The trapezius muscles, comprising the upper, middle, and lower fibers, play a vital role in shoulder elevation, scapular stability, and upper back strength. These muscles, along with the levator scapulae, are key for movements involving shrugging, pulling, and maintaining posture. Whether you’re aiming to enhance your shoulder aesthetics, build upper-body power, or improve posture and stability, training the traps is essential for well-rounded strength and function.

This page provides a comprehensive guide to trap exercises, targeting the upper, middle, and lower fibers of the trapezius. For the upper fibers, movements like barbell shrugs, trap bar drags, and dumbbell upright rows focus on building strength and mass. The middle and lower fibers, which support scapular retraction and depression, are targeted through exercises like scapular pull-downs and bodyweight scapular pull-ups.

A variety of equipment is covered, including barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, cables, and lever machines, ensuring options for every training environment. Advanced techniques, such as suspended inverted shrugs and isometric holds, challenge stability and endurance, while stretching movements like the upper trapezius stretch promote flexibility and recovery.

Whether your goal is to improve posture, enhance pulling strength, or build a thick and powerful upper back, this guide provides the tools and techniques to effectively train all aspects of the trapezius muscles.

Trapezius, Upper Fibers & Levator Scapulae

Barbell

• Barbell Shrug
• Barbell Upright Row
• Barbell Clean Shrug
• Barbell Behind the Back Shrug
• Barbell Snatch Grip Shrug

Trap Bar

• Trap Bar Shrug
• Trap Bar Side Drags

Dumbbell

• Dumbbell Shrug
• Dumbbell Upright Row
• Dumbbell Side Drag
• Dumbbell Clean Shrug

Kettlebell

• Kettlebell Shrug
• Kettlebell Upright Row
• Kettlebell Side Drags
• Kettlebell Sumo High Pull Shrug

Cable

• Cable Shrug
• Cable Upright Row
• Cable Duel Pulley Shrug
• Cable Duel Pulley Upright Row
• Cable Side Drags
• Cable Single Arm Shrug
• Cable Single Arm Side Drag

Lever (plate loaded)

• Lever Plate Loaded Shrug
• Lever Plate Loaded Grip Less Shrug
• Lever Plate Loaded Seated Shrug
• Lever Plate Loaded Low Row

Lever (selectorized)

• Lever Selectorized Shrug
• Lever Selectorized Grip Less Shrug
• Lever Selectorized Seated Shrug
• Lever Selectorized Low Row

Smith

• Smith Shrug
• Smith Upright Row
• Smith Single Arm Side Drag
• Smith Behind the Back Shrug

Weighted

• Lying Face Down Plate Neck Resistance

Band Resistive

• Band Shrug
• Band Upright Row
• Band Side Drags
• Band Single Arm Shrug
• Band Single Arm Side Drag

Body Weight

• Inverted Shrug

Isometric

• Barbell Hold
• Trap Bar Hold
• Dumbbell Hold
• Band Hold
• Kettlebell Hold
• Frame Hold

Stretch

• Upper Trapezius Stretch

Suspended

• Suspended Inverted Shrug

Trapezius, Middle & lower Fibers

Cable

• Scapular Pull-down

Lever (plate loaded)

• Lever Plate Loaded Scapular Pull-down

Lever (selectorized)

• Lever Selectorized Scapular Pull-down

Band Resistive

• Scapular Band Pull-down

Body Weight

• Scapular Pull-up

Suspended

• Scapular Suspended Pull-down

EXERCISES