The Shrug is There a Right Way?

[bblazer]

This may be on the stoopit side of things, but I was hoping for a little discussion.

I see two versions being done. Forget for a moment how they are attaching the weight to their body, I'm talking about form.

1) Standing upright "at attention" and each rep consists of trying to touch the shoulders to the ears.

2) Standing, but with the head facing the floor and instead of shoulders to ears, contracting the traps in a way that almost tries to get them to touch over the top of the upper spine lower neck (say C4-C7 area).

Personally I do #2. And to be honest, I do it because I was taught that way man, many years ago and may not know any better.

Discuss.

B-

 

[chazk]

with number 2 is to build " depth or demension "
try them like this. looking forward bend your legs at the knee and lean your torso a little forward.
some people call them " gorilla style shrugs "

Your neck has a natural curve in it you need to keep that curve to prevent injury.
doing shrugs looking down is not a good idea, you traps attach to the back of your head looking down does not allow a full contraction and also puts akward stress on the neck.
so instead of looking down and squeezing the traps together, simply keep looking forward and just lean forward a little as squezing the traps up and together .
Dorian yates did this variation and had some the the freakiest traps in the world

as for variation 1 touching the ear is what people use to " building height" to the traps putting more stress on the top attachments of the traps.
with variation 2# seems to stress attachments to the spine and shoulder blade as the traps squeeze together building more demension to the traps

i say do them both

 

[bblazer]

Thanks!

K for a good post.

B-

 

[PWR]

I do them several different ways. But I always look forward when doing them. I like doing them with dumbells and arms hanging from the side. Then I do them with arms hanging in front.. I really like the Smith machine for these. I will do a three sets with the bar in front of me and 3 sets with the bar behind me. I have done every different kind you can try and love them all.

 

[SouthernLord]

Power shrugs ftw!!!

Our traps and upper back are made for dynamic pulling. Look at the yokes on most oly lifters. These guys pull for a living.

I do not shrug often, but when I do it's the power version. Go onto the hang position and explode up into triple extension and shrug hard. With lighter weight these end up being high pulls, but as the weight piles on my elbows to not bend. You can handle a shit load more weight this way too.

 

[bblazer]

I have been ignoring shrugs for a while thinking that DLing was taking care of my needs. Now I'm thinking of adding them back in as an auxiliary.

B-

 

[joe d]

i find that the best shrug for me is to lean forward a little bit but pull straight upward so i am actually pulling upward and backward because i am leaning forward.

 

[Big_BK]

Power shrugs ftw!!!

Our traps and upper back are made for dynamic pulling. Look at the yokes on most oly lifters. These guys pull for a living.

I do not shrug often, but when I do it's the power version. Go onto the hang position and explode up into triple extension and shrug hard. With lighter weight these end up being high pulls, but as the weight piles on my elbows to not bend. You can handle a shit load more weight this way too.

This is what i do. I switch up from DB's and BB randomly when ever i feel like it. The first few sets i do with lighter weight i pull as hard as i can and like you said, usually ends up being sorta like a high pull but when you have 4-5 plates on the bar you can't get it up nearly as high, haha.

 

[DZLS]

i'd think looking down would be hard on the neck...

 

[crxdog]

i want 8and20 traps!

Is there some video to show how to do them with perfect form?

 

[hardrock]

I alternate between db's and bb's and always try to touch the ear. I train DC style which doesn't even do a trap workout, but I always throw in a set to failure after a back included day.

 

[timtim]

omega has a good strategy for traps but im not sure if he wants it out there.

dont forget seated db shrugs. takes the lower body out of the movement.

also, the idea is not to squeeze to your ears but as high up on the neck as possible. squeezing to the ears pulls the shoulders slightly forward. squeezing to the neck pulls them up and back. there is definately a different feel.

 

[ExtraMile]

I want bigger traps

 

[mb2]

Does anyone do these with the standing calf machine? I've tried them but they don't seem as effective.

 

[SouthernLord]

Does anyone do these with the standing calf machine? I've tried them but they don't seem as effective.

I have in the past. Light(er) weight and sets of 15-20 seem to burn them up. I never did them long enough to really attribute any direct growth to these, but they did give me serious DOMS. Search for "Hise" shrugs. That would be their proper name.

 

[artificialaspirations]

gonna add the power shrugs to my routine