How to Barbell Shrug: Form, Muscles Worked and Mistakes

Muscles worked

What the barbell shrug trains

Front

Back

Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.

Before the first rep

How to set up

01
Set the bar. Put the bar in a rack at about mid thigh height so you can step under it without a deep bend. Set the safeties just below that height.
02
Grip. Take an overhand grip just outside your thighs, about shoulder width. Use straps if your grip fails before your traps do.
03
Stand tall. Feet about hip width apart. Lift the bar out of the rack, take one or two steps back, and stand straight with knees straight but not locked.
04
Arms long. Let the bar hang against the front of your thighs with arms straight and shoulders relaxed down. This low position is where every rep starts.

Step by step

How to do the barbell shrug

01
Brace. Take a breath, tighten your abs, and keep your chin level with your eyes forward.
02
Shrug up. Lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears as high as they will go. Your arms stay straight; the bar rises only a few inches.
03
Pause. Hold the top for about one second and feel the squeeze along the tops of your shoulders and the sides of your neck.
04
Lower slowly. Let your shoulders come all the way down over two or three seconds until you feel a stretch in your upper traps.
05
Rerack. After the last rep, step forward and set the bar back on the hooks with straight arms before you let go.

Cues to say in your head

Shoulders to your ears
Straight up, straight down
Arms are just hooks
Pause at the top
Slow on the way down
Chin stays level

Fix these first

Common mistakes

Rolling the shoulders in circles
Move straight up and straight down. Rolling adds nothing useful for the traps and can irritate the shoulders.
Bending the elbows
Keep your arms straight. Pulling with your arms turns the shrug into a partial upright row and takes load off the traps.
Loading too heavy for a tiny range
Use a weight you can lift high toward your ears and pause with. A short jerk under a huge load is mostly grip and momentum.
Bouncing with the knees and hips
Stand still and let your shoulders do the lifting. If you need a leg kick to start the rep, take weight off.
Pushing the head forward
Keep your chin level and your neck long. Craning forward puts extra strain on the neck.
Dropping the weight on the way down
Lower over two or three seconds. The controlled lowering is part of the work, not a rest.

Stay safe

Shrug inside a rack with the safeties set just below the bar's bottom position, so a failed rep can be set down on them. If you cannot finish a rep, lower your shoulders under control and put the bar back on the hooks or safeties rather than letting it fall. Straps help a lot here, because a grip that gives out mid set is the usual way bars get dropped. Stop if you feel sharp pain in your neck or shoulder, or tingling or numbness down an arm, and get it checked before shrugging again.

Programming

Sets, reps and how much weight

Goal	Sets	Reps	Load	Rest
Strength	3 to 4	5 to 8	75–85% 1RM	2 to 3 min
Muscle	3 to 4	8 to 15	60–75% 1RM	1 to 2 min
Endurance	2 to 3	15 to 20	50–60% 1RM	45 to 90 sec

Plan your next session

Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.

Recent setlbReps

Estimated 1RM 216 lb

Muscle sets

130–160lb

3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps, 1 to 2 min rest. The range most people should use for trap size. Pause at the top and lower slowly.

Warm up to 145 lb

Tap a set to see its plates.

Loadlbon a 45 lb bar, each side

45 + 5

Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.

Keep training

Variations and alternatives

Variations

Dumbbell ShrugHold the dumbbells at your sides with palms facing in. Each side works alone and the weight is not stuck in front of your thighs, so it suits home gyms and anyone whose shoulders feel pulled forward by a barbell.
Trap Bar ShrugYou stand inside the bar with handles at your sides, so the load sits in line with your body. Pick it when you want to shrug heavy with a neutral grip and an upright torso.
Smith Machine ShrugThe bar runs on fixed rails and racks with a twist of the wrists, so you can push sets hard without a spotter or worrying about balance.
Cable ShrugA cable keeps more even tension through the rep and changes weight with a pin. Good for higher rep sets or for anyone training at a cable station.
Kelso ShrugLie chest down on an incline bench with dumbbells or a bar hanging, then squeeze your shoulder blades back together instead of up. Pick it to train the mid traps and rhomboids of the upper back rather than the upper traps.

Alternatives

Farmer's CarryWalking with heavy weights at your sides makes the upper traps work to hold your shoulders up, while also training grip and core.
Rack PullA partial deadlift from knee height loads the traps and upper back heavily in a hip hinge, for lifters who want a bigger compound option.
Face PullA lighter cable pull for the rear shoulders and upper back. A better pick when your neck or shoulders do not tolerate heavy shrugs.

Pairs well with

Questions

Barbell Shrug questions

What muscles do shrugs work?

Shrugs mainly work the upper traps, the muscle between your neck and the top of each shoulder. The levator scapulae helps lift the shoulder blades, and your forearms work hard to hold the weight.

Are dumbbell shrugs better than barbell shrugs?

Neither is better; both train the upper traps the same way. Dumbbells sit at your sides and let each arm work alone, while a barbell is easier to load heavy and progress in small jumps.

What is a trap bar shrug?

It is a shrug done standing inside a trap bar (hex bar), holding the side handles with palms facing in. The weight stays in line with your body, which many people find more comfortable for heavy sets than a barbell in front of the thighs.

What is a Kelso shrug?

A Kelso shrug is done lying chest down on an incline bench with arms hanging, pulling your shoulder blades back together instead of up toward your ears. It trains the mid traps and rhomboids of the upper back more than a standard shrug.

Should I roll my shoulders when I shrug?

No. Lift straight up and lower straight down. Rolling forward or back adds nothing for the traps and can irritate the shoulders.

How many sets and reps of shrugs should I do?

For trap size, 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps with a pause at the top works well for most people. Go heavier for 5 to 8 reps if you want strength, and use straps if your grip gives out first.