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Exercise guide

Barbell Shrug

How to do the Barbell Shrug with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

IsolationBarbellBeginnerPull
Primary muscles

Traps

Secondary

Equipment

Barbell

Step by step

How to do the Barbell Shrug

  1. 1

    Stand up straight with your feet at shoulder width as you hold a barbell with both hands in front of you using a pronated grip (palms facing the thighs). Tip: Your hands should be a little wider than shoulder width apart. You can use wrist wraps for this exercise for a better grip. This will be your starting position.

  2. 2

    Raise your shoulders up as far as you can go as you breathe out and hold the contraction for a second. Tip: Refrain from trying to lift the barbell by using your biceps.

  3. 3

    Slowly return to the starting position as you breathe in.

  4. 4

    Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every Barbell Shrug set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap — so your traps volume is visible at a glance — and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Related

More traps exercises

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