Deadlift & Traps

[Kaytime]

I have a couple questions i have been curious about and i was hoping some of you guys could help me out.

(1) How do deadlifts hit the traps? is it because your holding alot of weight and it gives a great stretch or something else?

(2) i get told mixed opinions where once i have the weight up that i should pull my shoulders back to get more traps is this right?

(3) Can i throw in a shrug every rep of deadlift just to help with growth or is this no good?

I really want to know everyones opinions because i love deadlift and i am pretty sure my form is good but i just want to hit a bit more of the traps as my back is big enough

 

[balancefighter]

Ever since I have started dead lifting heavy my traps have blown up bro. More so then anything else I have tried to do for them. I dont do anything crazy like shrug when I am deadlifting either.

 

[Kaytime]

it must be genetics for me since they grow but slowly unlike every other muscle but my max would be 220kg with deadlift but what i dont get is how every1 says on here or other forums that their traps feel sore the next day.
mine never do. my Training day is Back/Traps which i find works beautifully

 

[The Instrumentalist]

dont shrug at the top of your deadlift. it puts your body's balance out of whack and you could end up injuring yourself. deads hit traps hard. but if youre worried about them growing slowly, add high pulls/upright rows from the hang position, and explosive power shrugs from the hang position to your routine and they'll blow up

 

[ExtraMile]

Because you should be using you traps to brace your shoulders and hold the shoulder girdle up. This is just part of keeping a good posture while moving a heavy weight through a full range of motion. You shouldn't be letting your shoulders sink right down/forwards.

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

I don't feel anything from deadlifts either in the traps.

Several of the powerlifters I train around pretty much just do deadlifts and they have good traps.

As is always the case we are all different. I have heard of guys that get huge biceps just from doing deads and cleans.

I would recommend power shrugs above all else for building big, thick, powerful traps. Twice a week would probably be ideal doing 5x5 and working up to using more than your max deadlift for reps.

I've been doing them once a week on deadlift day and I'm only up to 385 for 5x5 and they have grown very noticably in 3-4 weeks. I can only imagine what they'll look like when I using 450-500.

The only other trap exercise that I have really liked is high rep shrugs done very fast. Not so much explosive like power shrugs, but moreso just fast reps with a moderate weight for like 25-30 reps where you get a really intense burn.

Combine 5x5 power shrugs with a set or 2 of 25-30 until they burn and your traps will rapidly blow up.