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Squatters, whats your fix for tight traps?

Jungnaut

YOLO Kunce
Those who do BB squats can no doubt relate to this - I am getting really tight traps from the repeated bar pressure on it, resulting in tight neck and restricted movement in that area. My osteopath has to manipulate it once every month or so just so I can get relative full range of motion again. Besides obvious stretching (which I guess I got to up the ante), what else can I do to release the tensio and trigger points in the traps? It is very tough to get to it with the golf ball lol, I end up dropping it a million times on the ground, resulting in me frustatingly shotputting it across the yard followed by an expletive.
 
Those who do BB squats can no doubt relate to this - I am getting really tight traps from the repeated bar pressure on it, resulting in tight neck and restricted movement in that area. My osteopath has to manipulate it once every month or so just so I can get relative full range of motion again. Besides obvious stretching (which I guess I got to up the ante), what else can I do to release the tensio and trigger points in the traps? It is very tough to get to it with the golf ball lol, I end up dropping it a million times on the ground, resulting in me frustatingly shotputting it across the yard followed by an expletive.


You do Shrugs?
 
Never had an issue with traps while squatting, never even realized they had anything to do with them, but may be because I generally squat and dead lift the same day it might not show up as an issue.
 
hmmm i have never had an issue with trap pressure or soreness when squatting, could it be the position of the bar that is causing the issue? or does using something like the wimp pad help eleviate the problem?
 
Those who do BB squats can no doubt relate to this - I am getting really tight traps from the repeated bar pressure on it, resulting in tight neck and restricted movement in that area. My osteopath has to manipulate it once every month or so just so I can get relative full range of motion again. Besides obvious stretching (which I guess I got to up the ante), what else can I do to release the tensio and trigger points in the traps? It is very tough to get to it with the golf ball lol, I end up dropping it a million times on the ground, resulting in me frustatingly shotputting it across the yard followed by an expletive.

I dont get "tightness or soreness" so to speak but one side of my traps is noticably tighter than the other, when I unrack the bar, in the mirror I can see the bar sitting much higher on one side (I've tried adjusting the position of the bar on my shoulders but its always the same).


Often I also end up with a minor cramp in that area/in my right rotator cuff when squatting so I've always though it has something to do with tightness in the area.

I have regular deep tissue massages on that area and it hasn't released yet.

Let me know if you figure out a solution :)
 
It's what I am led to believe because my osteo reckons placing 100+ kilos over the traps is bound to cause trigger points. Not sure what other reason it could be really, only thing I am sure of is that I have to go every month or so to get my traps/shoulders manipulated and neck snapped back into place.

I use the low bar position for all my back squats, never tried high bar.
 
It's what I am led to believe because my osteo reckons placing 100+ kilos over the traps is bound to cause trigger points. Not sure what other reason it could be really, only thing I am sure of is that I have to go every month or so to get my traps/shoulders manipulated and neck snapped back into place.

I use the low bar position for all my back squats, never tried high bar.

Not sure the bar sits anywhere near my traps, seems to be resting in the groove behind them, I think your bar position is wrong to be honest.
 
Not sure the bar sits anywhere near my traps, seems to be resting in the groove behind them, I think your bar position is wrong to be honest.


High bar which is usually the common bar position for anyone but powerlifters in on the traps.
 
Silver, would you mind elaborating on your thoughts?
[MENTION=10123]bigruff[/MENTION];
I'm a big believer in working a muscle through its full range of movement.

Although the squat, dead, rows and farmer's are excellent exercises, the tarps aren't really doing any mechanical work here.
I reckon we can benefit from direct tarp work occasionally.
The best time to do tarp work is directly after some dead's, couple of sets, 10 to 12, is all that is needed, it's just a smallish muscle, with a small ROM.

Kelsos tarp book is an excellent read in this regard, pretty cheap also.
 
Not sure the bar sits anywhere near my traps, seems to be resting in the groove behind them, I think your bar position is wrong to be honest.

The tarps attach all the way up in the base of the skull and run half way down the spine and insert into the shoulder, the op's issues could be a result of many things, the bar sitting on the tarps, could be irritation from some other refferred issue.
 
@bigruff;
I'm a big believer in working a muscle through its full range of movement.

Although the squat, dead, rows and farmer's are excellent exercises, the tarps aren't really doing any mechanical work here.
I reckon we can benefit from direct tarp work occasionally.
The best time to do tarp work is directly after some dead's, couple of sets, 10 to 12, is all that is needed, it's just a smallish muscle, with a small ROM.

Kelsos tarp book is an excellent read in this regard, pretty cheap also.

Roger that, I often neglect shrugs unfortunately.. but this arvo is deadlifts in the gym so I'll work on the shrugs straight after then followed by some good stretching.

Cheers!
 
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