4 Myths keeping your shoulders small instead of YOKED

Summary

This video debunks four common myths about shoulder and trap training that are keeping your shoulders small instead of fully developed. It explains why training your traps is essential for overall shoulder size, challenges the effectiveness of traditional shrugs, highlights the role of isometric contractions in exercises like deadlifts, and suggests optimal techniques for shrugging, including head positioning. By the end, viewers will learn better methods to build bigger traps and shoulders using evidence-based fitness strategies, including tips for safe and effective training.

Takeaways

• 💪 The first myth debunked is that you don't need to train your traps to achieve a 'yoked' shoulder look; training traps is crucial for overall shoulder size.
• 🏋️‍♂️ The second myth discussed is that dumbbell or barbell shrugs are the best for training traps, but research suggests that the trapezius muscles may not act as direct shoulder elevators.
• 🧠 A study by Johnson et al. indicates that the trapezius fibers' orientation makes them less effective as elevators of the scapula, contrary to common depictions.
• 🔍 The Conley et al. study found that conventional exercises like shrugs and deadlifts did not significantly grow the upper traps, suggesting the need for more effective exercises.
• 🚸 The third myth is that deadlifts don't train the traps effectively; however, they are considered a viable exercise for trap development due to the mechanical tension and eccentric overload.
• 🤸‍♂️ It's suggested that shrugs with the shoulders abducted, such as wide grip shrugs or cable shrugs, are more effective for upper trap training than traditional shrugs.
• 🙅‍♂️ The fourth myth is that keeping the head back is the best form for shrugging; instead, performing shrugs with the head slightly forward may be more effective due to biomechanics.
• 🧐 The script challenges the conventional wisdom that isometric contractions are ineffective for muscle growth, highlighting that long length isometric contractions can be beneficial.
• 🏆 The speaker proposes a tier list for upper trap exercises, with shrugs with abducted shoulders at the top, followed by standard shrugs and deadlifts, and most other shoulder exercises being less effective.
• 👨‍🏫 The video concludes by promoting the speaker's online courses for fitness professionals and individuals interested in evidence-based fitness and personal development.

Q & A

What is the primary myth discussed in the video that prevents people from achieving 'yoked' shoulders?

The primary myth discussed is that you don't need to train your traps to achieve a 'yoked' look, which is debunked by explaining that training the traps is vital for overall shoulder size and the desired appearance.

How does the video suggest training the traps can help in achieving a 'yoked' appearance?

The video suggests that training the traps, especially with exercises that involve shoulder abduction, can significantly impact the total shoulder size and help achieve a 'yoked' look.

What does the video claim about the effectiveness of dumbbell or barbell shrugs for training the traps?

The video challenges the common belief that dumbbell or barbell shrugs are the best way to train the traps, citing research that suggests these exercises may not effectively target the upper traps.

According to the video, what is a more effective way to train the traps compared to traditional shrugs?

The video suggests that performing shrugs with the shoulders abducted, such as wide grip barbell shrugs or cable shrugs with pulleys far apart, is more effective for upper trap development.

What role do the upper trapezius fibers' orientation play in the effectiveness of certain exercises, as discussed in the video?

The video explains that the transverse orientation of the upper and middle fibers of the trapezius muscle means they are not direct shoulder elevators, which challenges the traditional view of how shrugs work and implies that exercises with shoulder abduction might be more effective.

How does the video address the myth that deadlifts don't train the traps effectively?

The video explains that deadlifts, especially Romanian deadlifts, can effectively train the traps despite the myth suggesting otherwise, and that they can stimulate significant trap hypertrophy.

What does the video suggest about the role of isometric contractions in muscle growth, particularly in the context of deadlifts?

The video suggests that long length isometric contractions, such as those experienced during deadlifts, can be very effective for muscle growth, contrary to the myth that isometric contractions are ineffective.

What is the video's stance on the importance of shrugging exercises for overall shoulder development?

