Should I roll my shoulders when I shrug?

No. The traps lift the shoulders straight up; rolling them adds no work and only strains the joint.

Barbell or dumbbell shrugs?

Both work. Dumbbells let your arms hang naturally at your sides; a barbell is easier to load heavy. Pick the one that feels better on your shoulders.

Shrugs: Muscles Worked and How to Do Them

Q: What muscles do shrugs work?

Mainly the traps, the upper part between your neck and shoulders, with your shoulders helping and your forearms holding the weight.

Shrugs: muscles worked and how to do them

Shrugs train your traps, the muscles between your neck and shoulders, with your shoulders helping and your forearms holding the weight.

The movement is small: you lift your shoulders straight up towards your ears, hold for a moment, and lower them. Because the range is short and your grip is strong, you can use heavy weights, but the reps work best slow and controlled.

At a glance

Main muscles: Traps
Also works: Shoulders
Forearms
Movement: Shrug
Equipment: Barbell, Dumbbells
Type: Isolation (one joint)

Front

Back

How to do shrugs

Stand tall holding a barbell in front of your thighs, or a dumbbell at each side, arms straight.
Let your shoulders hang down so the traps start stretched.
Lift your shoulders straight up towards your ears, as high as they go. Keep your arms straight.
Hold the top for a second.
Lower your shoulders slowly all the way back down.

Cues that help

"Ears to shoulders, shoulders to ears": the movement is straight up, not a circle.
"Arms are ropes": no bending at the elbows, the arms only hold the weight.
"Pause at the top": a second of squeeze beats bouncing heavy weight.
"Tall neck": keep your chin level, don’t poke your head forward.

Common mistakes

Rolling the shoulders forward and back in circles. It adds nothing and strains the joint.
So much weight that the shoulders barely move. Lift less and get the full height.
Bending the elbows, which turns the shrug into an upright row.
Dropping the weight quickly instead of lowering it.

Sets, reps and weight

For muscle: 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps, with a one-second pause at the top.
Rest 1 to 2 minutes between sets.
Use straps if your grip fails before your traps.
Dumbbells let your hands hang at your sides; a barbell or trap bar lets you go heavier.

Variations and alternatives

Dumbbell shrugs: a more natural arm position and a slightly longer range.
Trap bar shrugs: heavy, with your hands at your sides.
Farmer’s walk: carrying heavy weights trains the traps and grip together.
Deadlift and rows: the traps work hard holding your shoulders in place.

Tracking your shrugs

PushBeyond logs the weight and reps of each set and charts the history of the exercise. Its muscle map counts shrugs for your traps, with your shoulders and forearms as helpers.