The smith shrug is an exercise performed on a Smith machine to target the trapezius muscles. It involves lifting the shoulders towards the ears while holding a barbell, focusing on squeezing the traps at the top of the movement.
Also Works
Shoulders
How to Perform
1
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
2
Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
3
Keep your arms straight and your shoulders relaxed.
4
Lift your shoulders up towards your ears, squeezing your traps at the top.
5
Hold for a moment, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
6
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Shrug straight up toward your ears and squeeze the traps at the top for 2-3 seconds.
•Let the weight pull your shoulders down fully at the bottom for a complete stretch.
•Keep the bar close to your body and your arms completely straight throughout the movement.
Common Mistakes
•Rolling the shoulders in circles instead of shrugging straight up and down.
•Using too much weight with minimal range of motion; half-inch shrugs build nothing.
•Bending the elbows and using the biceps to help lift the weight.