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Shrugs


General guidelines for all shrugging movements
(unless specifically stated otherwise)

  • use lifting straps if desired, particularly for working sets
  • take a shoulder-width-grip ideally
  • chest up, head / neck neutral, elbows / triceps locked-out (unless stated otherwise)
  • if standing, lock out quads and contract glutes and abs (don’t let hips come back and forth)
  • pull everything back / retract scapula (not to an extreme, but to avoid any roll forward)
  • begin by retracting from around the mid-back
  • shrug right to the top of the neck and really squeeze
  • push / protract on the way downward to lower the weight (don’t let it drop).

Standing Shrugs – Dumbbell or Barbell

‘Beside body’ variation depicted

    Exercise Specific:

  • Be sure to keep everything pulled-back throughout with the weight(s) held (constantly) just slightly in front.
  • Dumbbell Optional Variations:
       > Hold DB’s Behind body: this is the position in which you will be weakest
       > Hold DB’s Beside body: hold with a neutral grip (palms facing) and pay extra attention not to rest during this variation in order to maintain constant tension.

 

Prone Incline Shrugs – Dumbbell or Barbell

Note how the shoulders are correctly down and back, not raised and forward

    Exercise Specific:

  • Actively resist the urge to let the shoulders rise up and sag forward during the movement.

 

Shrug + Upright Row Combination

    Exercise Specific:

  • once at the top, bend elbows and pull / row them upwards about 3 inches further.