At a glance
- Main muscle
- Traps
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Rep range in Mitta
- 10 to 15 reps
- Skill level
- Beginner
- How tiring
- Low
- Weight step in Mitta
- 2.5 kg
How to do it
- Grip slightly wider than your shoulders (1.25–1.5×), arms straight.
- Shoulders up and slightly in, toward your ears.
- Hold briefly and lower slowly; straps are fine.
Pick a weight you can lift for 10 to 15 reps with good form, and stop each set with a few reps left in the tank.
Why rating A
With straps your grip won't give out first. No growth study, so not an S.
Mitta rates every exercise from S to C, based on research where it exists and on how the exercise loads the muscle. When Mitta builds your plan it picks from S, A and B exercises and prefers ones that load the muscle at long length. C exercises are never picked automatically, but you can still choose them yourself.
Alternatives
These train the same muscle. Use one if you lack the equipment, if this exercise does not feel right, or for some variety.
- Trap Bar Shrug · Barbell · rating A
- Smith Machine Shrug · Machine · rating A
- Calf-Machine Shrug · Machine · rating A
Keep learning
- What is progressive overload, and how do you do it?
- How many sets per muscle per week?
- What is RIR, and how do you estimate it?
- One-rep max calculator: your max from any hard set of the barbell shrug.
Let Mitta set the weight.
Mitta plans the barbell shrug with a weight and rep target for every set, worked out from your last sessions.
Questions about the
barbell shrug
What muscles does the barbell shrug work?
The barbell shrug mainly trains your traps.
How many reps of the barbell shrug should I do?
Mitta plans the barbell shrug at 10 to 15 reps per set. Most sets should end with only a few reps left in the tank.
What can I do instead of the barbell shrug?
Good alternatives that train the same muscle are the trap bar shrug, Smith machine shrug and calf-machine shrug.
Is the barbell shrug good for beginners?
Yes. It is easy to learn, so it suits people who are new to lifting.
Why does the barbell shrug have rating A?
With straps your grip won't give out first. No growth study, so not an S.