Strong trapezes can be useful in sports such as wrestling, football, hockey, boxing and rugby, as they provide the necessary support for the neck, which is an important factor in preventing injuries. This muscle works even with a simple trip from the supermarket with heavy bags.
From an aesthetic point of view, well-developed upper trapeziums allow you to create a powerful physique. For this reason, many bodybuilders work hard to develop this muscle. In addition to adding volume to the back and shoulders, you will also improve strength in many exercises for the upper body.
Of all the exercises that are aimed at working out the upper trapeziums, one of the most common is shrugs with dumbbells (from the English to shrug - “shrug”).
Compared to the barbell, the use of dumbbells allows you to reduce the load on the shoulder joints, since your shoulders do not have to rotate to hold the barbell. This allows you to maintain a stable position when performing movement.
Target muscles
The trapezius muscle is a flat, wide muscle that is located in the upper back and back of the neck. It is conditionally divided into upper, middle and lower parts.
The main function of the trapezoid is to move or stabilize the shoulder blades and is used when shrugging, raising arms, pulling the shoulder blades back and turning the head.
Many basic muscle building exercises, such as traction and bench presses, use the trapezoid in one way or another. The presence of weak trapezius muscles will complicate the course of their implementation. Conversely, the development of trapeziums will lead to an increase in strength as part of the above exercises. Compound exercises work synergistically: if one muscle lags behind, then the entire exercise will be delayed to some extent.
Unfortunately, trapeze is usually one of the weakest muscle groups, so it is very important to use additional exercises to strengthen them.
The upper part of the trapezius muscles is trained by raising and lowering the shoulders with weights in the hands (performing scars with standing dumbbells). The lower part can be worked out by mixing and breeding the blades under load.
Dumbbell Shrugs: Technique
Now let's move on to the correct technique for doing the exercise:
- Take dumbbells, stretch your arms to the sides, palms facing the torso, legs shoulder width apart.
- As you exhale, lift the dumbbells, lifting your shoulders as high as possible. Imagine you are trying to touch your shoulders to your ears without moving any other parts of your body. Hold the contraction at the top for a few seconds.
- As you inhale, lower the dumbbells back to their original position.
- Repeat the required number of times.
The number of repetitions and the choice of load
The number of repetitions and the choice of weight will depend on your current strength and goals that you want to achieve. Trapeziums tend to respond well to high repetitions and explosive movements. Therefore, the highest number of repetitions with light weights is more desirable than the lower number of repetitions with heavier weights. Keep this in mind when designing your training program.
If you're a beginner, start with 3 sets of at least 8 reps each. Turn on the trapezoid exercise twice a week.
Exercise Recommendations
- The gaze should be directed slightly upwards. If your head is stretched too far forward or backward, this can cause the neck muscles to take up most of the muscle tension. To prevent this, choose the weight with which you can perform the exercise with the right technique.
- Also, do not allow the head to move too actively when you squeeze the trapeze, this can lead to loss of control over the neck and cause injury. The movement should be smooth and controlled.
- Hands should always be extended. Do not use biceps to help lift the dumbbells, only the shoulders should move up and down.
- Inertia movement and excessive twitching will not allow to work out the target muscles with high quality. Reduce weight or do sitting exercises to prevent these errors.
- Adding a pause to the top of the movement can help improve communication between the target muscle and the brain.
Exercise Variations
Shrugs can be performed using various equipment. In addition to standard dumbbells, you can use an elastic expander or barbell. It can also be performed in a crossover using a special handle.
You can also work with one hand, alternating sides. This option is suitable for those who have muscle imbalance.
Summary
So, we examined the correct technique for performing dumbbell shreds, as well as recommendations for performing this exercise. Trapeziums are often lagging muscles that should be trained additionally. By creating this long, triangular muscle located in the upper back, you can seriously change your proportions.