💪 13 Exercises to Boost Your Traps

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Before we start, today’s Ripped Report is sponsored by Halytus, makers of the HooKee smart home gym. Learn how to save 25% on this cutting-edge fitness tech today. 

Bodybuilder Hunter Labrada is looking to make a statement in 2023. And by the looks of his recent leg workout, he’s on the right track. 

Build killer traps with these 13 exercises designed to boost your strength and pack on that meaty muscle you’ve been after. 

The new Arnold Classic champ, Samson Dauda, recently explained how he meal preps leading up to a show. (Hint: It involves a whole lotta meat.)

PRO TIPS

Hunter Labrada’s Leg Day Hacks

After securing a fourth-place spot at the 2021 Mr. Olympia, bodybuilder Hunter Labrada was eyeing an improvement in 2022. What he experienced, however, was the opposite, dropping down to seventh and falling well below most people’s expectations. (Including his own.) 

Labrada is currently on the comeback trail, booking his ticket to compete in both the Tampa Pro and Texas Pro this year to qualify for another shot at the Olympia. To make an impact at the O this November, he’s got to make some big strides — and in a recent YouTube video, he shared some tips on how he’s training his legs for the new season. 

FROM OUR SPONSOR

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TRAINING

Trapped Up

Traps may be the new abs to strength athletes — at least in the sense that they’re hard to obtain and signal to the world that you take your fitness seriously. Just like you can’t get abs without following a strict diet, big traps require years of heavy lifting, smart recovery, and targeted programming.

Exercise selection also plays an important role. There are more ways to build a set of steel traps than just barbell shrugs, and we’re here to show you how. In the list below, we outline 13 of the best trap exercises and detail the specific benefits of each one.

NUTRITION

A Champion's Meal Prep

Samson Dauda shocked the bodybuilding world on Saturday night by winning the 2023 Arnold Classic, beating out the likes of Nick Walker, Andrew Jacked, and Big Ramy in the process. And while Dauda’s training needed to be on point to come out victorious, he also needed a near-flawless diet to go along with it. 

Right before the contest went down, we wrote about Dauda’s diet and how he prepped his food in the weeks leading up to the show. He detailed his routine in a YouTube video, showing how he marinates his meat in a big ol' bucket and then piles it all onto sheets of aluminum foil atop a grill. And to say he’s heavy-handed with the seasoning would be an understatement. Even champs know you need some flavor in your life.

THE DROPSET

Give Smith a Chance

• People may knock the Smith machine, but trust us when we say you should use it for the bent-over row. Here’s how.

• At 51 years old, bodybuilder Kamal Elgargni has lofty goals for the 2023 season. He might even take a stab at this year’s Master Olympia reboot. 

• Working up a sweat is par for the course when it comes to training. But if you work up too much of a sweat, you’ll want to reach for one of these electrolyte supplements to keep you hydrated. 

SOUND OFF!

Who Is YOUR Arnold Classic Winner?