The IFBB pro bodybuilder, Johny Jackson developed his trapezius muscles (cobra traps) unintentionally, by just doing extra shrugs at the end of his every workout, during teens. This resulted in his extra ordinary cobra traps and they became a reason of his fame. Building trapezius muscles like Johny Jackson and these 10 Bodybuilding Legends Of All Time - 8 Olympia Titles! is desire of millions as they can really make physique standout.
So following is list of exercises that are most effective for building cobra traps. Check this article to understand your body type so you can get best results from these exercises Ectomorph, Mesomorph and Endomorph - What's The Difference?
The most important thing in this exercise is proper form. It targets the middle and the lower regions of your trapezius muscles. It should be done in a controlled manner and proper mind muscle connection.
With the lowest seated setting possible sit in a Reverse Machine Flye Machine. With a supinated grip, grab the handles a little higher than the shoulder level.
Start the exercise by bringing the handles all the way back, contracting your traps, pause for a second or two in the contracted position and return back slowly to the start. Perform at least 10 repetitions for good results.
This exercise targets the middle & lower regions of the trapezius muscles. Chose a pull-up bar and take a pronated grip. Raise yourself a few inches without using your arms from the hanging position. Stop for a while on completion and then very slowly return to the starting position. Perform 4 sets of at least 12 repetitions for good results.
One of the most famous exercises in bodybuilding. Open your feet at shoulder width as you stand firm on the ground. Hold a barbell with both hands in front of you using a pronated grip (palms facing the thighs and using wrist wraps will be a better choice.
This will be your starting position. Raise your shoulders up as far as you can go as you breathe out and hold the contraction for a second. Slowly return to the starting position as you breathe in. Doing 3 sets of at least 8 repetitions will be a good choice.
To hit the rear deltoid and lower trapezius regions, this exercise is one the best exercises. But be very careful when you do this. To do this exercise attach a rope to the cable machine. Make sure that the rope is not slippery due to too much usage and the floor and your shoes have enough friction.
Keep your upper arms parallel to the ground, and your elbows higher than your wrists throughout movement. Then slowly bring the rope back to the starting position. 4 sets of at least 12 repetitions will be a good choice.
Chose the appropriate weight and stand exactly between the handles with your back towards machine. Grasp the handles with a comfortable grip. Take a breath and lower your hips. To reach on the starting position, drive through the floor with your heels, extending your hips and knees and rise to a standing position.
Your arms should remain straight throughout the movement, finishing with your shoulders back. Raise the weight by shrugging the shoulders towards your ears, moving straight up and down. Stop for a while at the top of the motion, and then return the weight to the starting position. Do 4 sets of at least 10 repetitions for good results.
This exercise targets middle back and shoulders along with traps. First of all set the bar height on the smith machine around the middle of your thighs. Adjust the height as required and chose the appropriate weight. Then with a pronated grip, grap the bar and keep the feet shoulder width apart. Your back should remain straight. By fully extending your arms lift the barbell up to make the starting position.
While exhaling, elevate the bar by raising shoulders until they come close to your ears. Then while inhaling, hold the contraction for a while before lowering the bar back down to the position from where you started.
You can also do this exercise by using a squat rack with a barbell. But in this case you will not have support of smith machine so very carefully select the weight to keep proper form. Too much weight is not recommended as it can cause injury. And in this exercise it can cause injury in back. 3 sets of 12 repetitions will be a good choice.
By keeping the shoulders pads above the shoulders position yourself on the calf machine. Now make the starting position by keeping your torso straight with arms extended normally by your side.
While exhaling raise your shoulders up towards your ears and hold the contraction for a couple of seconds. While inhaling return to the starting position but be very slow while you do this. 3 sets of at least 10 repetitions will give good results.
Chose a kettle bell of size that you can easily grip and handle during exercise. Place that among your feet in the centre. Use both hands to grip the kettle bell and your feet should remain shoulder width apart. Bent your knees and set your hips back.
