Oh the “traps” or Trapezius muscles and their many exercises. I was in the gym a few days ago and saw a guy pounding away on the shrugs. He was doing shrugs with a 110lb dumbbell in each hand. He was lifting the weight a total of 1 inch on each rep. The weight was so heavy; he couldn’t do the movement properly. Not only that, but he was trying to heave so much weight, he was exhausted after only four unsuccessful reps.

So I asked him why he was doing what he was doing. He said, “Traps are where it’s at!” I tend to agree with him.

The trapezius muscles are the muscles that sit on top of your shoulders above your collar bone that extend from the edge of your shoulders all the way to your neck.

Traps are a muscle that separates the men from the boys. They can be an amazing sight, and can be downright scary, and sometimes just ridiculously big. Big traps can be the difference between you looking like a person that lifts weights and a person that doesn’t. Big traps can be the difference in a fit guy looking like a fitness model, or a bodybuilder. Huge traps basically send a message, they are a statement. What are your traps saying?

Trap Exercises

Most people associate building big traps with “Shrugs.” The shrug is a good exercise for trap development, but it’s not the only one. The shrug has been around for years and is a staple for building traps just as the bench press is for the chest. I can’t deny that the shrug hits the traps well, but I would like to assert to you that there are others moves that can be effective in developing the coveted traps. Below is an effective trap building routine that will deliver excellent results.

1.Shrugs 3 sets X 10 – 12 reps

I couldn’t leave these out shrugs are the foundation of successful trap training. We all know how to do shrugs, but let me give you a few tips. If you are like me, your traps hit the side of your neck limiting the range of motion. If this is the case, perform the shrug and push your head forward. This gives your traps more room to contract and you don’t feel like your head is going to pop off, this is definitely a good thing. Also, since there is such a small range of motion, make sure to contract (lift) fully and hold that position for 2 seconds, before slowly lowering the weight back to the starting position. I would also sit down to avoid cheating.

2.Lateral Raises, with Traps Flared 3 X 12-15

This is a tough little exercise. The first step is to flare your traps up with dumbbells in hand. Then perform a lateral raise by keeping your elbows almost locked and lifting the weight directly out to the side. This is the same thing as a normal lateral raise to hit the deltoids (shoulders), but with your traps flared like this, it really works them hard. I suggest doing 12-15 reps because it is difficult to use much weight and maintain proper form.

3.Bent over lateral raises, with Traps Flared 3X10-12

Same as above, just bend over at about a 45 degree angle. This is a good trap exercise because it hits the back of your traps. Built rear traps look impressive from the back and give your back a very built, defined, strong look.

These exercises will directly impact the growth of your traps. This addition to a workout can be incorporated into any workout split. For those doing a split, this would be a good addition to “shoulders day.”

Add this quick trap routine to your schedule and watch your traps explode in muscle growth!

If you are a weight lifter, then you would greatly benefit by wearing protective gloves. A lot of people think that gloves are only for those who lift the heaviest weights and are always in the gym; however, novices and anyone else who ever lifts weights would also benefit from wearing them.

Weight lifting gloves do more than simply give you a better grip on the weights–they protect your hands, as well. The benefit of protecting your hands is that you won’t have a bunch of calluses after you get done lifting weights, which is why many women wear weight lifting gloves, as they don’t like to have rough hands when they are finished working out. Just keep in mind that using gloves does a lot for you no matter what gender you are. Think about it. Why would anyone, man or woman, want to put in the time and effort to look good, just to have rough hands?

Of course, the most important function of weight lifting gloves is to strengthen your grip on the heavy items that you are holding precariously over your head. The weights you lift could be in the dozens or even hundreds of pounds and if your grip was to slip, it might result in a serious injury. Imagine the damage that could be done to your head or one of your limbs if you were to lose your handle on the weights for as little as a second. A bad bruise might be the least of your worries. With specially-designed weight lifting gloves, you can ensure that your hold on the weights is secure so that you can concentrate on getting in shape.

