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Exercises

Trap exercises with dumbbells for upper, middle and lower traps

Published October 19, 2026

The best trap exercises with dumbbells are the dumbbell shrug and the incline shrug for your upper traps, the farmer's walk and overhead carry to load them for time, the upright row to pull them through a longer range, and the chest-supported Y raise, face pull and Pendlay row for the middle and lower traps. Most people only train the upper part with shrugs; one shrug, one carry and one Y raise or face pull covers all three.

  1. Dumbbell Shrug Traps
  2. Incline Dumbbell Shrug Traps
  3. Farmer's Walk Forearms, Traps, Shoulders
  4. Dumbbell Upright Row Shoulders, Traps
  5. Dumbbell Chest-Supported Y Raise Shoulders
  6. Dumbbell Face Pull Shoulders, Upper Back
  7. Dumbbell Pendlay Row Lats, Upper Back

Dumbbell exercises for upper traps

The upper traps run from the base of your skull to the outer edge of your shoulders and lift the shoulder blades toward your ears. Shrugs train that lift directly; the upright row adds the job the upper traps do when your arms rise above shoulder level. Dumbbells hang at your sides instead of in front, so the shrug follows a straighter path than with a bar.

Upper traps, direct work

Dumbbell Shrug

Traps

The standing shrug is the most direct trap exercise there is. With dumbbells at your sides instead of a bar in front, your shoulders move straight up and down, and you can hold the top for one full second without anything getting in the way.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall with a dumbbell at each side, palms facing your legs, arms long.
  2. Raise your shoulders toward your ears as far as you can, keeping your arms straight.
  3. Pause there for a count of one.
  4. Let the dumbbells pull your shoulders down to a full stretch, then shrug again.

Cues

  • Ears to shoulders
  • Pause on top
  • Arms are hooks

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing short reps with heavy dumbbells: use a weight you can hold on top for one full second.
  • Jutting your chin forward: keep your head neutral and your eyes ahead.

Swap for: Incline Dumbbell Shrug, Farmer's Walk, Dumbbell Upright Row

Build a session with Dumbbell Shrug

Upper traps, seated back on an incline

Incline Dumbbell Shrug

Traps

Sitting back on a bench set around 45 degrees changes the line your shoulders travel and takes your legs and lower back out of the lift, so the traps do the shrug with no help from a body lean. It is a good second shrug for anyone who has done thousands of standing ones.

How to do it

  1. Set a bench to about 45 degrees and sit with your back against the pad, a dumbbell hanging at each side.
  2. Let your shoulders drop as low as they will go with your arms straight.
  3. Shrug your shoulders up toward your ears and hold briefly.
  4. Lower under control to the full stretch.

Cues

  • Back on the pad
  • Straight up toward the ears
  • Slow down

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows to pull the dumbbells up: it is a shrug, the arms stay straight.
  • Lifting your back off the pad: if you need to, the weight is too heavy.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shrug, Dumbbell Upright Row, Farmer's Walk

Build a session with Incline Dumbbell Shrug

Upper traps and side delts, vertical pull

Dumbbell Upright Row

Shoulders, Traps

Leading with your elbows, you pull the dumbbells up the front of your body to about chest height. Once your elbows pass shoulder level, the upper traps have to rotate your shoulder blades up, a job shrugs never ask of them.

How to do it

  1. Stand with one dumbbell per hand resting on your thighs, palms facing your body.
  2. Raise your elbows up and out, letting the dumbbells follow close to your body.
  3. Stop when your elbows reach shoulder height and the dumbbells are around chest level.
  4. Lower slowly to straight arms.

Cues

  • Elbows above the hands
  • Dumbbells stay close
  • Stop at shoulder height

Common mistakes

  • Pulling the elbows well above shoulder height: if your shoulder pinches, stop lower.
  • Swinging the weight up with a lean back: stand tall and lighten the dumbbells.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shrug, Dumbbell Cuban Press, Dumbbell Face Pull

Build a session with Dumbbell Upright Row

Loaded carries for traps

Carrying heavy dumbbells makes your traps hold your shoulders up against the pull of the weight for 30 seconds or more at a time. That long hold is a different stimulus from a shrug, and it trains your grip at the same time.

