Friday, November 4, 2011

Bodypart Specialization - Trap Specialization

For many years now I have obsessed over my trap size, or lack of.  Yes I know, some of you may say my traps aren't that bad.  But I don't care because I have body dysmorphia.  So kiss my ass.

Anyway, for any of you that would like to join me in increasing the yoke/trap size, here is the routine I will be doing for the next 4 weeks.   

Mondays - 
Barbell Shrugs  - 10+ sets of 3 to a top triple
Abs

Tuesdays - Pressing
Press Behind the Neck - 3 x 6-8 moderate
Incline Press - 2 x 5 moderate
Curls - 4 x 20 light

Wednesday - 
Upright Rows - 8 x 20 
Abs

Thursday - Lower Body
Squats - 3x5 moderate
Speed Deads - 3x3 uh, it's speed deads so it's light
 
Saturday - 
Seated Camberbed Bar Shrugs - 5x5 same weight all sets
Upright Rows - 5x10 heavier than Wednesday to a top set
Abs

14 comments:

  1. nice post! I am with ya on the yoke, I started the OCD obession after reading the yoke article from wendler! even got a neck harness as well. I like the routine. Not a standard everyday lift, but heavy farmer walks are becoming one of my favorite lifts! big time yoke killer

    greg

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  2. If I had the bars that most def would have been in here.

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  3. This looks kinda Chaos and Painish.

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  4. Actually I got the epiphany after reading about TC Louma prioritizing arms for a month.

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  5. hey Paul.
    Did you consider doing traps only for 3 or 4 weeks like CT did? or do you think this would have lost size elsewhere?
    also, I've noticed that although you have phases where you work on chins quite a lot, a lot of the time you dont include much rowing/lat work - do you see this purely as assistance work that at the moment you do not need? just really interested to know how you program.
    thanks

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  6. Bud - My thinking here isn't just about traps actually.


    There will be a lot of trap and ab work because I think shoring up those two areas will move my deadlift.

    I almost always include some kind of row or some kind of rear lateral. They all do the same thing. Namely work the rhomboids. I see it as important, just not something to fret over. I have phases where I live off of building my t-bar row as well.

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  7. Hi Paul,

    What do you think of the neck harness?

    I've got a TINY neck-- for the past year I've been using the neck harness (1x20,1xAMAP for neck extensions and flexions) 2-3x a week. I haven't been that consistent but I've managed to put an inch on my neck.

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  8. G'day Paul

    A friend in his 40s asked me for a solid lifting program to get him started. I referred him to your ADD program published last year on EliteFTS.
    Would you make any changes to the program for a guy who’s just starting out, but is not-so-young?

    Thanks mate, not just for your response but for the ton of great info here.

    (And apologies for posting this question outside of your weekly Q&A, but I don't have regular access to the net these days.)

    Rob
    Australia

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  9. Paul,
    I think you need to cleanse that mouth of yours of that "speed deadlifts". Next thing we know and you'll be doing speed benches.

    Jeff

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  10. Jeff - I will never do a god damn speed bench. Ever. I'd rather get fist fucked by a Gorilla.

    Rob - No changes required, that's a great program for a guy just starting out.

    Howard - I personally don't like the neck harness. I just put the plates on my forehead and do neck crunches. Works good.

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  11. Paul, do you prefer to do upright rows with a straight bar ? I've found that db's don't give my shoulders any pain.

    ---Brian

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  12. Looks really interesting, hope it works out for you. I'm trying to lose some weight so specialisation will have to wait. Q; when you say top triple on shrugs, what would the form be like there, should you still be able to hold the contraction? And have you ever tried snatch grip high pulls or regular high pulls for traps? Steve Pulcinella of elitefts seems to love them and they always give me wicked trap doms, cannot yet vouch for their usefulness for growth though.

    B

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  13. I've done high pulls. I personally don't like them at all. I will actually be doing dynamic shrugs today for the triples. Where you lower it and explode upwards. THIS makes my traps more sore than anything in the world. In fact so much I am NOT looking forward to the doms, and I usually love DOMS.

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