Dumbbell Shrug

Traps

Equipment: Dumbbell

New to this

Your first dumbbell shrug

What weight should I start with on the dumbbell shrug?

Start with 20 to 25 lb in each hand. The range of motion is short, so you can handle more than you would expect, but grip usually gives out before the traps do.

You have got it right if your shoulders move a couple of inches straight up and your elbows stay locked.

What usually goes wrong on the dumbbell shrug?

Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging straight, feet hip-width. Raise your shoulders straight up toward your ears.

Hold at the top for a full second, then lower slowly and let the traps stretch at the bottom.

Most common mistake: rolling the shoulders in circles. Shrugs go up and down. Rolling adds wear on the shoulder joint and does not add anything.

If you do not have heavy enough dumbbells

The barbell shrug is easier to load past 50 lb per side, and holding the bar in front of or behind the thighs both work. The cable shrug keeps tension on the traps at the bottom and the handle never scrapes your legs.

How to do it

Stand erect with a dumbbell on each hand (palms facing your torso), arms extended on the sides.
Lift the dumbbells by elevating the shoulders as high as possible while you exhale. Hold the contraction at the top for a second.
Tip: The arms should remain extended at all times. Refrain from using the biceps to help lift the dumbbells. Only the shoulders should be moving up and down.
Lower the dumbbells back to the original position.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.