Upper traps and grip, loaded carry

Farmer's Walk

Forearms, Traps, Shoulders

Walking with the heaviest dumbbells you can hold makes your traps work for the full length of the walk to keep your shoulders from being pulled down. It builds the traps and the grip together and needs only a hallway or a stretch of gym floor.

How to do it

  1. Pick up a heavy dumbbell per hand, back flat, and stand tall.
  2. Pull your shoulders slightly up and back and brace your trunk.
  3. Walk with short, quick steps, keeping the dumbbells from swinging into your legs.
  4. Walk for the set distance or time, then set the dumbbells down the same way you picked them up.

Cues

  • Tall and proud
  • Short, quick steps
  • Crush the handles

Common mistakes

  • Letting the shoulders sag down and forward: stand tall and keep them set for the whole walk.
  • Taking long strides that swing the dumbbells: short steps keep them still.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shrug, Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry, Incline Dumbbell Shrug

Build a session with Farmer's Walk

Upper traps and core, one arm overhead

Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry

Shoulders, Abs

Holding one dumbbell locked out overhead while you walk asks the upper traps to keep that shoulder blade rotated up and stable, while your core fights the off-center load. It trains the traps in the arms-overhead position that shrugs never reach.

How to do it

  1. Press one dumbbell up and lock your arm and your biceps is next to your ear.
  2. Keep your ribs down and your free arm at your side.
  3. Walk slowly, keeping the dumbbell stacked over your shoulder.
  4. Bring it down after the set distance, then switch arms.

Cues

  • Arm by your ear
  • Ribs down
  • Walk tall

Common mistakes

  • Leaning away from the dumbbell: stay upright, and use a lighter one if you can't.
  • Letting the elbow soften: keep it locked out for the whole walk.

Swap for: Farmer's Walk, Dumbbell Cuban Press, Dumbbell Chest-Supported Y Raise

Build a session with Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry

Dumbbell exercises for middle and lower traps

The middle traps pull your shoulder blades together and the lower traps pull them down and in as your arms go overhead. Rows with your elbows wide, raises in a Y and face pulls all train those jobs, with weights far lighter than you would shrug.

Lower and middle traps, raise in a Y

Dumbbell Chest-Supported Y Raise

Shoulders

Chest down on a slanted bench, you raise very light dumbbells overhead in a Y shape. That angle is the job of the lower traps, the part almost no one trains, and the bench stops you from using your lower back to help.

How to do it

  1. Set a bench to around 45 degrees, lie face down on it and let a light dumbbell hang from each hand, thumbs pointing up.
  2. Raise both arms forward and out so they form a Y with your head.
  3. Stop when your arms are level with your torso and hold for a second.
  4. Lower slowly and repeat.

Cues

  • Thumbs up
  • Y, not T
  • Shoulder blades down

Common mistakes

  • Using dumbbells heavy enough that your shoulders shrug up: this needs very light weights, often 2 to 5 kg.
  • Arching your neck to look forward: keep your eyes on the floor.

Swap for: Dumbbell Face Pull, Dumbbell Cuban Press, Dumbbell Pendlay Row

Build a session with Dumbbell Chest-Supported Y Raise

Middle traps and rear delts, bent-over pull

Dumbbell Face Pull

Shoulders, Upper Back

Bent over with your torso near parallel, you pull the dumbbells up with your elbows high and wide, finishing with your hands near face level. The wide, high finish pulls your shoulder blades together, which is the middle traps' job.

How to do it

  1. Hinge forward until your torso is close to parallel, a dumbbell hanging below each shoulder, palms facing behind you.
  2. Pull the dumbbells up, driving your elbows out and as high as you can.
  3. Finish with your hands near your face and your shoulder blades squeezed.
  4. Lower slowly to straight arms.

