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ONE OF THE most abused exercises in strength training is also one of the simplest. The shrug is about as straightforward as a movement can get: Hold weight, raise weight, lower weight, repeat. But everyone from bodybuilders to average Joes have butchered the shrug, from the way they approach the exercise to the way they include it in their workouts.
Simple and straightforward doesn’t necessarily mean foolproof. There are some subtle—but essential—form cues you’ll need to follow to do the shrug properly, especially when you’re using free weights like dumbbells or kettlebells rather than a barbell. That’s especially important for this movement, which is one that you’ll need to be very intentional to include in your training to build muscle and strength effectively.
Let Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. and senior editor Brett Williams, NASM guide you through the right way to do the shrug.
How to Do the Kettlebell/Dumbbell Shrug
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Stand holding a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells at your sides in a neutral grip. Squeeze your shoulder blades, abs, and glutes to create full-body tension. Keep your gaze straight ahead to maintain a neutral spine and stand tall to keep your shoulders back.
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Activate your traps and raise your shoulders straight up. Do not roll your shoulders.
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Pause for a count at the top, squeezing your traps.
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Lower back down to the starting position slowly, taking at least two seconds.
Use these high-level cues directly from Samuel to level-up your shrug.
Neck in Neutral
Eb says: Bro-science (or at least some of it) states that you should look at the ground when you’re shrugging. In theory, you work the traps through a fuller range of motion by doing this. Don’t fall for it, though.
First off, looking at the ground places your cervical spine in extension, not a position you want to train from or be in the habit of working from. Secondly, the key function of your traps you train when you shrug is that of elevating your shoulder blades. You can execute that same motion whether you’re looking at the ground or looking straight ahead, so opt for the position that’ll be long-term safer.
Arms Straight
Eb says: Move only at the shoulders when raising the weights. You’ll often see people bending their elbows, essentially creating extra momentum and energy to drive overly heavy weights upwards. That’s not a motion the traps govern.
Your traps are, again, elevating your shoulder blades, and that happens when you’re elevating your shoulders. Avoid bending your arms, no matter what anyone says.
Arms at Your Sides
Eb says: You’ll see people holding the weights in front of them when they shrug; don’t do this. Keep your arms at your sides, palms in neutral (facing your thighs). Roll your shoulders back. Your posture should be sound when you shrug period: Shoulders back, glutes squeezed, abs tight. Having your arms at your sides will let your traps move naturally, and it’ll prevent you from closing down joint space at the front of the shoulder joint.
And if you shrug with a barbell, you should keep this in mind, too. No, your hands can’t be in neutral when you’re shrugging with a barbell. But you want to do something called “breaking the bar,” essentially trying to bend the bar so that you can get your hands in a neutral position. Will it happen? Not a chance, but by maintaining that pressure, you’ll protect your shoulders and clean up your posture when shrugging, too.
Which Muscles You Train With the Shrug
The shrug targets your traps, the big muscle in the center of your upper back. You’re likely already giving the muscle lots of attention in your workouts without needing to home in for more direct work, so shrugs will be best used for people like bodybuilders who need that extra focus for their upper back and shoulders.
Common Shrug Mistakes
The most common mistake with the shrug—especially when you’re using free weights—is rolling the shoulders. This can put your shoulder joints in a poor spot and also takes the target muscle, the traps, out of the equation. Focus instead on moving straight up and down when you perform the movement. Other mistakes include working in poor posture (specifically with a forward lean) and moving too quickly. Follow correct form cues to avoid these missteps.
How to Add the Shrug to Your Workouts
You shouldn’t think of the shrug as an exercise that needs to be in every single upper body session, since your traps are muscles that wind up being involved in both vertical pressing and lots of pulling movements. Use this variation sparingly when you really want to give focused attention to the muscle group. Start with 3 sets of 8 to 10 slow reps.
Shrug Exercise Alternatives
There are a few exercises that you can add to your routine that will also train your traps without the drawbacks of the shrug, like the move’s limited range of motion and risk of poor posture.
Incline Row
3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Face Pull
3 sets of 12 to 15 reps
Rack Pull
3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Want to master even more moves? Check out our entire Form Check series.
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