Exercise recommendations for upper chest, traps?

[Trey22]

Been pushing hard to get into shape for the summer, but these are two areas I see lack of progress in.

I need some upper chest/trap exercises to add to my routine to bulk up these areas.

For chest, I currently perform flat/incline/decline bench and fly's. For shoulders and upper back... barbell shoulder presses, front raises, shrugs, bent over fly's, upright rows and a couple other exercises.

 

[Riverhound777]

Overhead press, rows.

 

[purbeast0]

you sound like you are doing more than enough to develop them, perhaps work on your form maybe?

when you do incline presses, where are you bringing the bar down to on your chest? is it touching your chest?

also w/shruggs, while it's very hard to do, try to keep your arms as straight as you possibly can so that you don't bend your elbows and use any arm strength to pull the weight up. also hold it at the top for a second, dont just come up and down immediately.

also if you do deadlifts or upright rows, those hit your traps nicely as a secondary as well.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: Riverhound777
Overhead press, rows.

rows are for lats/back.

for traps definitely OH press, upright rows and shrugs.

 

[presidentender]

Traps come from shrugs. Rows hit 'em, but they're not the focus.

 

[TallBill]

Dumbell pullovers,

 

[KoolDrew]

For chest, I currently perform flat/incline/decline bench and fly's. For shoulders and upper back... barbell shoulder presses, front raises, shrugs, bent over fly's, upright rows and a couple other exercises.

Maybe if you didn't do 4 movements for chest, you might actually see some progress. More movements is the last thing you need.

 

[Trey22]

purbeast0 - Since I usually work out alone, I use bells when doing chest, so I bring my elbows down to just a hair lower than parallel to my chest. I'll work on my form when doing shrugs... I do notice my elbows bending alot.

TallBill - I've never done bell pullovers, I'll try those out next time I hit shoulders... had to look it up to check out proper form for that exercise.

KoolDrew - Can you please clarify? Is it better to do several sets of one single chest exercise and focus on heavier weight, than to do 4 different exercises w/ moderately heavy weight?

 

[brikis98]

1. I say it to everyone else, so I'll say it to you in the hopes it gets through. If you want real gains, get a proper routine. Look into Rippetoe Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, Bill Star 5x5 and Crossfit. All focus on a handful of very effective compound barbell exercises repeated several times a week with heavy weight. The routines are simple, but the results are fantastic.
2. As KoolDrew mentioned, you don't need 4 chest-specific exercises to build your chest. Proper, heavy bench press, military press and dips (all compound exercises that work MANY muscles groups) repeated a couple of times a week (as in the above programs) will be plenty for just about anyone's chest. There are some exceptions, such as if you are a bodybuilder with several years of experience and already have significant muscle mass, then you can try detail work, such as fly's, the pec dec and so on. Until then, stick with the basic compound movements and keep the weight heavy.
3. Traps are worked by deadlifts, rows, and the clean & jerk (all part of the routines mentioned in #1). If you have some specific reason to really hammer them with isolation exercises (e.g. bodybuilding), then the many varieties of shrugs are the way to go.

 

[KoolDrew]

Originally posted by: brikis98
1. I say it to everyone else, so I'll say it to you in the hopes it gets through. If you want real gains, get a proper routine. Look into Rippetoe Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, Bill Star 5x5 and Crossfit. All focus on a handful of very effective compound barbell exercises repeated several times a week with heavy weight. The routines are simple, but the results are fantastic.
2. As KoolDrew mentioned, you don't need 4 chest-specific exercises to build your chest. Proper, heavy bench press, military press and dips (all compound exercises that work MANY muscles groups) repeated a couple of times a week (as in the above programs) will be plenty for just about anyone's chest. There are some exceptions, such as if you are a bodybuilder with several years of experience and already have significant muscle mass, then you can try detail work, such as fly's, the pec dec and so on. Until then, stick with the basic compound movements and keep the weight heavy.
3. Traps are worked by deadlifts, rows, and the clean & jerk (all part of the routines mentioned in #1). If you have some specific reason to really hammer them with isolation exercises (e.g. bodybuilding), then the many varieties of shrugs are the way to go.

