Trap Bar Shrug: How-to, Tips & More
The Trap Bar Shrug is a beginner isolation exercise for your traps. You do it with trap bar. It is a good fit when your goal is both strength and muscle growth.
Muscles worked
Traps
Primary
How to do the Trap Bar Shrug
- Stand inside a trap bar and grip the handles.
- Stand up tall with straight arms.
- Shrug your shoulders straight up toward your ears.
- Hold briefly, then lower slowly.
Trap Bar Shrug tips
- The handles at your sides let you go heavier than a barbell.
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
Trap bar
Type
Isolation
Trap Bar Shrug alternatives
More traps exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Trap Bar Shrug work?
The Trap Bar 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 Trap Bar Shrug good for beginners?
Yes. The Trap Bar 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 Trap Bar Shrug?
You need trap bar.
Add Trap Bar Shrug to your program
Bite fills in your weights, tracks your progress and tells you when to go heavier.
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