One last advantage to using weight lifting gloves is that they are more safe and comfortable than chalk. While many people favor using the chalk at the gym, if the substance gets underneath your fingernails or into a cut, it will start to harden and burn after a while. Rather than suffer any discomfort or infection, you can get a pair of gloves that will keep your grip nicely in place.

Weight lifting is a great activity to take up, but you’ll need to have the right equipment in order to get the full benefit of it, which is why it’s imperative that you buy weight lifting gloves for yourself. With the right pair of gloves you can ensure both safety and comfort during and after your workout.

TV Infomercial Ab Machines – One That Actually Works?

As the craze to achieve six-pack abs, has no end in sight, there have been numerous TV infomercial ab machines that have appeared over the past several years. How is one supposed to know which ones are any good? Will it withstand the stress of consistent workouts? Can it actually help in meeting personal fitness goals? In other words does it work or is it just hype? We already know that many of these things have turned out to be junk, witnessing their subsequent availability at local garage sales. You know, those things that look like the bottom of a rocking chair, right?

One machine that seems to have attained some staying power in the marketplace is the Ab Coaster.

Aside from the high-profile celebrity and athlete endorsements (talk-show host Montel Williams and Gold Medalists Shannon Miller, Peter Vidmar), what is it that has allowed the Ab Coaster to become a fixture in the fitness machine landscape?

TheAb Coaster allows an individual to get a fit, toned body in quite a unique way. It has a roller-coaster-like design (for your legs) that allows you to slide, twist, turn, and move in ways that help you to work your abdominal muscles in a lifting fashion, similar to doing leg lifts while hanging from a chin-up bar but not as taxing on the upper body. It also allows for increasing weigh resistance and some claim that doing this type of abs workout is better than doing the standard, on your back crunches.

Note that this piece of exercise equipment is ruggedly built and can support persons weighing up to 340 Lbs.

This workout machine is probably not for everyone. For one, you have to pay a bit of a premium for its heavy-duty construction, though discount pricing is available. Some customers report that using it properly takes some getting used to. Also, some users under 4′ 11 have complained that it isn’t made for short people. However, despite these points, clearly, there are reasons why professional facilities such as Gold’s Gym use these machines. Check the various user comments floating around the ‘net, and you’ll find no shortage of enthusiastic Ab Coaster adherents (note that many mothers recommend it).

If one is looking for a workout machine to help round-out their home gym workouts, in particular for one that has a distinctive approach to targeting midsection muscles, take a look and read more about it.

If you spend your time working out at the gym, not only will you be waiting all that time, you will be wasting your money as well. You can spend more time working out simply at home. People think that if they work out at home they will have to buy all that exercise equipment and it will be expensive. But that isnt the case always. Working out at home can be cheap, easy and very efficient as well.

First you need to make a schedule for the workout which you will follow. Check out your planned and see when you are free and accordingly fix up the time for working out. You dont have to spend hours after working out. You simply need around 30 minutes everyday. Also you need to work out thrice a week and you will be done. But then you will have to stick to the schedule which you are planning.

Then comes the equipment. You dont have to spend your money buying it. All you need are a few couches and dumbbells and you have a home made gym! You will be able to find equipment all over your own house. Now before you start working out, you need to keep in mind that you have to start by stretching. Just the basic arm and toe stretches will help you. Then once you finish the workout, you will have to stretch again. this step is very important and will help you prevent any sort of serious injuries so you need to stretch.

Then you can start with push ups which are quite effective. 15 push ups are a good thing to do. You should always start your workout with push ups. Then you move over to the couch which was mentioned earlier in the article. The next thing you need to do are bench dips. Your feet need to be on the ground and your hands on the seat of the couch. Your butt will slightly hand over the edge. Then you need to lower down and then back up again. this is kind of like the pushups where you are going to need 15 sets.

Finally you have to do the sit ups. And like before you need to do 15 sit ups again. then you need to repeat the entire process again three times. It will take you 20 minutes to do this workout. Plus you will have to do this thrice a week and you wont even need fitness equipment, its like you have a home gym and you dont have to waste your time going to an actual gym or your money on it either.