Cues

  • Elbows high and wide
  • Squeeze the blades
  • Hold the hinge

Common mistakes

  • Pulling the dumbbells toward your hips: that is a lat row. Elbows go out, hands go toward the face.
  • Standing up during the set: hold the same hinge angle for every rep.

Swap for: Dumbbell Chest-Supported Y Raise, Dumbbell Pendlay Row, Dumbbell Upright Row

Build a session with Dumbbell Face Pull

Middle traps and lats, row from the floor

Dumbbell Pendlay Row

Lats, Upper Back

Rowing two dumbbells from a dead stop with a flat torso trains the middle traps and lats together with weights heavy enough to grow them. Flare your elbows a little more than usual and it becomes a trap row as much as a lat row.

How to do it

  1. Set two dumbbells on the floor just in front of your feet and hinge until your torso is level with the floor.
  2. Grab both handles, pull the slack out of your arms and brace.
  3. Row both dumbbells up toward your lower chest, elbows at about 45 degrees from your sides.
  4. Lower them to the floor, let them settle, and reset before the next rep.

Cues

  • Flat back
  • Elbows at 45 degrees
  • Pinch at the top

Common mistakes

  • Raising your chest to finish the rep: stay flat and let only the dumbbells move.
  • Not letting them stop on the floor: a full dead stop is what makes this a Pendlay row.

Swap for: Dumbbell Face Pull, Dumbbell Shrug, Dumbbell Chest-Supported Y Raise

Build a session with Dumbbell Pendlay Row

Lower traps and rotator cuff, raise and press

Dumbbell Cuban Press

Shoulders

The Cuban press joins an upright row, an outward rotation and an overhead press into one movement. With very light dumbbells it trains the muscles that steady your shoulder blades and rotate your arms, which helps the heavier trap work feel better on your shoulders.

How to do it

  1. Stand with a light dumbbell in each hand resting on your thighs.
  2. Pull your elbows up and out to shoulder height, with your forearms hanging down.
  3. Rotate your forearms up until they point at the ceiling, keeping your elbows where they are.
  4. Press the dumbbells overhead, then reverse each step back to the start.

Cues

  • Elbows, rotate, press
  • Light dumbbells
  • Smooth through each step

Common mistakes

  • Using shrug weights: start with the lightest dumbbells you have.
  • Letting the elbows drop as you rotate: keep them at shoulder height until the press.

Swap for: Dumbbell Upright Row, Dumbbell Chest-Supported Y Raise, Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry

Build a session with Dumbbell Cuban Press

Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in. Open one in the session builder to change a pick, price it from a recent set, and add it to RIRLift.

Session 1

One pair of dumbbells at home, no bench

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets26 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

You have a single pair of dumbbells, around 15 to 25 kg (35 to 50 lb), and nothing to lie on.

Without a bench, every exercise is done standing or bent over, so this pairs the shrug and upright row for the upper traps with the bent-over face pull and Pendlay row for the middle traps, and finishes with a farmer's walk to keep the traps working for time. A fixed pair stops being heavy for shrugs quickly, so shrugs run high reps with a pause and go to 0 reps in reserve; the rows and face pulls stop at 1. 13 working sets.

Traps
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell ShrugHold the top 2 s. 3 × 15–25 0 1 min
Dumbbell Pendlay RowElbows at 45 degrees. 3 × 8–12 1 90 s
Dumbbell Upright RowStop at shoulder height. 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Dumbbell Face PullElbows high and wide. 2 × 12–20 1 1 min
Farmer's WalkReps are seconds. 2 × 30–45 1 90 s
How to run it
Do the session twice a week, on separate days from heavy back work if you train it, or add it after your upper body days.
How to progress
Add reps until each set hits the top of its range at the target reps in reserve. Then make the same pair harder: hold the top of each shrug for 3 seconds, and walk farther on the carry.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Gym dumbbells and an incline bench

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets21 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Incline Bench

You train in a gym with a full rack of dumbbells and an adjustable bench, and you want bigger traps.

