overhead shrug

[oni]

So?

[WOOO]

So?

so

[oni]

shrugs are not a grip contest lol, no-one cares if you shrugged 500lb for 20 reps and tore all your calluses off (although you'll just use a paper towel and continue anyway)
nothing wrong with straps at all imo

[Yev33]

I was never a huge fan of shrugs. My traps grow from heavy deadlifts and rowing. BUT... this does not mean I never do them. My main problem  is ROM and how blurred it becomes as you go up in weight. You warm up and by the time you get to your work sets the ROM is cut in half and you hardly noticed it as you were warming up.

I have gotten results from shrugs from using straps and doing one heavy set of 8-12 reps with 405-455lbs, I have also gotten results from them doing 3 sets of 10 with 335lbs double overhand grip no straps. When I ditch the straps I can't go nearly as heavy but my ROM is better, when I put the straps on and use more weight I still feel the exercise in my traps despite the shorter ROM.

Next time I put shrugs into my routine I am going to experiment doing one heavy set of 6-10 reps without straps, then with the same weight on the bar do another set with straps for as many reps as possible. This way I don't go too heavy and use less ROM, and still get the benefit of not worrying about my grip and just going for max reps with straps on the second set.

[jpm101]

Might also consider Wave training/Wave loading as an option if wanting to go light (higher reps) and heavy (lowing reps) using the same movement, in the same group of sets.  Wave loading has been around for a good amount of years, though mostly for strength training., but also functional  for BB'ing.

basic example:

Bench press...taking the average weight of 220 for 8 good reps. Never going to failure. Feel free to apply this same idea to traps or any other exercises. Works very well with squats & DL's.

220....1 X 8
250....1 X 5
220....1 X 8...this will feel much lighter from the first set, but stay with the original 220.
250....1 X 5..may feel a bit taxing
220....1 X 8  or as many reps above 8 that you can....without approaching failure.

May take a couple of workouts to select you starting weights. Everyone is not going to respond the same way. Remembering these are just example weights.

For power....bench again. Never going to failure.

260...1 X 3
285...1 X 1
260...1 X 3
285...1 X 1
260...1 X 3

Some guy's will add weight from set to sets  (usually 5lbs, or so), some will stay at the original weights throughout.

Quite a few different approaches to Wave loading, might want to do a search if interested.

Good Luck.