🏥 Health Workout chat

[Eagle]

I've had good luck with those arm raises in any case. Maybe its time to post a new pic today after working out....

GVT seems to be working pretty good to me. Def gaining strength and ppl are asking what I'm doing diff, telling me I'm getting bigger, again.

 

[Turk]

K, I'll try it out. Gonna try and kill my shoulders this week, gotta really work on my fucking traps though.

 

[Eagle]

Traps I have a hard time with. Wish mine would show a bit more. I've tried all sorts of things to exercise them... nothing seems to grow them like I can do with other muscle groups in that area...

 

[divasixstar]

my personal trainer showed me this sort of "shrugging" exercise that works traps.. i can't explain how to do it well... but you put a bar on the cable weights... stand on an angle with your feet towards the cable. and then while keeping your arms straight you shrug. lol it sounds stupid, but i dunno, it works back muscles that people don't normally work out. maybe that will help?

 

[Turk]

So you shrug with the cables is what you're saying while leaning back?

 

[Eagle]

I've tried DB shrugs, BB shrugs, cable shrugs...

 

[divasixstar]

So you shrug with the cables is what you're saying while leaning back?

guys have a much easier time being simple.. lol yes.

I've tried DB shrugs, BB shrugs, cable shrugs...

maybe your traps are scared of you and don't want to show themselves... lol

 

[Eagle]

unlikely.

 

[Swoley McDelts]

<----Trapzilla, just sayin

 

[Turk]

<----Trapzilla, just sayin

What does your weekly trap workout consist of?

 

[OffshoreDrilling]

my traps suck as well. Ive changed up what I have been doing and have seen some growth. Lower weight and higher reps has been treating me well lately.

I have been doing 3 sets of 15 with each arm, of a lighter weight (35 on each side of the bar) single arm smith machine shrugs. Really concentrating on the contraction of only the trap and squeezing hard at the peak


Face pulls, 4 sets of 12-15, again concentrating on the contraction of only the traps.


And behind the back shrugs, 3 sets of 12-15, concentrating on contraction of only the traps.

 

[Swoley McDelts]

i tend to change it up start at the 55s dumbells then do every weight after that till the end which are 100s x10 reps for each, or barbell shrugs warm up 135, 225, 275, 315 all for x15 reps (same on smyth machine) or do the one arms like snailblzer just posted

 

[OffshoreDrilling]

I feel like i finally have enough experience in the gym to know how my body is responding to things, and get more out of my workouts. Building a mind muscle connection has really helped me. Before I do a set, i always do the motion 10 or so times with just my body and contract the muscle i am trying to hit.

Im not interested in being a powerlifter or trying to put up huge numbers. I care more about the aesthetics, but the strength will come along with size as well.

 

[Eagle]

behind back shrugs seem like something that make a lot of sense as do the face pulls. Just doing that face pull motion and pulling back to stop without weight allows you to feel that its hitting the correct muscles. Good stuff. Maybe I'll try some of this out today.

 

[Gav'sPurpleZ]

rear flies, front raises, side raises ( both can be done seated or standing ), upright row, behind the back upright row, military barbell press, dumbbell press, shrugs, steering wheels, side raises on an incline bench ( using a lighter weight dumbbell and only bringing the weight parallel with your should, no over your head ) helps create the cut between your shoulder/delts and the bicep muscle.

 

[SirMarco]

Last night:
30min of intervals on the treadmill
20 min on the trainer
chest - all dumbbells and cables
tris

 

[Gav'sPurpleZ]

back at it tonight, coincidentally will be shoulders.

 

[Eagle]

Tried behind back shrugs at yesterday's workout... didn't feel right (something in my right shoulder was pulling) so I went back to "normal" over hand and underhand shrugs on the smith machine 6x10x180#. Did 4x10x72# face pulls on the cable machine. Needed to lean back pretty far to counter balance the weight. Today, I'm not feeling anything in my traps.

Also did ab ripper and 10x10x180# squats as my main workout. My ass hurts today.

For those that do huge squat sets (Jared) what kind of padding are you guys using on your shoulders? I find the day after squats my shoulders / upper back hurts from the weight of the bar. Kinda like I was hit by a bat.

 

[SirMarco]

Some gyms have a shoulder pad that just wraps around the bar. Kinda like the down tube pad on a BMX bike. When I was going to bally's, they didn't have one so I got those foam noodles kids use in the pool and cut on shorter. A store that sells workout equipment might have the real nice ones that contour to your neck and shoulders.

 

[Eagle]

Yeah, they have that deal there and I use it. Maybe I just need to man up.

The GVT thing really is a PITA on workouts like squats. 100 reps is a real bitch.

 

[SirMarco]

I'm small and do 350#+ squates and use it. Just get it to a good position and you should be fine.

 

[Eagle]

I think my problem is that its really pretty narrow. Like maybe a chick's shoulders would fit under this pad. For me though, the damn thing barely covers my traps and leaves the rest of my shoulders to fend for themselves and that's where I get sore. Rear delts area-ish.

 

[SirMarco]

Get the noodle man. You can cut it down and even round out areas to better fit you. The more comfy you are the better off you will be. The one at my gym is pretty big. It would be good for you I think .

 

[OffshoreDrilling]

I dont use any padding on the bar at all. After you do it enough, you will find a spot you are comfortable resting the bar. Having a nice set of traps to rest it on helps also.

I personally use a low bar position on my squats.

 

[Eagle]

Low bar positioning is what I use as well. That horizontal line is exactly where I get sore.