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What do shrugs work out?
- Thread starter Eric1987
- Start date
desmond
New member
Shrugs primarily work out your upper trap muscles. I find if you do these more explosively (e.g., cheat shrugs), I also experience some DOMS in my mid trap area, and I guess they would also work out to some extent the lower back isometrically.
What rows work out depends on how they are done.
If you row to your face, you will find greater emphasis on the upper back, rear delts, traps etc. Rowing to your stomach ("bent over row") is a great middle back and lat exercise, although generally seen as a back thickness exercise. For whatever reason, rowing with an reverse grip hits my lower lats a bit too.
What rows work out depends on how they are done.
If you row to your face, you will find greater emphasis on the upper back, rear delts, traps etc. Rowing to your stomach ("bent over row") is a great middle back and lat exercise, although generally seen as a back thickness exercise. For whatever reason, rowing with an reverse grip hits my lower lats a bit too.
Blane
New member
shrugs have done the most for my entire traps other than dl's. but most people do not do them correctly. you need to lean forward and pull up and back together not up then back. explosive pull hold a sec then down without any assistance from the arms. done correctly you can work the entire muscle
Standing overhead barbell press? Isnt that military?
LucSulla
New member
My understanding was military press is close stance, behind the neck and overhead barbell presses is wide stance to the front but i might be wrong
Military presses and standing overhead presses are the same thing. A military press is specifically a shoulder press done while standing. Pressing behind the neck is a variation.
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Big_BK
Guest
I rarely do shrugs and have pretty good traps, deadlifts for the win.
posterior shrugceps and bit of the medial shrugernemius
Standing overhead press does involve your chest. Not as much as bench or incline but there is still some muscle recruitment.
Jocques Straap
New member
I understand the traditional military press is done with the heels together, and an arch in the upper back, resulting in greater pec involvement in the lift. While a overhead press the feet are spread and their isn't a significant amount of arch in the back.
Shrugs are the one exercise that I don't do (along with forearms). however, my goals are functional, not aesthetic. The upper trap is typically over active, and tends to over power the middle traps. You will commonly see peoples upper traps taking over, during a rowing exercise, shrugging at the end ROM of the row.
I find the upper traps get enough work from deads, cleans, and hell, they are even contracted, holding isometrically when curling. Upper trap growth, in many people seems to happen quickly and easily. It's rare to see someone that has underdeveloped upper traps, in comparison to the rest of their body.
I wonder why Shrugs seem to be sure a popular exercise. I think it is because, they are easy, you are moving a significant amount of weight (feels good phycologically), also, it is one of the muscle groups that are visible when wearing clothing, - (people tend to focus on muscle groups that you can see.)
I agree with Joe D, in that you need to retract your shoulder blades, contracting the middle traps, as well as elevating with the upper traps.
If you are going for the look of having a big "yoke" than shrugs are a tool to use to get you there.
I feel I have gotten the greatest amount of upper trap growth from Cleans and Snatches.
Shrugs are the one exercise that I don't do (along with forearms). however, my goals are functional, not aesthetic. The upper trap is typically over active, and tends to over power the middle traps. You will commonly see peoples upper traps taking over, during a rowing exercise, shrugging at the end ROM of the row.
I find the upper traps get enough work from deads, cleans, and hell, they are even contracted, holding isometrically when curling. Upper trap growth, in many people seems to happen quickly and easily. It's rare to see someone that has underdeveloped upper traps, in comparison to the rest of their body.
I wonder why Shrugs seem to be sure a popular exercise. I think it is because, they are easy, you are moving a significant amount of weight (feels good phycologically), also, it is one of the muscle groups that are visible when wearing clothing, - (people tend to focus on muscle groups that you can see.)
I agree with Joe D, in that you need to retract your shoulder blades, contracting the middle traps, as well as elevating with the upper traps.
If you are going for the look of having a big "yoke" than shrugs are a tool to use to get you there.
I feel I have gotten the greatest amount of upper trap growth from Cleans and Snatches.
LucSulla
New member
I think you hit upon it here. They serve a purpose (one I feel is better served by deads, cleans, and snatches), but what a buddy of mine back in college said one day at the rec pretty well sums it up. He called them "chick pleasers" or something to that effect because even a little guy could probably shrug at least 135 and look like they were strong.
I've wanted to ask a couple of times how many of the women here were impressed by just weight - not someone in great shape lifting, and not impressed in the thats-quite-an-accomplishment sense. I mean seeing a guy lifting heavy and find that attractive by itself. Something tells me that based on that factor alone it is very few if any.
T-bar rows? Machine like this (or similar - perhaps a chest pad)?
Anyway, bent over rows are a back thickness exercise (traps), but the farther you are bent over - for example if you were to do a seated row leaning far forward, head down pointed at teh weight stack - it becomes more of a back width exercise (lats).
cobracock1979
Member
yeah, deadlifts will take car of that
LucSulla
New member
My understanding was military press is close stance, behind the neck and overhead barbell presses is wide stance to the front but i might be wrong
You guys might find this interesting since military press came up in the thread. Bill Starr explains the overhead press, its benefits, and starts off with a pretty interesting history of how the the overhead press was even king above the bench press as a measure of strength. I always enjoy reading his stuff.
Part 1
Part 2
T-bar rows? Machine like this (or similar - perhaps a chest pad)?
Anyway, bent over rows are a back thickness exercise (traps), but the farther you are bent over - for example if you were to do a seated row leaning far forward, head down pointed at teh weight stack - it becomes more of a back width exercise (lats).
Thats it thats the one we do. What type of row is that considered?
Blane
New member
bill starr is the man. what a good read, really gets you wanting to press more... i wanna know how many of you guys are pressing body weight.. im gonna start trying it clean and jerk style then press.. i dont see how its gonna help but you know if bill says its gonna help i believe it
shrugs = traps
deadlift = back, legs, traps, shoulders, arms, forearms
your delts ARE your shoulders.
Rows work out your middle back, upper back, inner back, depending on what kind of rows you're doing.
Barbell rows, (narrow vs. wide grip) T-Bar rows, dumbell rows, seated rows
deadlift = back, legs, traps, shoulders, arms, forearms
your delts ARE your shoulders.
Rows work out your middle back, upper back, inner back, depending on what kind of rows you're doing.
Barbell rows, (narrow vs. wide grip) T-Bar rows, dumbell rows, seated rows
LucSulla
New member
Yeah, his writing always motivates the hell out of me.
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