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Shoulder shrug with weight limitation?

3 min read

Asked by: Suzanne Johnson

How much weight can you put on shoulder shrugs?

Shoulder shrugs and weights



Hand weights of 5 or 8 pounds are still heavy enough to strengthen your trapezius and upper back muscles. As you get into the habit of doing this exercise several times a week, you can increase the weight to 15, 20, 25 pounds or more.

Can you go heavy on shrugs?

Look, the shrug doesn’t have a very long range of motion. So people who shrug too heavy don’t spend enough time putting the traps under a significant amount of tension. When you hold the top in that 3-5 second range… You have to lighten the load quite a bit.

Are shoulder shrugs with weights good?

Dumbbell shrugs are an excellent exercise to develop strong shoulders and upper trapezius muscles. There are many ways to target your trap muscles – which are the muscles that protrude up around your shoulders and neck – with back exercises, but the dumbbell shrug is straightforward and effective.

What do shoulder shrugs with weights do?

Shoulder shrugs are a resistance training exercise, used for strength and building lean muscle mass. Traditionally performed using dumbbells, or a barbell, shoulder shrugs stimulate your upper back, lats and font, medial, and rear delts.

What is a good barbell shrug weight?

Entire Community

Strength Level Weight
Beginner 34 lb
Novice 79 lb
Intermediate 146 lb
Advanced 233 lb

Do shrugs make your neck bigger?

No, the shrug exercise does not make the neck bigger. The shrugs do hit muscles near your neck like the upper trapezius and the levator scapulae, but the won’t really help thicken and make your neck look more muscular.

Are dumbbell or barbell shrugs better?


So one of the main differences with the barbell shrug is when you're shrugging with a barbell your shoulders are tend to come forward like this right.

Should you hold shrugs at the top?

Ideally, you should hold the position of full contraction and squeeze at the top, then slowly lower your shoulders to feel a stretch at the bottom. The range of motion is very short: the distance you can lift or lower your shoulders.

Can you do shrugs with a barbell?

So the best way to unwrap a barbell shrug to avoid both spinal flexion and rolled shoulders would be to position the barbell just a few inches below your hands.

Do shrugs make shoulders bigger?

Just shrugging your shoulders while you’re just standing and not doing anything else might not make your shoulders stronger and broader.

Are shrugs worth doing?

Shrugs aren’t a bad exercise. They simply aren’t a cure-all for tiny traps. If you only rely on shrugs for upper trap development, you’re leaving gains on the table. But the shortcomings of the movement also provide opportunity.

Can shrugs cause neck pain?

Neck Strain



Shrugging barbells without your head in the correct position can cause alignment-related injuries and neck pain. Struggling to shrug more weight than you’re able increases this risk.

Are shoulder shrugs harmful?

This shoulder shrug could be the root of your pain, as it causes the humerus bone to pinch against the top of the shoulder joint. Quickly, a vicious cycle may begin if the upper trapezius muscle continues to tighten, weakening the rotator cuff and exacerbating the problem.

Are shoulder shrugs safe?

Shrugs can be a very good exercise for developing strength in your shoulders and trapezius muscles (muscles of your upper back), and can be a safe exercise when performed correctly.