The video emphasizes the importance of shrugging exercises, especially with shoulder abduction, for maximizing upper trap development and achieving a 'yoked' appearance.

How does the video recommend performing shrugs to maximize trap activation?

The video recommends performing shrugs with the head slightly forward rather than in a strict military posture, as this position allows for greater force production and muscle tension.

What additional advice does the video provide for individuals looking to optimize their shoulder training?

The video advises against counting the volume of non-shrugging shoulder exercises as heavily for trap development, and suggests focusing on shrugs with abducted shoulders for optimal results.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Myths About Shoulder Training

The paragraph discusses common misconceptions about shoulder training, emphasizing the importance of training the trapezius muscles for a 'yoked' appearance. It challenges the idea that some bodybuilders can skip trap training due to their natural muscle shape. The speaker shares personal experience and research suggesting that training the traps is crucial for overall shoulder size. The paragraph also introduces the second myth—that traditional shrugs are the best way to train the traps, which is then explored in the context of trapezius muscle fiber orientation and its implications for effective training.

05:01

🏋️‍♂️ The Biomechanics of Trap Training

This section delves into the biomechanics of the trapezius muscle, questioning the effectiveness of traditional shrug exercises based on the muscle's fiber orientation. It cites a study by Johnson et al., which suggests that the trapezius does not function primarily as a shoulder elevator due to the horizontal orientation of its fibers. The paragraph discusses how this affects the choice of exercises for training the traps, mentioning that exercises like deadlifts and overhead presses might not be as effective as traditionally believed. It also introduces research that indicates higher muscle activity during shrugs when the shoulders are abducted, suggesting that wide grip or overhead shrugs might be more effective.

10:03

🏋️‍♀️ Advanced Shoulder Training Techniques

The final paragraph addresses the third myth regarding the effectiveness of deadlifts in training the traps, arguing that they can be as effective as shrugs for stimulating trap hypertrophy. It discusses the role of isometric contractions in muscle growth, particularly long length isometric contractions, and how they can contribute to significant muscle hypertrophy. The paragraph also addresses the fourth myth about the proper form for performing shrugs, suggesting that keeping the head forward rather than in a military posture can be more effective due to the bi-articulate nature of the trapezius muscle. The speaker concludes by encouraging viewers to apply this knowledge to improve their shoulder training and offers online courses for further education.

Keywords

💡Traps

The traps, short for trapezius muscles, are large muscles located on the upper back that play a crucial role in moving, rotating, and stabilizing the shoulder blades. In the video, the speaker emphasizes that training the traps is vital for achieving a 'yoked' look, meaning well-developed, broad shoulders. The traps are often misunderstood, as many believe they don’t need to be trained directly, but the video argues that they are essential for shoulder size.

💡Shrugs

Shrugs are an exercise commonly associated with training the traps by raising the shoulders towards the ears. The video discusses the limitations of traditional shrugs, noting that most people assume shrugs train the traps effectively. However, the speaker explains that due to the horizontal alignment of the trap fibers, shrugs may not be as effective as once thought, especially when performed with arms down by the sides.

💡Shoulder abduction

Shoulder abduction refers to the movement of the arms away from the body, usually to the side. In the video, the speaker highlights that performing shrugs with the shoulders abducted (arms raised outward) aligns the upper trap fibers better for muscle growth. This position is suggested as being more effective than conventional shrugs, where the arms are kept by the sides.

💡Wide grip shrugs

Wide grip shrugs are a variation of shrugs where the hands are placed further apart on the barbell, causing the arms to abduct. The video argues that this method is superior for training the traps because it better aligns the fibers of the upper traps, allowing for more effective force production and hypertrophy, compared to traditional shrugs.

💡Biomechanics

Biomechanics is the study of the movement of the body and how muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments work together to produce motion. The video uses biomechanical principles to explain why traditional exercises like shrugs and deadlifts may not train the traps as effectively as once thought. The horizontal orientation of the trap fibers limits their ability to elevate the shoulders, which challenges the conventional understanding of trap training.