This will be your starting position. Begin by extending the knees and hips, simultaneously pulling the kettle bell to your shoulders, raising your elbows as you do so. Reverse the motion to reach back to the starting position. 3 sets of at least 10 repetitions will give good results.
One of the most effective exercises for traps. You can use heavy weights in it (according to your stamina). Your upper and middle traps will isometrically contract really hard and fast to be able to complete the whole thing, plus contract to hold your arm overhead because of the violent motion of the snatch part of the movement. First of all place the dumbbell between your feet and then squat down to grab the dumbbell.
Then squat up as fast as possible for you, accelerate the weight up into overhead position and jerk your hips forward. You will do another type of exercise by pressing the weight up, so do not do that. 3 sets of 10 repetitions will give good results.
This exercise will also increase the strength of your upper back & shoulders along with working for your traps. This is a very important and useful exercise for an overhead athlete. While performing this exercise shoulder joint should be protected from wear and tear so ample upward rotation will be done.
To start the exercise, hold a barbell overhead as if you have just finished a military press. Elevate your shoulders, contract your traps and keep the core tight during this action. Slowly release after squeezing the top position for at least 3 seconds. First perfect your form and then slowly add weight with the passage of time. 3 sets of at least 10 repetitions will give good results.
Slightly bend your knees and place your feet shoulder width apart. Lift your shoulders up toward your ears as high as possible while keeping your arms straight.
Then focus on pulling the bar up and slightly behind the hips. After holding the contraction for a second, lower the bar back to the start. 3 sets of at least 12 repetitions will give good results.
None of these will work if you won't go to gym and do them. So read this article to get a dose of motivation and hit some weights 20 Most Motivating Bodybuilding Motivational Clips On YouTube
Have a nice day.
Cheers!
So following is list of exercises that are most effective for building cobra traps. Check this article to understand your body type so you can get best results from these exercises Ectomorph, Mesomorph and Endomorph - What's The Difference?
 |
| Cobra Traps can really make physique stand out |
Seated Supinated Grip Reverse Machine Flye
The most important thing in this exercise is proper form. It targets the middle and the lower regions of your trapezius muscles. It should be done in a controlled manner and proper mind muscle connection.
With the lowest seated setting possible sit in a Reverse Machine Flye Machine. With a supinated grip, grab the handles a little higher than the shoulder level.
Start the exercise by bringing the handles all the way back, contracting your traps, pause for a second or two in the contracted position and return back slowly to the start. Perform at least 10 repetitions for good results.
 |
| Proper form is very necessary while doing Seated Supinated Grip Reverse Machine Flye |
Scapular Pull up
This exercise targets the middle & lower regions of the trapezius muscles. Chose a pull-up bar and take a pronated grip. Raise yourself a few inches without using your arms from the hanging position. Stop for a while on completion and then very slowly return to the starting position. Perform 4 sets of at least 12 repetitions for good results.
Barbell Shrug
One of the most famous exercises in bodybuilding. Open your feet at shoulder width as you stand firm on the ground. Hold a barbell with both hands in front of you using a pronated grip (palms facing the thighs and using wrist wraps will be a better choice.
This will be your starting position. Raise your shoulders up as far as you can go as you breathe out and hold the contraction for a second. Slowly return to the starting position as you breathe in. Doing 3 sets of at least 8 repetitions will be a good choice.
 |
| Keep your feet at a shoulder which apart doing Barbell Shrug |
Face Pulls
To hit the rear deltoid and lower trapezius regions, this exercise is one the best exercises. But be very careful when you do this. To do this exercise attach a rope to the cable machine. Make sure that the rope is not slippery due to too much usage and the floor and your shoes have enough friction.
Keep your upper arms parallel to the ground, and your elbows higher than your wrists throughout movement. Then slowly bring the rope back to the starting position. 4 sets of at least 12 repetitions will be a good choice.
 |
| Face Pulls is one of the best exercises for developing Cobra Traps |
Leverage Shrug
Chose the appropriate weight and stand exactly between the handles with your back towards machine. Grasp the handles with a comfortable grip. Take a breath and lower your hips. To reach on the starting position, drive through the floor with your heels, extending your hips and knees and rise to a standing position.
