Someone explain shrugs to me?

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  • caesar164
    caesar164 Posts: 312 Member
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    dbmata wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    Plenty of compound exercises work your traps. It's the same argument for why should anybody bother to do biceps curls if they're doing pull-ups and other rowing movements.

    I think what caught my eye about it, is that this was the bulk of the guy's workout, and while I've seen him around a few times, I've never seen him do a compound other than a bench or shoulder press. So obviously I got curious.

    I'll give em a swing next time I break out the trap bar for deadlifts.

    Would you believe your first post was reported as spam or abuse lol? Some people are so sensitive lol
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    caesar164 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    Plenty of compound exercises work your traps. It's the same argument for why should anybody bother to do biceps curls if they're doing pull-ups and other rowing movements.

    I think what caught my eye about it, is that this was the bulk of the guy's workout, and while I've seen him around a few times, I've never seen him do a compound other than a bench or shoulder press. So obviously I got curious.

    I'll give em a swing next time I break out the trap bar for deadlifts.

    Would you believe your first post was reported as spam or abuse lol? Some people are so sensitive lol

    Yeah, I believe it. Probably because I pussyfooted around what I really wanted to say, but yeah.

    So, interesting addendum to my question about shrugs. For some reason my phone's web browser sent me to t-nation, and there was an article about shrugs. I think this weekend I'm going all in.
  • 21million
    21million Posts: 113 Member
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    caesar164 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    Plenty of compound exercises work your traps. It's the same argument for why should anybody bother to do biceps curls if they're doing pull-ups and other rowing movements.

    I think what caught my eye about it, is that this was the bulk of the guy's workout, and while I've seen him around a few times, I've never seen him do a compound other than a bench or shoulder press. So obviously I got curious.

    I'll give em a swing next time I break out the trap bar for deadlifts.

    Would you believe your first post was reported as spam or abuse lol? Some people are so sensitive lol

    Oh is that what that symbol is? I thought it was a top hat because of some...top hat achievement.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Wouldn't utilizing and prioritizing the other lifts train the traps as far as they are needed?

    Not necessarily. There are many people who don't engage their traps fully while lifting because other muscle groups are too dominant. Shrugs help deadlifts and bench, so they do have a benefit as accessory work.

    ^This.

    It's an isolation exercise and isolation exercises are used to strengthen/build up target areas for a couple reasons. Improving the strength of that area may help push you over a stall or help you progress a little faster in other compound exercises. The other reason would be for aesthetics because while you can't spot reduce, you can target a muscle group for recomposition.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    PikaKnight wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Wouldn't utilizing and prioritizing the other lifts train the traps as far as they are needed?

    Not necessarily. There are many people who don't engage their traps fully while lifting because other muscle groups are too dominant. Shrugs help deadlifts and bench, so they do have a benefit as accessory work.

    ^This.

    It's an isolation exercise and isolation exercises are used to strengthen/build up target areas for a couple reasons. Improving the strength of that area may help push you over a stall or help you progress a little faster in other compound exercises. The other reason would be for aesthetics because while you can't spot reduce, you can target a muscle group for recomposition.

    I missed where usmcmp mentioned it helped with bench. *kitten*, my bench needs help, I'm stalled at 225 for 4, that 5th rep just won't happen.

  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    dbmata wrote: »
    PikaKnight wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Wouldn't utilizing and prioritizing the other lifts train the traps as far as they are needed?

    Not necessarily. There are many people who don't engage their traps fully while lifting because other muscle groups are too dominant. Shrugs help deadlifts and bench, so they do have a benefit as accessory work.

    ^This.

    It's an isolation exercise and isolation exercises are used to strengthen/build up target areas for a couple reasons. Improving the strength of that area may help push you over a stall or help you progress a little faster in other compound exercises. The other reason would be for aesthetics because while you can't spot reduce, you can target a muscle group for recomposition.

    I missed where usmcmp mentioned it helped with bench. *kitten*, my bench needs help, I'm stalled at 225 for 4, that 5th rep just won't happen.

    Have you tried deloading recently?
  • caesar164
    caesar164 Posts: 312 Member
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    Me too, I'm stuck at 315 for 2 reps, I used to bench 365 in college:-(