Dumbbell Shrug

Target muscle

Traps

Also works

Shoulders

Equipment

Dumbbell

Body part

Back

How to do the dumbbell shrug

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
2. Keep your arms straight and let the dumbbells hang by your sides.
3. Raise your shoulders as high as possible, as if you are trying to touch your ears with your shoulders.
4. Hold the contraction for a second, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets and reps

For muscle growth, 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps with 60–90 seconds of rest is a proven starting point. For strength, use a heavier weight for 3–5 sets of 3–6 reps and rest 2–3 minutes. Add a little weight once you hit the top of your rep range on every set.

Muscles worked

The main muscle is the traps. The shoulders work as secondary muscles. See all trap exercises or every dumbbell exercise.