💡Isometric contraction

Isometric contraction is when a muscle contracts without changing its length. In the video, this term is used to explain that while deadlifts involve an isometric contraction for the traps, this contraction at a long muscle length can still stimulate significant growth. Contrary to the myth that deadlifts don't train the traps well, the video argues that isometric contractions during deadlifts can be very effective.

💡Deadlifts

Deadlifts are a compound exercise that primarily targets the posterior chain, including the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings, but also engages the traps. The video discusses a common myth that deadlifts do not train the traps effectively, attributing this to the isometric nature of the contraction. However, the speaker argues that deadlifts, particularly when involving eccentric loading, are still a valuable exercise for trap development.

💡Eccentric contraction

An eccentric contraction occurs when a muscle lengthens under tension. In the context of the video, deadlifts involve eccentric contractions of the traps as the weight pulls the shoulders down, creating a stretch in the traps. This type of contraction is known to be highly effective for muscle growth, supporting the argument that deadlifts contribute to trap hypertrophy.

💡Yoked

'Yoked' refers to having well-developed, broad shoulders and upper back muscles, giving an appearance of strength. In the video, achieving a yoked look is presented as the ultimate goal of training the traps and shoulders. The speaker explains that properly training the traps, especially through exercises like wide grip shrugs, can help viewers achieve this desired physique.

💡Trap hypertrophy

Hypertrophy refers to the increase in muscle size through training. Trap hypertrophy, or the growth of the trapezius muscles, is the main focus of the video. The speaker emphasizes that achieving hypertrophy in the traps requires specific exercises, such as wide grip shrugs, that engage the traps more effectively than traditional lifts like deadlifts or barbell rows. Achieving hypertrophy is crucial for building a 'yoked' appearance.

Highlights

Myth 1: You don't need to train your traps to get yoked shoulders.

Training the traps is vital for a yoked look and impacts total shoulder size.

You can mimic the appearance of bigger traps by rolling them.

Myth 2: Dumbbell or barbell shrugs are the best way to train your traps.

Traps are not direct shoulder elevators according to research by Johnson et al.

Study by Conley et al. found no significant upper trap hypertrophy with conventional exercises.

Adding neck extensions to training can grow neck muscles but not upper traps.

Myth 3: Deadlifts don't train the traps or need to be counted in trap training volume.

Deadlifts can effectively train the traps despite being isometric contractions.

Long length isometric contractions can stimulate significant muscle growth.

Myth 4: When shrugging, you should keep your head back in military posture.

Performing shrugs with the head forward can be stronger and safer for the neck.

Upper traps are stronger when the neck is flexed rather than extended.

The sternoclavicular joint bears most of the force during shrugs, not the cervical spine.

Wide grip shrugs or cable shrugs with pulleys far apart are recommended for upper trap training.

Standard shrugs and deadlifts are average exercises for trap training.

Most other shoulder exercises are less effective for training the upper traps.

The tier list for upper trap exercises ranks wide shrugs and cable shrugs highest.

Transcripts

Hey! Hey, you!

Do you have teeny tiny shoulders?

You do, don't you?

And that's because “they”

have filled your head with four myths

that are keeping your shoulders small instead of yoked.

By the end of this video, you will ascend

to yokedom.

The first and foremost myth that's keeping your shoulders

small, instead of yoked, is that you don't need to train your traps.

Yes, there are some juiced up bodybuilders that don't

need to train their traps at all and they're still overly big.

And there are also some individuals just by the shape of their traps

that makes them look very big, so they don't need to train them.

For the vast majority of viewers, though, at least men I found in my experience,

and this is something I've changed my own mind on,

that training the traps is vital to get you that yoked look

and it has a very big impact on your total shoulder size.

You can roughly mimic the visual appearance

of having bigger traps by rolling the traps.

