Best Exercises To Build and Strengthen Your Lower Traps

Exercises To Build and Strengthen Your Lower Traps

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The trapezius works to stabilize your shoulders and upper back. To maintain good posture and avoid back pain, it’s important to keep the trapezius strong. The weak lower trap can increase the risk of injury during other exercises, such as a chest press, overhead press. So, let’s take a closer look at how to strengthen and develop your lower traps.

Although every trap exercise hits all three muscle fibers to some degree, certain ones are better than others at stressing the different Muscle fibers because of the biomechanics involved.

In this article, we will discuss what the lower trap is, how to target it, the trap muscle, how it contributes to greater performance, and give you the best lower trap exercises.

Trapezius Muscle anatomy and its Function

The trapezius aka trap muscle is a large muscle in your back. The trapezius is called such because of its shape. It looks like a trapezoid (a shape with four sides, two that are parallel).

There are three areas of the trapezius, and each area helps you with a specific kind of movement. Together, the three parts of the trapezius help you move your head, stand up straight, bend or twist your torso and raise your arms.

As mentioned above, the trapezius muscle is divided into 3 areas:

trapezius muscle workout

How to Train Lower Trap

The lower trapezius originates on the spine and extends from T2 to T12 and inserts onto the spine of the scapula from the acromion process to its root. The lower fibres act on the scapula (shoulder blades), with their main role being the prime mover in scapular depression. It also acts as a stabilizer when raising the arms overhead through a full range of motion.

As for the lower traps, they can best be developed by drawing the shoulder blades downward while keeping the arms almost straight and stiff.

Benefits of Lower Trapezius Strengthening Exercises

Strengthening your trapezius is an important part of any workout routine. This muscle is responsible for the mobility and stability of the scapula. Decreased lower trapezius muscle strength leads to postural changes and loss of scapula control, which are related to neck pain.

Therefore, lower trapezius strengthening exercise program is an effective method for reducing the level of neck dysfunction, and improving the postural alignment, muscle thickness.

The study showed that strengthening exercises of the lower trapezius muscles is effective for reduced pain and increasing range of motion in patients with chronic cervical pain.

Lower trap allows you to build upper body strength and allow the scapulae to be stable.

14 Best Lower Trap Exercises

Now, let’s get into the best lower-trap exercises for Mass and strength, using various types of fitness equipment.

We have created the lower trap exercises into many sections, such as:

  • Bodyweight Lower trap Exercises
  • Lower trap exercises with Dumbbells.
  • Lower trap exercises with Barbell & Machine
  • Cable lower trap Exercises.

The best variation of lower trap exercises to build for Huge Shoulders and Massive Traps

Best Bodyweight Lower Traps exercises

1. I, Y, T, W

I, Y, T, and W are the best lower trap exercises for beginners, and you can easily do them at home. It focuses on the shoulder and back muscles, mainly

They also hit all rotator cuff muscles which include the infraspinatus, subscapularis, teres minor, and supraspinatus muscles. These work together to stabilize the shoulder and move the arm.

Execution Technique

  1. Lay with your stomach flat on the ground with your arms and legs fully extended.
  2. Point your toes away from your body and fully extend your elbows and fingers, positioning your palms facing inwards.
  3. Brace your abdominal muscles to stabilize your spine, depress and retract your scapulae (pull shoulders back and down) and attempt to hold these positions (I, Y, T, W) throughout the exercise.
  4. Align your head with your thoracic (upper) spine.

I’s

I’s
  1. Gently exhale and slowly lift your arms off the floor (maintain a formation of the letter “I”), with palms facing inward.
  2. Keep your head aligned with your thoracic (upper) spine.
  3. Focus on generating most of your lift through your shoulders and not the low back, although some low back extension (arching) is acceptable.
  4. Hold this position for 5 – 10 seconds, then relax and return to your starting position

Y’s

Y’s
  1. Gently exhale and slowly lift your arms off the floor, moving your arms into the “Y” formation (45-degree angle to form the letter “Y”) as illustrated with palms facing inward.
  2. Maintain your head alignment with your thoracic (upper) spine.
  3. Focus on generating most of your lift through your shoulders and not the low back, although some low back extension (arching) is acceptable.
  4. Hold this position for 5 – 10 seconds, then relax and return to your starting position.

T’s

T’s
  1. Gently exhale and slowly lift your arms off the floor, moving your arms into the “T” formation (90-degree angle to form the letter “T”) as illustrated with palms facing forward.
  2. Maintain your head alignment with your thoracic (upper) spine.
  3. Focus on generating most of your lift through your shoulders and not the low back, although some low back extension (arching) is acceptable.
  4. Hold this position for 5 – 10 seconds, then relax and return to your starting position.

