At a glance
- Main muscle
- Traps
- Also works
- Forearms
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Rep range in Mitta
- 8 to 15 reps
- Skill level
- Beginner
- How tiring
- Low
- Weight step in Mitta
- 2.5 kg
How to do it
- Stand inside the frame, neutral grip, arms straight.
- Shoulders straight up to your ears.
- Hold briefly, lower slowly; straps are fine.
Pick a weight you can lift for 8 to 15 reps with good form, and stop each set with a few reps left in the tank.
Why rating A
Easy to load heavily. 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
- 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 trap bar shrug.
Let Mitta set the weight.
Mitta plans the trap bar shrug with a weight and rep target for every set, worked out from your last sessions.
Questions about the
trap bar shrug
What muscles does the trap bar shrug work?
The trap bar shrug mainly trains your traps. Your forearms help.
How many reps of the trap bar shrug should I do?
Mitta plans the trap bar shrug at 8 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 trap bar shrug?
Good alternatives that train the same muscle are the barbell shrug, Smith machine shrug and calf-machine shrug.
Is the trap bar shrug good for beginners?
Yes. It is easy to learn, so it suits people who are new to lifting.
Why does the trap bar shrug have rating A?
Easy to load heavily. No growth study, so not an S.