So now that we've determined that you probably should be training

your traps, let's talk about how to train your traps.

Which brings us to the second myth,

which is that dumbbell or barbell shrugs are the best way to train your traps.

The traps in many textbooks are being depicted as relatively simple

shoulder elevators, which means they do the shrugging motion.

They elevate the scapulae.

However, some research indicates that the traps are actually not a direct

shoulder elevator.

A famous paper by Johnson et al.

concluded that the essentially transverse orientation of the upper and middle

fibers of the trapezius precludes any action as elevators of the scapula,

as commonly depicted.

They’re saying that the essentially transverse orientation, meaning

the fibers run relatively horizontal, precludes

any action as elevators, they’re saying because the fibers of the upper traps,

you can see it yourself as well, they run almost horizontal.

They are not vertical, right.

Some of the very upper upper fibers are almost vertical,

but most of the fibers of the upper traps run almost horizontal.

In fact,

the distinction between the middle and the upper traps is often made

by the orientation of the fibers,

so if the fibers run fully horizontal, they are middle,

but anything that runs slightly up diagonally becomes upper traps.

So most of those fibers, they run almost horizontal there

like slightly diagonally upwards.

And that's not a good line of pull to produce shoulder elevation.

So does this mean that standard shrugs don't train the upper traps at all?

Well, we actually have a study that kind of suggests that this is true.

A study by Conley et al.

found that a full body training program, done four times per week for 12 weeks

in recreationally trained subjects, so not elite lifters or anything,

did not stimulate significant upper trap hypertrophy.

And this program included all of the conventional exercises

that most people would say train the traps.

Namely deadlifts, mid-thigh

pulls, barbell rows, conventional shrugs and overhead presses.

That's pretty much all of the conventional big lifts

that most people would associate with training the traps,

at least to some degree.

Now, lack of intensity was not the issue because they did have growth

in their quads, and, seeing as they were only recreationally trained,

you would expect them to gain muscle mass over a serious 12 week training block.

The measurements were done via MRI scans, which are highly reliable.

Moreover, they also found that a group doing that training program but adding

neck extensions did grow the neck muscle significantly,

although it still didn't make a difference for the upper traps.

So the study shows that if you want to get a bigger neck,

not specifically the traps or the shoulders, then you have to do

specific neck training, which is also a good take home message.

But it also suggests that traditional exercises for the traps

may not be that effective.

Now, I don't think that shrugs don't train the traps at all,

even overhead presses and the like, deadlifts for sure,

they train the traps to at least some degree,

and I think this is likely a case of what's called type one error.

Just because this one study didn't find significant muscle growth

it doesn't mean that you cannot stimulate muscle growth with these exercises.

Moreover, biomechanically the traps are clearly involved in shoulder

elevation, even if they do not produce a direct shoulder elevation moment.

What happens is that they pull on the clavicle,

it's like they're pulling up the whole shoulder complex internally.

So more medially, right.

Instead of just pulling directly up, like just raising the scapula,

elevating the scapula,

the shoulder blades, what they do is they pull medially on the clavicle.

So they kind of pull inwards.

And that's, you can also see it like when you're doing a shrug,

it's not like your shoulder goes straight up. You cannot do that.

It doesn't go up like this.

It goes kind of, it rotates inward like this.

And that's because of the pull from the upper traps

that's pulling up the entire complex of the clavicle and the scapulae.

So clearly the traps biomechanically should be involved.

And, anecdotally,

tons of people have gotten big traps by doing all the conventional exercises.

So I definitely wouldn't say that shrugs don't train the upper traps.

However, there is possibly room for improvement.

Indeed.

We also have two other studies that looked at muscle activity levels

of shrugs done with various degrees of shoulder abduction.

A shoulder abduction is when the arm goes up.

So when your elbow goes up towards the side.

And what this does is that it aligns the upper fibers that are relatively

horizontal in nature much better with the force production that's required.

