- EquipmentCable
- PatternIsolation
- Reps10 to 20 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Stand close to a low cable with a bar attached, holding it in front of your thighs with straight arms.
First cueKeep the arms long.
How to do the Cable Shrug
Set up. Stand close to a low cable with a bar attached, holding it in front of your thighs with straight arms.
- Lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears.
- Hold the top briefly.
- Lower slowly to a full stretch.
Form cues
- Keep the arms long.
- Stand tall.
- Move only at the shoulders.
Common mistakes
- Leaning back to lift.
- Shortening the range.
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 Cable Shrug, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Cable Lateral Raise Superset partner: it trains the other side of the overhead press and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Seated Cable Row Same pull session: it trains the upper back.
- Lat Pulldown Same pull session: it trains the lats.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Cable 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.
- Cable Shrug 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Cable Lateral Raise 3 × 12 to 20 reps
- Seated Cable Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Lat Pulldown 3 × 8 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
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
A variation of: Barbell Shrug.
Other variations of the Barbell Shrug: Dumbbell Shrug.
Do before it: Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Cable 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 Cable Shrug?
Set up: Stand close to a low cable with a bar attached, holding it in front of your thighs with straight arms. Steps: 1. Lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears. 2. Hold the top briefly. 3. Lower slowly to a full stretch. Form cues: Keep the arms long. Stand tall. Move only at the shoulders. Common mistakes: Leaning back to lift. Shortening the range.
What muscles does the Cable Shrug work?
It trains the traps as its main target and works the forearms on the way.
What can I do instead of the Cable Shrug?
At home: Dumbbell Shrug. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Cable Shrug with?
Good partners in the same workout are Cable Lateral Raise, Seated Cable Row and Lat Pulldown.
How heavy should the Cable 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.