Resistance Bands Exercises for Trap Muscles

The trapezius, or traps, is the diamond-shaped muscle that begins at your neck, extends out to your shoulders and reaches about midway down your back. When you use resistance bands to strengthen your traps, you can target three different regions: upper, middle and lower. Because these bands have the same elasticity and recoil of rubber bands, they provide constant tension throughout the range of movement.

  1. Upper Traps

    • To strengthen your upper traps, effective exercises can include the overhead press, the upright row and the shrug. For example, in the overhead press, place the band on a chair and sit on it to hold it steady. Grasp the ends of the bands and raise the bands to the side of each of your shoulders. Keep your elbows bent with your upper arms extended to the sides and parallel to the ground. Your forearms should point to the ceiling. Face your palms forward. This is your starting position. Exhale and extend your arms overhead, using fluid and controlled movement. Inhale and slowly return to starting position. Perform eight to 12 reps.

    Middle Traps

    • The reverse fly will build your middle traps, shoulder blades and triceps. Loop the band around a stationary object, such as a pole or a fence post, at shoulder height. Stand with the band in front of you with your feet pointing forward. You can stagger your feet slightly for greater stability. Hold the ends of the band with arms extended at shoulder level and palms facing each other. Stand far enough back so the band is taut. Slowly bring your arms out to your sides, moving them on the same horizontal plane at shoulder height. Focus on retracting your shoulder blades. Pause at the peak position before you return to starting position. If you’re swaying or using momentum to achieve a full range of motion, you may want to use a lighter and easier band. Perform a set of 10 to 12 reps.

    Lower Traps

    • Depending on your position, standing or seated, rows are a versatile exercise in which you can target the different regions of your trapezius muscle. To blast your lower traps, perform seated rows. Begin by sitting erect on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. Holding the ends, loop the band around your feet. In starting position, the band should be taut but not stretched. Keep your knees slightly bent and elbows pointing straight behind you and close to the body. Contract your back muscles, flex your elbows and pull the band toward your hips in a rowing movement. Slowly return to the starting position. Perform 10 to 12 reps.

    Considerations

    • If you’re a novice at using resistance bands, begin with low resistance and concentrate on using correct form. Once you master the exercises, gradually increase the resistance level of the band. Use additional bands or double the band to boost the difficulty of an exercise. To check technique and posture, perform exercises in front of a mirror or recruit a training partner to provide feedback on your form. If the exercises are too stressful or cause pain, stop the workout to avoid injury.