Barbell Shrug

How to do barbell shrugs with proper form to build strong upper traps and shoulders

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How to perform

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and grip the bar just outside your thighs with an overhand grip. Let the bar hang at arm’s length with your arms straight and your shoulder blades relaxed. Keep your torso tall and your core braced as you lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears, squeezing your traps hard at the top. Hold the peak contraction for a moment, then lower the bar slowly and deliberately to the starting position. Keep your arms straight and avoid bending your elbows throughout the set. Breathe in before the lift and exhale as you shrug.

Muscles worked

The barbell shrug is the most direct way to train the upper trapezius, the muscle that controls the upward movement of the shoulder blades. The shoulders and the rest of the trap fibers act as stabilizers during the lift.

• Traps
• Shoulders
• Upper back

Make it easier

Reduce the weight and work through a full range of motion without locking your knees. You can also use dumbbells or the bar on a Smith machine if a loaded barbell is hard to control.

Make it harder

Increase the load gradually, or pause for two to three seconds at the top of each rep to add time under tension. Slow the lowering phase to four seconds to build strength through the negative portion.

Common mistakes

Mistake: Rolling the shoulders backward at the top of the lift. Fix: Shrug straight up and down in one plane, keeping the path purely vertical.

Mistake: Using a bouncing, jerky motion to move heavy weight. Fix: Lower the load until you can perform each repetition smoothly and under control.

Mistake: Bending the elbows and turning the shrug into a half-row. Fix: Keep your arms completely straight and let the traps do the work.