Barbell Shrug: How-to, Tips & More
The Barbell Shrug is a beginner isolation exercise for your traps. You do it with barbell. It is a good fit when your goal is both strength and muscle growth.
Muscles worked
Traps
Primary
How to do the Barbell Shrug
- Stand tall holding the bar in front of your thighs.
- Shrug your shoulders straight up toward your ears.
- Hold for a second at the top.
- Lower slowly.
Barbell Shrug tips
- Do not roll your shoulders. Straight up and down.
Sets and reps
Most lifters do well with 8 to 15 reps per set, and 8 to 15 reps is where this exercise tends to work best. Use a weight that leaves one or two reps in reserve on every set, and add weight once you can complete all your sets at the top of the range. It also works well in a superset with an exercise for the opposite muscles. You can finish with a drop set when you want extra volume.
Equipment
Barbell
Type
Isolation
Barbell Shrug alternatives
More traps exercises
Behind The Back Barbell Shrug
Barbell
Cable Y Raise
Cable machine
Chest Supported Y Raise
Dumbbells
Farmers Walk
Dumbbells
Trap Bar Shrug
Trap bar
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Barbell Shrug work?
The Barbell Shrug mainly works your traps.
How many sets and reps should I do?
A good starting point is 8 to 15 reps per set, and many lifters get the best results between 8 to 15 reps. Use a weight that leaves one or two reps in reserve.
Is the Barbell Shrug good for beginners?
Yes. The Barbell Shrug is considered beginner and is a good choice if you are new to training. Start light and focus on form.
What equipment do I need for the Barbell Shrug?
You need barbell.
Add Barbell Shrug to your program
Bite fills in your weights, tracks your progress and tells you when to go heavier.
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