The barbell shrug is a strength exercise targeting the trapezius muscles. It involves lifting the shoulders towards the ears while holding a barbell, focusing on building upper back and neck strength.
Also Works
Shoulders
How to Perform
1
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell in front of you with an overhand grip.
2
Keep your arms straight and your back straight throughout the exercise.
3
Lift your shoulders up towards your ears as high as possible, squeezing your traps at the top.
4
Hold for a moment, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
5
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Shrug your shoulders straight up toward your ears as high as possible, then hold the peak contraction for 1-2 seconds.
•Keep your arms completely straight throughout; don't bend the elbows to assist the shrug.
•Use straps if your grip fails before your traps are fully fatigued, since heavy shrugs demand significant grip endurance.
Common Mistakes
•Rolling the shoulders forward or backward during the shrug, which doesn't add benefit and risks shoulder injury.
•Using too much weight with a tiny range of motion instead of shrugging through a full up-and-down range.
•Bending the elbows and turning it into an upright row hybrid.