Pull
Dumbbell Shrug
What it works
Mainly: Traps. Also: Grip.
Setup
Dumbbells at your sides, arms straight, standing tall.
How it goes
Lift the shoulders straight up towards the ears, pause, lower fully.
Two things people get wrong
- Rolling the shoulders, which adds nothing and irritates the joint.
- Bending the arms to help.
If the kit’s busy
Barbell shrug or a trap bar shrug.
Also written as: Dumbbell Shrugs
In these programmes
These are setup and execution cues, not coaching. If something hurts, stop — and if you're training around an injury or a health condition, get a professional's eyes on it first.