Barbell Shrug
The point of Barbell Shrug is strength you can feel outside the gym; heavy bilateral barbell loading is how it gets there.
How to do Barbell Shrug
- 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.
- 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.
- Slowly return to the starting position as you breathe in.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Barbell Shrug Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
3 sets of 5-6 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.
Hypertrophy
3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.
Endurance
2-3 sets of 15-18 reps with 45-60 seconds of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.
Common Barbell Shrug Mistakes
Gripping off-centre so one side carries more load
Set both hands on matching knurl marks before each set.
Feeling the movement everywhere except the muscle it trains
Lighten the load and rebuild the position until the target muscle burns.
Chasing load before the pattern is grooved
Spend the first few weeks making every rep look the same.
Easier and Harder Than Barbell Shrug
Barbell Shrug — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Barbell Shrug?
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. 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. Slowly return to the starting position as you breathe in. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Barbell Shrug work?
The Barbell Shrug primarily targets the traps. It is classified as a back exercise and is performed with a barbell.
How many sets and reps of the Barbell Shrug should I do?
For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Barbell Shrug good for beginners?
Yes. The Barbell Shrug is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
