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Bherrnkind
Bherrnkind g Brandon Herrnkind
2 Post(s)
2 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: June 6, 2017
Posted

For the past few months my traps haven't progressed, while I feel like the rest of my body has. I have beeing doing farmer's carries and im still struggling with the same weight for about 3 months. Also I've recently started to do rack pulls and I struggle to do 8 reps with 225; which I can do about 20 reps deadlifting.  My PR for deadlift is 365, I always assumed that rack pulls we easier than deadlift since it has a smaller range of motion, but i find it much harder. I am not sure if i should contiinue doing what I usually do or change something up. Here is my workout.

LifesHarlequin
LifesHarlequin g Joshua Barker
30 Post(s)
30 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: October 10, 2017
Posted

 My suggestion looking at the workout is you're doing a lot of your heavy lifts at the end of the workout when your body is already exhausted. A lot of people are pushing the pre-exhaustion warmups like you're doing with various exercises, but something heavy like rack pulls should be early on before your grip gets weak, or really anything with real heavy or compound lifts should be early in the workout if not first after a warmup. Then work on more isolated movements with moderate weight with concentration on form. Take Scott's cheat and recover approach: he goes real heavy on a set of cheap reps, then suppliments with moderate controlled weight and perfect form. Or how the powerbuilding or Push/Pull/Legs workouts are setup. All heavy lifts are first up in the routine. You're right in that with a PR for deads of 365 you should be pulling much higher on rack pulls. Also, if you're lifting for strength gains and not endurance gains, aim for 6-8 rep ranges, epsecially if it's with a heavy set. 10-12 is great for accessory work or getting your muscular endurance up.

33 / Military (Navy) / Avid Cyclist (fixie and touring) / Assistant Command Fitness Leader / Currently doing Starting Strength Barbell Training
Bherrnkind
Bherrnkind g Brandon Herrnkind
2 Post(s)
2 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: June 6, 2017
Posted

Thanks for the info. I definitely take this into consideration and change up my workout a bit

Scott_Herman
Scott_Herman a Scott Herman
7.1K Post(s)
7.1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: August 8, 2008
Posted
Posted By: Bherrnkind

For the past few months my traps haven't progressed, while I feel like the rest of my body has. I have beeing doing farmer's carries and im still struggling with the same weight for about 3 months. Also I've recently started to do rack pulls and I struggle to do 8 reps with 225; which I can do about 20 reps deadlifting.  My PR for deadlift is 365, I always assumed that rack pulls we easier than deadlift since it has a smaller range of motion, but i find it much harder. I am not sure if i should contiinue doing what I usually do or change something up. Here is my workout.

I agree with @LifesHarlequin, try doing you rack pulls at the start of your workout when you are fresh so you can lift as much weight as possible. Are you doing above the knee rack pulls? So just a short range of motion for a massive overload on the traps? I'll link you to a video below to make sure you have the form right as well.

 

Also, try adding more frequency of training in for your traps, that has helped me. Hit them 3 times a week if you can, just throw some shrugs or upright rows into some of your workouts as a superset with other muscle groups, like legs or chest.

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muscular strength
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