W’s

W’s
  1. Gently exhale and slowly lift your arms off the floor, flexing (bending) your elbows and dropping them to a 45-degree angle to the sides of your body as illustrated with palms facing inward (“W” formation to form the letter “W”).
  2. Maintain your head alignment with your thoracic (upper) spine.
  3. Focus on generating most of your lift through your shoulders and not the low back, although some low back extension (arching) is acceptable.
  4. Hold this position for 5 – 10 seconds then relax and return to your starting position.

Tips

  • Try holding for only five or 10 seconds for the first time, and work up to 30 seconds in future workouts.
  • Move your arms slowly up and down in each position of I, T, W and Y.
  • To increase the difficulty for either version, add a 1-3 pound weight in each hand.
  • Do not hold your breath. Breathe regularly.

2. Inverted Row

The inverted row is the best lower trap exercises that you can do at home. it puts your body in a horizontal position, making it easier to perform.

It also works the back and shoulder muscles from a different angle and improves scapular retraction. In the gym, most people do this exercise on the smith machine.

But, you can also perform the inverted row at home by lying under a chair, holding the chair’s sides, and pulling yourself up.

Inverted Row

Execution Technique

  1. Adjust the height of the chair and bar so that it’s a little higher than arm’s length from the floor.
  2. Lie under the bar with your legs and body straight. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip that’s a little wider than shoulder width.
  3. Keeping your legs and body straight, exhale as you pull your chest up to the bar. Hold for a count of two and squeeze your back muscles.
  4. Inhale as you lower your body until your arms and shoulders are fully extended. Repeat.

Tips

  • Do not allow your butt to sag. Flex your tummy, squeeze your butt cheeks, and keep your body stiff from your head to your toe.
  • Do not allow your elbows to flail. Grab the bar with your hands slightly closer together and keeping your elbows at an angle to your body, similar to doing a bench-press.
  • Make sure you go down completely. Lower your body and ensure the arms are extended and raise your body until you touch the chest touches the bar.

3. Pull-Up

The pull-up is the best lower traps bodyweight exercise.

Pull-up help to build upper-body strength movement that targets your back, chest, shoulders, and arms. Performing a pull-up is often a challenge for beginners and even experienced athletes.

Wide Grip Pull Up

Execution Technique

  1. Using an overhand grip, grab on to a pull-up bar with your hands spaced wider than shoulder-width apart.
  2. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your chest high, while exaggerating the arch in your lower back.
  3. Pull yourself up by squeezing your shoulder blades together and contracting your lats until your chin passes the bar.
  4. Hold the contraction at the top for a second before slowly lowering yourself back to the starting position.

Tips

  • Go full range of motion and keep form correct. Avoid jerky movements and keep them controlled.

Best Lower Traps exercises with Dumbbells

4. Bent Over Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Bent Over raises are an excellent exercise to isolate and work specifically on rear deltoid muscles and traps. For complete shoulder muscle development, bent-over raises are a must-do.

This exercise can be performed in both a standing and a seated position. Prefer the seated version as it calls for strict movement.

Lateral Bent over row

Execution Technique

  1. Sit at the end of a bench with a pair of dumbbells.
  2. Bend forward and let the dumbbells hang on your sides.
  3. Lift the dumbbells, raising them on your sides to a level slightly upper more than your shoulders.
  4. Now lower the dumbbells back to your sides.

Tips

  • Your arms should be parallel to your shoulders.
  • Keep strict form to isolate the rear delts.

5. Lying Dumbbell Rear Delt Row

Dumbbell Lying Rear Delt Row is a strength exercise that works your deltoids. When done correctly, it can effectively target your lower traps.

Lying Dumbbell Rear Delt Row

Execution Technique

  1. Start off lying on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand extended out in front of you.
  2. Slowly pull the dumbbells up until your elbows are just above your shoulders.
  3. Once you reach the final position, hold for a count and squeeze your muscles.
  4. Return to the starting position and repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.

Tips

  • Keep a controlled motion and avoid jerky movements.
  • Pause for a moment at the top before slowly lowering the dumbbell back to the starting position.

Best Lower Traps exercises with Barbell

6. Bent Over Barbell Rows

If you are looking to strengthen the upper back and add massive muscle to the upper back region, then bent over barbell rows are the best upper back exercise.

Spacing your hands shoulder-width apart or closer targets the central inner section of the lats, whereas a wider grip targets the outer lats.

Pulling the bar up higher toward the chest targets the upper latissimus and trapezius. Pulling the bar through a lower trajectory to touch the abdomen targets the lower lats.

Bent Over Barbell Rows

Muscles Involved

Primary: Latissimus dorsi.

Secondary: Erector spinae, Trapezius, Rhomboids, Rear deltoid.

