscles and will give an excellent functional load (therefore, it is recommended to always perform it at the beginning of a workout).
The exercises are performed as follows: dumbbells (or bottles filled with water or sand) are taken in each of the hands, a standing position is taken with feet wide apart, after which it is only necessary to raise your shoulders up, as if giving a negative answer to any proposal. You need to complete at least 2 sets of 15-20 repetitions.
A variation of the shoulder shrug is the shrugs with weight behind the back, which are also aimed at the forearms and help correct posture, so you should also pay attention to it.
The back during execution should be straight, and the line of the spine should be natural. On inspiration, the shoulders rise up with straight arms behind the back, but at the same time both the legs and the chest, and, importantly, the arms should not lean in any direction. Only the shoulders should work here.
Tip: upon reaching the highest point, you should tighten the muscles of the trapezoid in order to give them maximum tension and, as a result, the best pumping effect.
Exercise "Rods", which will give the necessary load to the trapezius muscles - dumbbell pulls up on an inclined hard surface. Usually, the back of a chair acts as such a surface, which is tilted at an angle of 45 degrees to the wall or sofa.
The point is that you should lie on your back with your stomach down, so that your legs confidently feel the floor, while your arms hang down. Again, dumbbells are taken into each of the hands, which must be pulled up, working exclusively with the muscles of the back, not with the biceps and triceps, that is, slightly spreading the arms to the sides. It is not necessary to raise your hands as high as possible, only an amplitude of 15-25 centimeters is enough.
Tip: these exercises will give the best effect on muscle growth if they are performed together, therefore it is important to first give the maximum load to the trapezoid with the first exercise, and then finish it off with the second.
If the joints of the hands are well developed, then you can pump the trapezius muscles with the help of rotations performed with dumbbells. To perform the exercise, it is enough just to pick up the shells, after which they describe circles with a diameter of about 40-50 cm, first clockwise, then counter-clockwise. It is enough to perform the exercise 40 times (you can do it in two sets).
Since the trapezius muscles cannot be loaded without a load on the muscles of the arms, the latter can be severely damaged when choosing a too heavy sports equipment for exercise. That's why it's important:
- Conduct a set of warm-up exercises before training, aimed at working out the muscles of the back and trapezius muscles.
- Pre-lubricate the back with warming creams.
- Follow the technique for performing each exercise.
There is also the Chin Pull exercise, which requires some kind of bag or container that is easy to pick up - you should put a few filled bottles or something weighty in it.
Starting position: the legs are shoulder-width apart, and the lowered hands hold the backpack or bag with a narrow grip (that is, from their width, the arms descend to almost one point). The exercise is performed as follows:
- While inhaling, slowly pull the backpack to the chin so that at the highest point the elbows are slightly higher than the wrists.
- At the highest point, hold the backpack a little more in order to let the muscles feel the tension.
- After that, the weight slowly lowers down to the starting position.
Although it is impossible to add volume to the muscles without a power approach, you can work out the trapezius muscles with the help of special exercises that use a person’s own weight.
Classic in this area are push-ups, familiar to every person since school. They are performed as follows: initially, such an emphasis is taken lying down so that the back, hips and arms are within the same line, while the elbows are maximally reduced to the body.
The palms should be placed approximately at the level of the center of the chest; the push-ups themselves are performed very slowly in order to give a load to each joint and each muscle in the trapezium. It is necessary to go down until the chest touches the hands lying on the floor. Perform three sets of at least 30 reps.
You also need to pay attention to the Cobra exercise, which has little in common with the Plank. The starting position for this exercise is the emphasis lying on the arms and legs. After taking the starting position, you should lie on your stomach, then trying to simultaneously raise your head, arms, legs, and shoulders from the ground and trying to keep them at the highest possible point for a long time (at least a minute).
A classic "yard" exercise that focuses on the trapezius muscles is considered pull-ups on the crossbar with a wide grip. Such a grip implies fixing the hands on the horizontal bar at a width much greater than the usual grip (shoulder width).
Pulling up - lifting due to work on the reduction of the shoulder blades; in this case, you can help yourself a little with your biceps, but only to achieve an exit beyond the crossbar upwards; the lifting itself should be carried out only due to the trapezius muscles.
Tip: usually when doing pull-ups with a wide grip, they approach the crossbar at a slight angle (between the horizontal bars and the plane of a person, it can reach 20 degrees). This will help to further focus on the trapezius, and not the biceps.