:thumbsup:

The problem is that you're doing too many exercises. You don't need 4 exercises for any body part. You'll see best results just concentrating on sticking to the basics and getting stronger on a few compound movements. The most you need per bodypart is maybe two on larger muscle groups and one on smaller (think quads vs biceps or something) and the bulk of your routine should be compound movements and you should always try to get stronger.

If you're just getting into lifting (I'm just assuming) you're probably best off just doing a simple full-body routine 3x a week. All a basic routine needs is legs, push, and a pull. Take the Starting Strength routine for example.

Workout A:
Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
Deadlift 1x5

Workout B:
Squat 3x5
OH Press 3x5
Rows 3x5

Alternate between the two 3x a week on non-consecutive days. As a beginner that's all you really need and if you're getting stronger on all the lifts your chest and traps will grow.

Also, this may be stating the obvious but, if your goal is to bulk up don't forget your diet. You could have a solid training routine and work your ass off in the gym, but if the calories aren't there you're not going to "bulk up" anything.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

switch up the sets........

one time do 4 x 5 another do 2 x 20 another 3 x 8

Adjust the wieght so by the last rep you are almost at failure. Also adjust the rest period swithc it up one week do 60 seconds rest, next do 120 seconds rest then 90 seconds rest

You are probably doing the same thing so your body has adapted and stopped growing. simple changes like i propsed should help .

 

[Trey22]

Originally posted by: KoolDrew

Originally posted by: brikis98
1. I say it to everyone else, so I'll say it to you in the hopes it gets through. If you want real gains, get a proper routine. Look into Rippetoe Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, Bill Star 5x5 and Crossfit. All focus on a handful of very effective compound barbell exercises repeated several times a week with heavy weight. The routines are simple, but the results are fantastic.
2. As KoolDrew mentioned, you don't need 4 chest-specific exercises to build your chest. Proper, heavy bench press, military press and dips (all compound exercises that work MANY muscles groups) repeated a couple of times a week (as in the above programs) will be plenty for just about anyone's chest. There are some exceptions, such as if you are a bodybuilder with several years of experience and already have significant muscle mass, then you can try detail work, such as fly's, the pec dec and so on. Until then, stick with the basic compound movements and keep the weight heavy.
3. Traps are worked by deadlifts, rows, and the clean & jerk (all part of the routines mentioned in #1). If you have some specific reason to really hammer them with isolation exercises (e.g. bodybuilding), then the many varieties of shrugs are the way to go.

:thumbsup:

The problem is that you're doing too many exercises. You don't need 4 exercises for any body part. You'll see best results just concentrating on sticking to the basics and getting stronger on a few compound movements. The most you need per bodypart is maybe two on larger muscle groups and one on smaller (think quads vs biceps or something) and the bulk of your routine should be compound movements and you should always try to get stronger.

If you're just getting into lifting (I'm just assuming) you're probably best off just doing a simple full-body routine 3x a week. All a basic routine needs is legs, push, and a pull. Take the Starting Strength routine for example.

Workout A:
Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
Deadlift 1x5

Workout B:
Squat 3x5
OH Press 3x5
Rows 3x5

Alternate between the two 3x a week on non-consecutive days. As a beginner that's all you really need and if you're getting stronger on all the lifts your chest and traps will grow.

Also, this may be stating the obvious but, if your goal is to bulk up don't forget your diet. You could have a solid training routine and work your ass off in the gym, but if the calories aren't there you're not going to "bulk up" anything.

Forgot to add one important factor... I have a ruptured L5 disc in my back. Since I started lifting (6 months), the only squats, deadlifts, and cleans I've done, have been very low weight.

If someone has suggestions for any possible replacements for those exercises, I'm willing to try them.

As for my diet, it's really clean, but I'm just not a big eater, so I supplement w/ protein shakes... I think I might have to add a weight gainer shake. Currently at about 165 lbs, 5'8", about 15% bodyfat.