Execution Technique

  1. Stand with a narrow stance and grab a bar with overhand grip.
  2. Bend your torso forward at an angle of 45 degrees to the floor with knees slightly bend and let the bar hang in front of you.
  3. Now, use the back and raise the bar until it touches the abdominal region and not the chest region, as it reduces back muscle contraction.
  4. Slowly lower the bar under control to starting position.

Tips

  • Do not use more weight than you can handle. This fatigues your spinal erectors and says goodbye to form.
  • Exhale on pushing movement and inhale when returning to the starting position.
  • Hold a neutral spine throughout the movement to prevent injury.

7. Barbell Lying Rear Delt Row

Barbell Lying Rear Delt Row is a strength exercise that works your side deltoids and traps. When done correctly, it can effectively target your shoulders and upper body.

Of course the added range of motion will allow you to recruit additional motor units in the lower traps.

Barbell Lying Rear Delt Row

Muscles Involved

Primary Movers: Posterior deltoid, Trapezius

Secondary Muscles: Traps, Biceps, Rhomboids, and Forearms.

Execution Technique

  1. Lie down on an incline bench with a barbell and hand extended out in front of you.
  2. Slowly pull the barbell until your elbows are just above your shoulders.
  3. Once you reach the final position, hold for a count and squeeze your muscles.
  4. Return to the starting position and repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.

Tips

  • Remember to exhale while you exert.
  • The form is an essential part of this exercise.
  • Don’t just swing your arms. Keep controlled motion throughout the exercise.

Lower Traps exercises with Cable

8. Face Pull

Face pull is a cable machine exercise that primarily targets the rear deltoid and traps to a lesser degree and also targets the biceps, triceps.

Use a cable pulley machine to pull the weight straight toward your forehead.

This type of trap exercise and workout prevents muscular imbalance and builds overall shoulder strength.

Face Pull

Muscles Involved

Primary: Posterior deltoid.

Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.

Execution Technique

  1. Grab the ends of the rope attachment using a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and slightly lean back.
  2. Pull the rope toward your face as you spread the ends of the rope, so they end up on the sides of your ears just above your shoulders in the finish position.
  3. Hold this position for as second as you squeeze your shoulder blades together, contracting rear delts and middle traps as hard as possible.
  4. Then slowly return the rope to the start position.

Tips

  • Stand straight with feet in a comfortable, balanced stance.
  • Be sure to exhale when pulling weight toward your face.
  • Think about trying to pinch your shoulder blades as tight as possible when pulling weight toward your face.
  • Your upper arms should be straight out to your sides with elbows bent.

9. Cable High Row

Half kneeling high cable row rope is a tremendous exercise that effectively works many muscles, including the shoulder, back, wing, and trapezius muscles. After all, the lower traps are recruited as scapular retractors during most rowing exercises.

Using this exercise gives people with shoulder issues an exercise to get the benefits of rows. In addition, face pull is one of the most effective corrective exercises that help compensate for poor posture and shoulder dysfunction.

Cable High Row

Muscles Involved

Primary: Posterior deltoid.

Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, Biceps, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.

Execution Technique

  1. Set the cable up at a high point with the rope attachments
  2. Grab the rope with both hands using an overhand grip, then take a step back and get onto knees facing the cable machine
  3. Starting with your arms stretched out and away, pull back through your elbows until your hands are just in front of your shoulders
  4. Slowly return to starting position. Repeat for desired reps.

Tips

  • Don’t lean backwards to pull the weight towards you.
  • Focus on the mind-muscle connection to pull down by using your back muscles.

10. Reverse Cable Crossover

Your arms should move directly back (and downward slightly) almost parallel to the floor to target the posterior deltoid and traps.

If the hands are raised through a higher arc to a point above shoulder level, the trapezius, and lateral deltoid make a bigger contribution to the movement. Crossing your hands over one another (uncrossing the cables) at the start position increases the range of motion.

Reverse Cable Crossover

Muscles Involved

Primary: Posterior deltoid.

Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.

Execution Technique

  1. Stand in the center of a cable crossover apparatus.
  2. Start with hands crossed in front of you at shoulder height with the left high cable in your right hand and the right in your left hand.
  3. Using your rear delts, pull your elbows out and back as far as possible, then slowly return to the starting position.

Tips

  • The posterior deltoid is best targeted with your torso upright, not leaning too far forward or back.
  • Keep a controlled motion and avoid jerky movements.

11. Cable Twisting Standing Row

The Cable Twisting Standing Row exercise involves numerous muscles as it requires you to slightly rotate at the waist. Because this is a unilateral exercise, you will have to engage your core throughout the movement.

Besides being a great back and shoulder exercise, this movement also works your hips, glutes, and other lower body muscles.

