The shoulder shrug is an exercise in weight training. To execute the exercise, the lifter stands erect, hands about shoulder width apart, and raises the shoulders as high as possible, and then lowers them, while not moving the arms or body at all. Shoulder shrugs are used to develop the upper trapezius muscle. Shoulder shrugs are generally vertical in relation to the body. If resisting in another direction, see dips, rows, or bench presses to develop other aspects of the shoulder girdle.

Larger gains in strength, endurance and muscle hypertrophy are gained when the exercise is done with added resistance, although the lifter may not have as large a range of motion as in a normal shrug done for active flexibility. An overhand, inside, outside, underhand or mixed grip can be used.

A barbell or smith machine may be used, held in front of the thighs, resting on the quadriceps, or behind, resting on the hamstrings. Using these excludes inside and outside grips. One or two dumbbells, kettlebells or stretch bands can be used, together or opposite one another. A trap bar can also be used, necessitating an inside grip.

A variation is the "Hise shrug" wherein the weights are placed on a bar, the bar is placed across the shoulders, behind the neck, and the bar is "shrugged" upwards. This places undue stress on the upper body and does not develop the arms in a natural pulling motion, and may not be a functional exercise.

The shoulders can also be shrugged up and down (relatively) in a handstand, creating a unique stressor for the shoulder girdle.

External links

• http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/TrapeziusUpper/BBShrug.html
• Dumbbell shoulder shrug Exercise guide from Muscle&Strength.com