Barbell Shrug
Why it matters
The Shrug builds strength and size in your trapezius. As an isolation movement, it targets those muscles directly to build size and balance.
How to do it
- Load the bar evenly on both sides and secure it with collars before you lift.
- Hold the load at arm’s length with your shoulders relaxed down.
- Set a tall spine and let your shoulders hang before the first rep.
- Shrug your shoulders straight up toward your ears.
- Squeeze your traps hard at the top for a beat.
- Lower your shoulders under control to a full stretch.
Coaching cues
- Shrug straight up and down, not in a rolling circle.
- Squeeze your traps at the top for a beat.
- Let your shoulders drop into a full stretch at the bottom.
- Shrug straight up and squeeze your traps at the top.
Watch out for
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Rolling the shoulders in circles at the top.
Rolling adds no extra trap work and moves your shoulders through a weaker path.
Instead Shrug straight up and lower straight down.
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Using the arms to curl or lift the load.
Curling with your arms takes the work off the traps you are trying to build.
Instead Keep your arms straight and lift only by shrugging.
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Cutting the range short with a shallow shrug.
A shallow shrug barely works the traps you are trying to build.
Instead Shrug as high as you can and lower to a full stretch.
The detail
- Tempo
- Shrug up with intent and lower for about two counts.
- Breathing
- Exhale as you shrug up, breathe in as you lower.
- Range of motion
- Move from a full shoulder stretch at the bottom to a full shrug at the top. Take the trapezius through its full working range each rep.
- Setting up
- Load the bar evenly on both sides and secure it with collars before you lift.
- If you are new to it
- Use a load you can lift by shrugging alone, without swinging.
- Once it is easy
- Add a pause at the top of the shrug for a stronger contraction.