Cable Twisting Standing Row

Muscles Involved

Primary: latissimus dorsi.

Secondary: Rear deltoid, lower trapezius, rhomboids, Obliques, Pec Major, Biceps

Execution Technique

  1. Attach a single grip handle to an elbow-high cable pulley.
  2. Step back and get into a staggered stance, knees slightly bent. Your arm should be out straight and your waist is rotated towards the cable.
  3. Keeping your elbow close to your body, pull back towards your waist while rotating your waist to the same direction
  4. Pause briefly at the top of the movement, then slowly return to starting position. Repeat desired reps.

 Tips

  • Make sure the rotation is in your waist, not hips. You can place your inactive hand on your other hip for added stability.
  • To make the most of this move, your reps should be slow and controlled.

12. Seated Cable Rows

Seated Cable Rows is an excellent exercise to build middle back muscles and this works on lower lats as well. It can be done with wide and narrow grips.

A pronated (overhand) grip tends to target the upper and middle trapezius, whereas a neutral (thumbs up) grip hits the middle and lower trapezius. A supinated (underhand) grip switches the focus to the latissimus dorsi.

Seated Cable Rows

Muscles Involved

Primary: Trapezius (middle and lower fibers), latissimus dorsi.

Secondary: Rhomboids, rear deltoid.

Execution Technique

  1. Sit on a seated cable pulley rowing machine with legs slightly bent and feet supported against the crossbar.
  2. Take hold of the handles with your arms extended and back stretched.
  3. Pull the handles so that they come as close to the lower chest/abdomen as possible.
  4. Thrust your chest out while pulling with your body in upright position. Slowly return the handle to the starting position.

Tips

  • Pause briefly when the handles are close to the chest and squeeze your upper back muscles, bringing the scapulae closer.
  • Keep your knees slightly bent to avoid knee and lower back pressure.
  • Remember, a rounded back is a wrong back. Keep it straight at all times.
  • Keep your upper back stationary, don’t move your upper back, back, and forth.

Lower Traps exercises with Resistance Band

13. Resistance Band Face Pull

The Band Face Pull involves 2 of the 3 functions of the rear deltoids—horizontal abduction and external rotation of the upper arm bone.

The tension created by the band highly activates the rear delt and upper back, making it an excellent warm-up/primer before an upper-body training session. It is also a great choice as a “burner” at the end of an upper body, shoulder, or back training session.

Resistance Band Face Pull

Muscles Involved

Primary: Posterior deltoid.

Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.

Execution Technique

  1. Tie a band of moderate resistance to a squat rack pole or other fixed pillar.
  2. Grab the band with both hands, palms facing each other. Use a square or split stance, whichever is more comfortable.
  3. Drive your arms back while keeping your elbows slightly above shoulder level, and slightly externally rotate your shoulders at the end.
  4. Hold the end position for a second, then return to the starting position in a controlled manner.
  5. Repeat for the remaining number of repetitions

Tips

  • Stand straight with feet in a comfortable, balanced stance.
  • Be sure to exhale when pulling weight toward your face.
  • Think about trying to pinch your shoulder blades as tight as possible when pulling weight toward your face.
  • Your upper arms should be straight out to your sides with elbows bent.

14. Standing Reverse Fly with Resistance Bands

This is a movement that can be done on shoulder day, as it targets the rear delts and lower trap. However, we like to also hit it on a back day as the rear delts often need to double the work each week.

The reverse fly with bands will work your rhomboids, rear delts, and traps.

Standing Reverse Fly with Resistance Bands

Muscles Involved

Primary: Posterior deltoid.

Secondary: Lateral deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids, Infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major.

Execution Technique

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, keeping a slight bend in the knees. Place a band around a stationary post, such as a squat rack.
  2. Hold the exercise band in front of you with your hands slightly lower than your shoulders. Keep your elbows slightly soft to avoid hyperextending the joint.
  3. Squeeze the shoulder blades together and open the arms out to either side, pulling the band apart and squeezing your shoulder blades.
  4. Return to start and repeat, keeping tension on the band the entire time. Repeat the desired number of reps.

Tips

  • Focus on really contracting your upper back muscles. Squeeze and hold once you reach the peak contraction, then slowly return to the starting position.
  • Keep your core engaged throughout each set.
  • Try to keep your elbows up, so you can target your upper back muscles correctly.

Takeaways

Your back is made up of many important muscles, not just your latissimus dorsi (lats) and rear delts. You should strength train your lower traps just like any other muscle because they are important for proper movement and overall health.

When performing any exercise, be certain to use proper form.

References

Know More About Trap Muscle Training

18 Best Trap Workout: Exercises for Trapezius Muscles

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