The muscles of the trapezium of pulling up with the institution of the head work well. To perform this type of exercise, you should place your hands on the crossbar with a regular grip, and pull yourself up almost in a perfectly straight line, at the end of which move your head forward so that your neck just touches the horizontal bar.
Here it is much more important than in the previous exercise to ensure that only the trapezoid muscles work, since with a large number of repetitions the body will involuntarily help itself, including biceps and triceps.
Most athletes train the muscles of the trapezius and forearms two days a month, since these muscle groups are more adductor, and they are involved in other exercises, for example, aimed at the lats.
In any case, it is necessary at least sometimes to pay attention to pumping the trapezius muscles for a full training day. The trapezius muscles belong to the group of muscles that are quite easy to increase in volume, so the result with the proper approach will not be long in coming.
Well-developed trapezius muscles reduce any load on the shoulder joints, cervical vertebrae, which obviously minimizes the risk of any kind of injury, sprains and tears.
At the same time, with developed trapezoid muscles, it is much easier to keep posture due to the fact that voluminous muscles will simply interfere with the curvature of the vertebrae. The growth of the mass of the trapezius muscles is impossible without a power approach, therefore, over time, you will have to increase the weight and plastic bottles with sand and water alone will not work.
After returning from vacation and looking with sober eyes at his photos taken at a seaside resort, the author was surprised to find that he already had a fairly noticeable tummy. This saddened the author.
But true friends did not let me die of longing - they encouraged me to sign up for a gym. Moreover, they formed a company. By the way, it is better to go in for sports with the company. At least with two people. And more fun, and there is a certain competitive spirit.
It is better to start exercising twice a week (this is not an invention of the author - the advice of a trainer). And when you feel that you have "swinged" - you can switch to a frequency of three times in seven days. Someone is engaged more often, but if you just want to "put yourself in order" - that's enough: excessive zeal can do harm.
By the way, I almost forgot, it is necessary to consult a doctor before starting classes. Moreover, preferably not with a doctor "assigned" to the fitness center. Take your time, don't be sorry.
In the end, you will receive not just advice on the intensity of training and load, but also a more or less complete picture of your health. When was the last time you had an examination of the body for no apparent reason, just for prevention? That's the same.
When the doctor's consultation is received, finally go to the gym. Meet the trainer. At first, it is better to hire him - he will advise and control the implementation of a set of necessary exercises (depending on your goals), show you how to use the simulators correctly.
Want to eat something
To eat right when playing sports, the first breakfast, which should not be too plentiful. A glass of yogurt, kefir (not necessarily low fat), maybe a little cottage cheese, tea, coffee (both without sugar), or fresh orange juice.
The first breakfast is about 5% percent of the total daily caloric intake. Then the second breakfast. It can be eaten before leaving home for work or, if possible, already at work (approximately 30% of the daily calorie intake for an adult). Lunch is another 30% of calories. Snack - plus 5%. Dinner - 25%.
Another 5% - nutrition after training. You shouldn't eat too much. With a weight of 70-80 kg, the amount of food eaten should be no more than 4 kg per day. Do not forget about fruits and vegetables: 15-20% of the daily diet. This is the ideal option.
Not everyone and not always can follow a similar diet. But, of course, options are possible! For example, breakfast can be one - nothing bad will happen to you because of this. Breakfast and lunch on a "sports day" should be nutritious enough.
It is worth having an afternoon snack two or three hours after dinner. In general, in the afternoon you can eat little by little with an interval of two hours. At the same time, food should contain a lot of carbohydrates - this will give strength before class. It is worth building a schedule of daily meals so that the last one takes place at least an hour and a half before class. Drink water (not carbonated), juice - it won't hurt, especially in the last hour before training.
You need to eat varied. You should not get hung up on cottage cheese and dietary boiled chicken breasts (I know for myself that at first you only eat them, being happy for yourself, and then you can’t even look at these products). Boiled and steamed meat is perfect, legumes - only pureed, as well as oatmeal with milk.
A great option is various soups, not too fatty, but not quite lean either. Neutral soups, again for a change, should be interspersed with sour soups.
If possible, in order to comply with the meal schedule, it is better to carry food with you (if there is no normal cafe at work or nearby, or if you want to save money). Nothing to be ashamed of. In the end, are you trying to improve your figure, or do you simply have nowhere to put your money and you give it away for a gym out of nothing to do? In addition to chicken and meat, eat fish.
The daily calorie intake (and not only when playing sports) also depends on the climatic conditions in which the individual lives. In the heat of the beam, reduce the caloric content of food, while in Siberian frosts - eat more protein foods, but at the same time reduce fat intake.