A full rack means the shrug and farmer's walk can finally go heavy, so they lead and stay in the 8 to 15 rep range. The incline bench adds a second shrug angle and the chest-supported Y raise for the lower traps, which only works with very light weights and a bench to stop body English. Shrugs and the Y raise go to 0 to 1 reps in reserve, the carry to 1. Session A has 11 working sets and session B has 10.

Traps A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell Shrug1 warm-up set firstHeavy. Pause 1 s. 4 × 8–12 1 90 s
Dumbbell Chest-Supported Y RaiseVery light. Thumbs up. 4 × 10–15 0 1 min
Farmer's WalkReps are steps. Heaviest pair. 3 × 30–40 1 90 s

Open Traps A in the session builder

Traps B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Incline Dumbbell ShrugBench at 45 degrees. 4 × 10–15 0 75 s
Dumbbell Upright RowElbows lead. 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Dumbbell Chest-Supported Y RaisePause at the top. 3 × 12–20 0 1 min

Open Traps B in the session builder

How to run it
Do Traps A and Traps B once each per week, at the end of your back or upper body days.
How to progress
When every set hits the top of its range, go up one dumbbell size on the shrugs and carries. Y raises progress by reps and a slower lowering before you add weight.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Ten minutes on the end of your upper body days

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets16 a week
  • Per workout~15 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

You already follow a program with rows and presses, and want more trap size and steadier shoulders without a separate day.

Your rows already train the middle traps, so this add-on spends its ten minutes on what they miss: the shrug for the upper traps, the overhead carry for the traps in the arms-overhead position, and light Cuban presses and face pulls for the lower traps and shoulder blade control. The shrug and the face pull are supersetted to save time. Shrugs go to 0 reps in reserve; the Cuban press stays at 2 because it is about clean movement, not fatigue. 8 working sets per add-on.

Finisher A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
A1 Dumbbell ShrugStraight into face pulls. 3 × 12–20 0 0 s
A2 Dumbbell Face PullElbows high. 3 × 12–20 1 1 min
Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead CarryReps are steps per arm. 2 × 20–30 1 1 min

Open Finisher A in the session builder

Finisher B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell Cuban PressLightest dumbbells. 2 × 8–12 2 45 s
Dumbbell ShrugHold the top 2 s. 3 × 10–15 0 1 min
Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead CarryReps are steps per arm. 3 × 20–30 1 1 min

Open Finisher B in the session builder

How to run it
Add Finisher A to one upper body day and Finisher B to another each week.
How to progress
Add reps and steps first. When the shrug reaches 20 at 0 reps in reserve, move to heavier dumbbells; leave the Cuban press light.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What is the most effective dumbbell exercise for traps?

The dumbbell shrug for the upper traps, because it trains their main job with a heavy load and a full range. For the whole trapezius, add the Y raise or face pull, which reach the middle and lower parts that shrugs miss.

Are dumbbell shrugs worth it?

Yes, if you want bigger upper traps. Rows and deadlifts train the traps too, but not through the full upward range. A few hard sets of shrugs a week, taken close to failure with a pause at the top, are the most direct way to grow them.

Are trap muscles hard to grow?

Not usually. The upper traps respond well to heavy shrugs and carries, and most people who say their traps won't grow are doing short, fast reps with too much weight. Use a full range, hold the top, and take sets close to failure.

Can I train traps every day?

You can do light trap work daily, but it isn't needed. Two or three sessions a week with a few hard sets each, as in the plans here, is enough, and gives the muscle time to recover between hard sets.

How many sets of trap exercises per week?

Around 6 to 12 direct hard sets a week, on top of the trap work you already get from rows and deadlifts. Split them over two sessions.

What is the king of all back exercises?

That title usually goes to the deadlift, which loads the whole back, traps included, heavier than any other lift. With dumbbells, the heaviest pull you have is the farmer's walk or the dumbbell Pendlay row.

How heavy should dumbbell shrugs be?

Heavy enough that you finish each set 0 to 1 reps short of failure while still holding the top for a full second. If you can't pause at the top, the dumbbells are too heavy.