Strength Training · Bodybuilding
Dumbbell Shrug
The dumbbell shrug trains your upper traps by lifting your shoulders while holding weights at your sides. It focuses on shoulder elevation rather than pulling with your arms.
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Low injury risk
- Rest 1 min
How to do it
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell beside each thigh with your palms facing inward.
- Raise your shoulders toward your ears as high as you comfortably can.
- Pause briefly at the top.
- Lower your shoulders under control to their starting position.
Form cues
- Keep your elbows straight.
- Keep your head stacked over your ribs.
- Exhale as you lift.
Common mistakes
- Rolling your shouldersSkip shoulder circles; they add unnecessary movement rather than improving the shrug.
- Bouncing the weightsReduce the weight until you can complete each rep with your torso and legs still.
Safety
Excessive weight or jerking can strain your neck and shoulder muscles. A fatigued grip can also let a dumbbell slip onto your foot.
- Start light before increasing the load in small increments.
- End the set when your grip starts to slip.
- Bend at your hips and knees to place the dumbbells down rather than dropping them.
If shrugging causes neck pain, shoulder pain, or arm tingling, stop and ask a physiotherapist or doctor for guidance before continuing.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Dumbbell
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 10–15 reps
- Rest
- 1 min
Choose a weight that leaves about two controlled reps in reserve.