Tip: Nail Your Middle and Lower Traps

To prevent imbalances, don't forget to train the part of your traps that you can't see in the mirror. Here's how.

Although the upper traps are already worked a lot during most lifting workouts, the traps still need focused retraction and depression work. This exercise, a variation of the Kelso shrug, targets the rhomboids and middle/lower traps exceptionally well.

  1. Lie face down on an incline bench with your chest supported and feet firmly planted on the ground. Be sure to create a stable base with your feet.
  2. With a neutral grip on the dumbbells, lift them by pinching the shoulder blades down and back as hard as possible. Focus on getting a hard contraction of the lower traps and hold it for about 5 seconds.

    You can also do this exercise with a barbell and an underhand grip.

Eirik Sandvik is an innovative athletic-performance specialist. His profound experience with injuries fuels his passion for finding the best strategies and solutions for overcoming setbacks. Eirik works with elite athletes in a variety of sports, from MMA to Figure fitness.    Follow on Instagram