So we should see higher muscle activity levels during shoulder

elevation or scapular elevation when the shoulder is somewhat abducted.

And indeed in these studies we do see this.

We have one studies showing that 30 degrees,

so a little bit of abduction is better than 0.

0 meaning

the traditional dumbbell shrug or barbell shrug when your arm is

straight down at your side. So 30 is better than 0.

And then the other study, we found that 90 or even 150 is better than 30.

Meaning shrugs with your arms in these positions may be better.

However, a big limitation of these studies is that they did not involve

training to failure, and that the weights

and or intensity standardization technique was not properly done.

I’m not going to go into the details of normalization during EMG research,

but in this research there was normalization,

which is better than in many other studies, but it was not ideally done.

And that means that we should take these studies with some degree of salt.

However, given that we have these studies

and the biomechanics and the other studies suggesting that traditional exercises

might not be ideal or might not produce a very robust growth in the traps,

so I do think that the research currently suggests

that we should be training our traps

with shrugging exercises when the shoulder is abducted.

First of all, you might be thinking,

how do I abduct the shoulders, because they're affixed to my body?

But if you understand some biomechanics, you might be thinking,

how do I abduct the shoulders during a shrugging exercise?

Well, you do that with what's called a wide shrug,

which means that you grab the barbell very wide.

If you grab the bar very narrow, it's like this.

If you grab the marble much more wide then you get shoulder abduction.

You can also do overhead shrugs,

fully overhead shrugs, according to one other study

might not be ideal because then again, you have that purely vertical force

production.

It's probably better to have a wide grip overhead shrug, if you do that.

You can also do monkey shrugs. Most people don't like those though.

So in my experience either cable shrugs in between two very far apart

cable pulleys or wide grip barbell shrugs are the most practical ways

to perform shrugs with your shoulders in abduction.

You’ll notice that the force production, at first,

it might feel weird if you're used to conventional shrugs,

but when you're used to it, you'll notice it feels actually kind of more natural

as well because, as I mentioned, you're not doing a full scapular elevation

with a normal shrug.

You're kind of pulling the shoulder inwards while it goes up.

And that's exactly the movement you do when you have your elbows out to the side.

They go inward like this.

As for other shoulder exercises training the upper traps,

they most likely don't do so very effectively.

If there is no scapular elevation taking place,

such as during overhead press or a lateral raise when you're not actively shrugging

during the exercise, I don't think you're going to train the traps very well,

and that's supported by the earlier study, which also included overhead presses.

Moreover, there is considerable research that even standard dumbbell shrugs,

which might not be ideal to begin with, stimulates significantly greater

muscle activity than lateral raises or most shoulder rehab exercises.

So I think that most shoulder exercises that are not shrugging movements,

unless you're actively shrugging during the movement, which you can do

during a lateral raise, for example, you’re

not involving the upper traps significantly.

You probably don't have to count that volume

if you want to maximally train your traps, or at best it would count 50%,

I would say.

Speaking of different exercises to train your traps,

that brings us to the 3rd myth, which is that deadlifts don't train the traps,

or that you don't need to count the volume because they're isometric

muscle contractions.

Now deadlifts,

or specifically

Romanian deadlifts

were included in a study that didn't find significant trap hypertrophy.

But I would say that deadlifts rank equally to shrugs in terms of stimulating

trap hypertrophy, meaning they're probably not ideal,

but they do a decent job and for sure, we've seen anecdotally

that many people can get big traps just by doing lots of deadlifts

even without doing any dedicated shrugging exercises.

This myth comes down to the more general idea in fitness

that isometric muscle contractions are very ineffective to build muscle.

And there is some research support for that, but it's very old.

We actually don't have a lot of studies.

And more recent research has shown that long length

isometric muscle contractions, meaning that you are doing

a static contraction, meaning there's no movement,

but the muscle is at a long length, so it's relatively stretched,

that actually produces very robust and significant hypertrophy,

far more than training muscles at short lengths with isometric contractions.

