At a glance
- Main muscle
- Traps
- Equipment
- Cable
- Rep range in Mitta
- 12 to 20 reps
- Skill level
- Beginner
- How tiring
- Low
- Weight step in Mitta
- 2.5 kg
How to do it
- Bar or two handles on the low cable, lean forward slightly.
- Shoulders up and slightly in, arms slightly out.
- Steady tempo, squeeze briefly at the top.
Pick a weight you can lift for 12 to 20 reps with good form, and stop each set with a few reps left in the tank.
Why rating A
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.
- Barbell Shrug · Barbell · rating A
- Smith Machine Shrug · Machine · rating A
- Dumbbell Shrug · Dumbbell · rating B
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 cable shrug.
Let Mitta set the weight.
Mitta plans the cable shrug with a weight and rep target for every set, worked out from your last sessions.
Questions about the
cable shrug
What muscles does the cable shrug work?
The cable shrug mainly trains your traps.
How many reps of the cable shrug should I do?
Mitta plans the cable shrug at 12 to 20 reps per set. Most sets should end with only a few reps left in the tank.
What can I do instead of the cable shrug?
Good alternatives that train the same muscle are the barbell shrug, Smith machine shrug and dumbbell shrug.
Is the cable shrug good for beginners?
Yes. It is easy to learn, so it suits people who are new to lifting.
Why does the cable shrug have rating A?
No growth study, so not an S.