Your arms should remain straight throughout the movement, finishing with your shoulders back. Raise the weight by shrugging the shoulders towards your ears, moving straight up and down. Stop for a while at the top of the motion, and then return the weight to the starting position. Do 4 sets of at least 10 repetitions for good results.
 |
| Grasp the handles with a comfortable grip while doing Leverage Shrug |
Smith Machine Shrug
This exercise targets middle back and shoulders along with traps. First of all set the bar height on the smith machine around the middle of your thighs. Adjust the height as required and chose the appropriate weight. Then with a pronated grip, grap the bar and keep the feet shoulder width apart. Your back should remain straight. By fully extending your arms lift the barbell up to make the starting position.
While exhaling, elevate the bar by raising shoulders until they come close to your ears. Then while inhaling, hold the contraction for a while before lowering the bar back down to the position from where you started.
You can also do this exercise by using a squat rack with a barbell. But in this case you will not have support of smith machine so very carefully select the weight to keep proper form. Too much weight is not recommended as it can cause injury. And in this exercise it can cause injury in back. 3 sets of 12 repetitions will be a good choice.
Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug
By keeping the shoulders pads above the shoulders position yourself on the calf machine. Now make the starting position by keeping your torso straight with arms extended normally by your side.
While exhaling raise your shoulders up towards your ears and hold the contraction for a couple of seconds. While inhaling return to the starting position but be very slow while you do this. 3 sets of at least 10 repetitions will give good results.
 |
| Calf Machine Shoulder Shrug needs proper form |
Kettle bell Sumo High Pull
Chose a kettle bell of size that you can easily grip and handle during exercise. Place that among your feet in the centre. Use both hands to grip the kettle bell and your feet should remain shoulder width apart. Bent your knees and set your hips back.
This will be your starting position. Begin by extending the knees and hips, simultaneously pulling the kettle bell to your shoulders, raising your elbows as you do so. Reverse the motion to reach back to the starting position. 3 sets of at least 10 repetitions will give good results.
Dumbbell Snatch
One of the most effective exercises for traps. You can use heavy weights in it (according to your stamina). Your upper and middle traps will isometrically contract really hard and fast to be able to complete the whole thing, plus contract to hold your arm overhead because of the violent motion of the snatch part of the movement. First of all place the dumbbell between your feet and then squat down to grab the dumbbell.
Then squat up as fast as possible for you, accelerate the weight up into overhead position and jerk your hips forward. You will do another type of exercise by pressing the weight up, so do not do that. 3 sets of 10 repetitions will give good results.
 |
| You can also use heavy weights for doing Dumbbell Snatch |
Overhead Barbell Shrugs
This exercise will also increase the strength of your upper back & shoulders along with working for your traps. This is a very important and useful exercise for an overhead athlete. While performing this exercise shoulder joint should be protected from wear and tear so ample upward rotation will be done.
To start the exercise, hold a barbell overhead as if you have just finished a military press. Elevate your shoulders, contract your traps and keep the core tight during this action. Slowly release after squeezing the top position for at least 3 seconds. First perfect your form and then slowly add weight with the passage of time. 3 sets of at least 10 repetitions will give good results.
 |
| Overhead Barbell Shrug also works for upper back & shoulders along with traps |
Behind the back Barbell Shrugs
Slightly bend your knees and place your feet shoulder width apart. Lift your shoulders up toward your ears as high as possible while keeping your arms straight.
Then focus on pulling the bar up and slightly behind the hips. After holding the contraction for a second, lower the bar back to the start. 3 sets of at least 12 repetitions will give good results.
None of these will work if you won't go to gym and do them. So read this article to get a dose of motivation and hit some weights 20 Most Motivating Bodybuilding Motivational Clips On YouTube
Have a nice day.
Cheers!
