Become a Beast With Power Shrugs
Today, in between a set of squats, I saw your average gym rat …
Pretty big guy, at least bigger than most. Sleeves cut off his college basketball shirt. Well, the sleeves and the whole sides of the shirt. But I digress…
Thing is, he fit the generic muscular build:
- Large, defined biceps …
- Big chiseled pecs …
- Washboard abs ready for laundry (yes, his shirt was cut enough to see his stomach) …
- Broad shoulders …
Basically, everything a guy “should be”. Right? After all, that’s all a girl really wants, and I’m sure that’s what this guy had in mind. Otherwise, he might have put some thought into his training.
Sorry, I’m getting snarky. But so many things bother me about this ideal “male”. Where is the power? The intimidation? The image of strength? His skinny legs, miniscule back, and pencil neck did nothing to exude these qualities.
But even a consistent squatter and deadlifter might have trouble, well, looking “big”. In my opinion, the key to looking fierce and full, like a mother fucking Viking of old, is developing your traps and your neck.
Big traps exude “don’t fuck with me” visual cues into our wild world. And the best exercise to develop your traps?
Power shrugs.
What Are Power Shrugs?
Every other guy at the gym does shrugs. Very few, if any, do power shrugs.
I first stumbled upon power shrugs was from Mad Cow’s weight training, an excellent online resource. Most variations of shrugs are “isolation” based: grab the weight, and shrug. Great. But this SEVERELY limits the potential stimulus for your traps. Power shrugs allow you to use weight in EXCESS of your deadlift MAX, to thicken your upper back and neck.
How To Get Those Traps …
Here’s what you’ll need:
- at least a 300 lb deadlift max (until you achieve this, keep deadlifting and come back later)
- a barbell
- at least 180 pounds in weight plates
- STRAPS
(Straps are crucial for this exercise. The dynamic nature of the movement will make gripping anything difficult.)
How To Perform Power Shrug, Step-By-Step …
- Set the loaded barbell at knee height. It should only be loaded to 135 lbs at this point.
- Strap onto the bar with your deadlift-width double overhand grip, and perform a hang clean. Hang cleans should be initiated by shooting your hips forward to clean the bar up. 135 should be fairly easy for you; maybe a little challenging.
- Easy, right? Now, add a plate on each side, bringing the total up to 225 lbs. Now, hang clean it again.
- Did it work? If yes, you are a beast, and can add more plates (up to 315 for now). But most people will not be able to pull it up, and that’s fine. This is your starting point.
- Instead of trying to hang clean it this time, you are going to use the same hip drive that you would do a clean with, but violently shrug the bar up. Try to hit your ears with your traps! Bend your knees to absorb the weight as the weight comes down on the negative, and go again.
Bill Starr stated in “The Strongest Shall Survive” that if your traps aren’t sore after a day of power shrugging, you didn’t do it right.
Start with 2 sets of 20 with 225 lbs, twice a week, for at least 3 weeks, if not four. You should notice a definite change in the mirror and increased upper back thickness.
As the weight increases, it will indeed get up to 50 lbs or more over your max deadlift, for several reps. You have some options: you can keep the weight “low” for more reps and sets, or increased it, for fewer reps and sets.
If you are approaching or eclipsing your deadlift max for the weight used with power shrugs, be aware of the fatigue this can bring onto your nervous system! Be conservative with heavy weight in this movement. If you are working the movement heavy, once a week, for 1-2 sets, is ALL you need!
Enjoy the beastness.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
hello nice article again.
But personnaly, exactly as many of my girl friends, I just hate traps.
Could you write an article about what exercises to practice to develop big shoulders without developing the traps?
I would like to continue developing in a square and Not “triangular huge traps” way.
Please do not critic my choice. I would be pleased if you can give us ideas on the question.
Thanks for all and keep up the good job !
@ Space: here’s the thing–it’s all connected, so you’re not going to build bigger shoulders without the traps growing just a little … but … if you don’t focus on doing “direct” trap work (like the powershrugs mentioned above) — then you won’t get “too big” of traps.
Just go to your local gym and look at all the guys there with skinny necks and small traps who work out all the time, and you’ll easily see how this is true — they don’t grow very big without direct work.
This reminds me I should finally order Bill’s book….
Thanks for the clear explanation of the exercise man
Cheers,
Yavor
@ Yavor: you betcha man!
I’ve got more developed traps than all these huge bodybuilder types and haven’t done shrugs in years, I power clean and overhead press with a shrug hold at the top. My traps are always sore after these exercises, more than any shrug ever made me. I’ll try these kinds of shrugs though
Damnit Space, what the hell is wrong with you? Now you say “just like all my girl friends”. That leads me to believe one of two things; 1, You’re a girl by which its ok to not want massive traps or 2. You’re gay by which it is also ok to not like traps. If you dont fall under either of those categories, then what the hell? Caleb did a damn good job not criticizing your choice. But I cant let that pass. Do you even have any idea how much hard work it takes to get big traps?? Power shrugs are a great idea for an accessorie but heavy deadlifts will do the most for ya. So there ya go. Dont ever deadlift and just keep on doing preacher curls and front raises like I know you are and no one will ever mistake you for a man.
i could not agree with you more, well said