Trap Bar Standing Shrug
Isolation exercise, Free weightsOverview
Main muscles
- Neck: Trapezius muscle
(Musculus trapezius)
Training plans
Trap Bar Standing Shrug is a suitable substitute for similar exercises in or as a supplement to various training plans.
Trap Bar Standing Shrug: Basics and alternatives
Involved main muscle groups:
Trap Bar Standing Shrug
Trap-bar shrugs adapt Barbell Shrugs to a neutral grip, with a handle at each side and your palms facing each other. You’ll stand tall with straight arms and raise your shoulders. Your upper traps do most of the work.
The hexagonal frame leaves room in front of your thighs, but you still need to keep it level and your torso steady. Smith-machine shrugs offer a guided-bar alternative.
Correct execution
Stand in the center of the frame and bend your hips and knees to reach the handles. Grip them at matching positions, then lift the frame and stand fully upright before beginning the shrug. If you use raised supports, make sure they are stable and rated for the load.
Keep your elbows straight and lift your shoulders toward your ears, with your knees and hips still. Lower your shoulders slowly back to their starting height. The bar only travels a short distance, and that’s fine: trying to lift it much higher usually means bending your elbows or pushing with your legs. When you’re done, bend your hips and knees to lower the frame to the floor with control.
Grip both handles in the same spot, front to back as well as side to side: if one hand sits closer to the front end of its handle, the frame can tilt even with equal plates. Keep your wrists in line with your forearms and let the handles settle before your first shrug.
The handles may be close to your legs, but the loaded ends stick out much farther, so leave enough room to lower the frame without hitting a bench or nearby plates. During the shrugs, keep looking straight ahead; don’t turn to check the ends while holding the weight.
Video tutorial
Step-by-step instructions
Choose matching handles at the height you want, load the trap bar evenly and secure the plates.
Stand in the center of the frame.
Brace your core and keep your back in its natural, neutral position as you bend your hips and knees and grasp both side handles with your palms facing inward.
Keep your core braced and your back neutral as you lift the bar and stand upright with it level beside you.
Raise your shoulders while keeping your elbows straight and your legs still.
Hold briefly and lower your shoulders under control, then repeat.
After the last shrug, keep your core braced and your back neutral as you bend your hips and knees to return the bar to the floor under control.
Common mistakes
Keep your legs out of the shrugs. They help you stand up with the bar at first, but driving with them on every rep changes the exercise.
Avoid uneven shrugs: lift both shoulders at the same time so both sides stay level. There’s no need to roll your shoulders or tip your head for a bigger range. Choose a load you can hold securely for the whole set.
A frame drifting forward can pull your arms away from your sides. Keep your hands beside your body and lower the bar if your grip slips. End the set while you can still set the whole frame down with control.