Traps and herniated discs

If you want to skip the article...tl : dr
- overhead pressing (dumbbell, barbell, klokov press)
- handstand pushups
- resistance band shrug dropsets
- neck curls

If youve seen the litany of hot complaints ive been dropping for the past few months, you will notice the common theme BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MUH TRAPS.

Man i fucking love traps. Most movements i use to build them are complimented by performance enhancing, boulder shouldering, and glute growing add ons. They are stronger than you think and more resiliant than you know. But god damn, do they look cool or what?

Ive accepted the fact that my glutes will have to catch up to the rest of my body in a few months. Although they are still getting worked, their progress pales in comparison to the rest of my body. I have not accepted the fact that my traps will lag while my back recovers. Thankfully, i dont really have to.

Make no mistake, olympic lifts and front squats are mega awesome trap builders. I miss them and want them back. But in the face of injury, the options below are money.

Overhead pressing
- dumbbells, one or two arm, with or without light bands
- barbell
- klokov pressing
- push pressing (NOTE: be careful here. Ive had mixed responses from my back when catching the bar)
- handstand pushups

All pressing overhead is going to engage your traps. Ive found that horizontal standing or kneeling presses are easier on my back than horizontal (the leg drive on bench press hurts).

Handstand pushups are another avenue for the same result.

Resistance band shrug dropsets
This is what i came here to talk about. The problem with barbell shrugs and a fucked up back is the equal tension on all parts of the movement. Even reverting back to 225 or 315 hurt. My usual power shrugs are not options at the moment.

However, replace the barbell with SEVERAL resistance bands. Baby, you got a stew. The tension at the top of the movement is still hundreds of pounds (depending on the amount and type of bands youre holding) but has minimal impact on compressing your discs.

Your set will go something like:

Holding 2 to 3 bands
- as many reps as possible with a hold at the top and a slow eccentric
- when you cant do holds anymore, do as many quick shrugs as you can
- drop one band, repeat the process until you run out of bands

As the band tension gets lighter, extend the range of motion (i.e. try to do essentially a high pull with a hold) to add in some delt work as well.

Neck curls
This has been a pleasant find. My neck has been injured a ton. It sucks and im tired of it happening.

Much like ab work to fix my lower and mid back. Neck work is done as much to protect my neck as it is to build my neck and traps.

In this state, lighter work feels better. As ive stated in previous blogs, im a big fan of 10x10 with 10s rest between sets. Credit to alpha destiny.