So certain isometric contractions might not be good to stimulate

muscle hypertrophy, with long length isometric contractions

actually seem very capable of stimulating significant muscle growth.

And if we think of the mechanical tension that is produced,

we also know that during isometric contractions, the muscles

can actually produce a lot of force, and thereby mechanical tension,

which is the primary stimulus for muscle growth.

Moreover, during a deadlift,

you're not just doing an isometric muscle contraction at a relatively long length

because usually your shoulders will be somewhat down,

they will be pulled down by the weight, meaning it's a relatively long

muscle length for the upper traps, they are somewhat stretched.

And it's not just that, a long length isometric contraction.

There's actually an eccentric overload component

because most people when they do deadlifts, their shoulder blades reverse

shrug down further, they depress during the exercise

as their shoulders are being dragged down by the weight,

and they can no longer hold their shoulders up in anatomic position.

So for most people a deadlift is actually not just a long length

isometric contraction, but even a maximally overloaded

eccentric contraction.

And those are actually exceptionally good for muscle growth in research.

So I think that standard deadlifts, even if the shoulder is not abducted,

are actually a very effective exercise for the traps,

on par with traditional shrugs, which it might not be S tier,

but it's certainly a very viable exercise, much better than most other exercises

that are not specifically shrugs with the shoulders in abduction.

So I would say that the tier list of upper trap exercises

goes from S tier or God tier being shrugs with the shoulders in abduction

like wide shrugs or cable shrugs with the pulleys being very far apart

or overhead shrugs with a wide grip like a snatch grip, those would be S tier,

and then below that we have kind of average exercises, good but not optimal.

That would be standard shrugs and deadlifts.

And then below that

we have most other shoulder exercises, including overhead presses.

Upright rows might be kind of in between most shoulder exercises and shrugs.

It depends a lot on whether you’re actually shrugging during the movement.

Anything else is probably Garbage tier for the upper traps.

So we've established that

you probably should be training your traps if you want bigger overall shoulders.

And we've established that you should be doing shrugs, specifically shrugs

with your shoulders in abduction for maximum upper trap hypertrophy.

Now that brings us to the fourth and final myth of this video with regard to how

you should be performing your shrugs.

The traditional advice, or advice at least that I've heard very commonly,

is that when you are shrugging you should be keeping your head back.

You should be kind of in anatomical military posture,

which is a very common and intuitive idea that good technique

always kind of looks pretty and you're standing upright,

everything is vertical, everything is aligned.

In fact, that is probably not good at all.

The best way to perform shrugs, in my view, is actually with the head forward.

If you look at how any strongman lifts doing farmer's walks, for example,

they will have their head forward.

Why is that? Because you're stronger that way.

The upper traps are a bi-articulate muscle,

and you are stronger when the neck is flexed than when it is extended,

because the upper fibers are active at the neck and the scapular complex.

Especially the upper fibers, they are more short

when the neck is extended and that makes them weaker.

In fact, they can even go into active insufficiency, which means that

if you do all the way like this, you can notice it for yourself.

Now, if you try to shrug, it feels very kind of nod up

and you are very weak

and most people intuitively, therefore keep their head a little bit flexed.

You don't have to go like all the way forward, but a little bit flex.

You can produce more force, more tension, and the muscle is at a longer length,

so you may also benefit from that longer length mediated hypertrophy effect.

Now you might protest “Hey, this is injurious for the neck, lifting

this way will injury your neck!”

And that's probably not true

because of that indirect action of the upper traps on the scapula

not directly causing elevation moment but pulling up on the clavicle,

most of the compressive force is not borne by the cervical spine,

the neck, but it is borne by the sternoclavicular joint.

And that's actually very sturdy.

That's why we basically never see people injured themselves in the neck

when they are doing shrugs.

So shrugs in general,

including shrugs with a flexed neck are probably relatively safe.

May this knowledge aid your ascent to yoke them.

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