- EquipmentBarbell
- PatternIsolation
- Reps8 to 20 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Stand holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip about shoulder width apart, arms straight.
First cueKeep the arms straight.
How to do the Barbell Shrug
Set up. Stand holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip about shoulder width apart, arms straight.
- Lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears.
- Hold briefly at the top.
- Lower the shoulders under control.
Form cues
- Keep the arms straight.
- Move straight up and down.
- Keep your chin level.
Common mistakes
- Rolling the shoulders in circles.
- Bending the elbows to lift.
Muscles worked
Main target: Traps. The trapezius runs from the base of the skull across the shoulders and down the middle of the back. Its upper part lifts the shoulder blades in a shrug; its middle and lower parts draw them back and down.
On the way: Forearms.
Its other side: Side delts and Triceps, in the overhead press and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Barbell Shrug, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Lateral Raise Superset partner: it trains the other side of the overhead press and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Barbell Row Same pull session: it trains the upper back.
- Pull-Up Same pull session: it trains the lats.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Barbell Shrug first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Barbell Shrug 3 × 8 to 20 reps
- Lateral Raise 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Barbell Row 3 × 5 to 12 reps
- Pull-Up 3 × 3 to 15 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Dumbbell Shrug
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Cable Shrug
Cable
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Dumbbell Shrug and Cable Shrug.
Do before it: Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Barbell Shrug is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Barbell Shrug?
Set up: Stand holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip about shoulder width apart, arms straight. Steps: 1. Lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears. 2. Hold briefly at the top. 3. Lower the shoulders under control. Form cues: Keep the arms straight. Move straight up and down. Keep your chin level. Common mistakes: Rolling the shoulders in circles. Bending the elbows to lift.
What muscles does the Barbell Shrug work?
It trains the traps as its main target and works the forearms on the way.
What can I do instead of the Barbell Shrug?
At home: Dumbbell Shrug. In a gym: Cable Shrug. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Barbell Shrug with?
Good partners in the same workout are Lateral Raise, Barbell Row and Pull-Up.
How heavy should the Barbell Shrug be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.