Exercise Profile
- Target Muscle Group
- Exercise TypeStrength
- Equipment RequiredBarbell
- MechanicsIsolation
- Force TypePull
- Experience LevelBeginner
- Secondary Muscles
None
Target Muscle Group
Traps

Behind-The-Back Barbell Shrug Instructions
- Set up for the behind-the-back barbell shrug by loading up the weight you want to use on a straight bar or an Olympic bar.
- Stand facing away from the bar with your feet about shoulder width apart.
- Bending only at the knees, pick the barbell up off the floor behind your back. You may have a training partner assist you.
- Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, with your hands about shoulder width apart.
- Keeping the barbell close to your body, let your shoulders sag as far as possible. This is the starting position for the exercise.
- Slowly shrug your shoulders up as far as possible.
- Pause, and then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps.
Behind-The-Back Barbell Shrug Tips
- Focus on lifting the weight with your traps and not your biceps.
- Pausing at the top of the barbell shrug makes the exercise more challenging and you'll get more out of it. Try and pause for a count of 1-3 at the top of each rep.
- There's no benefit to rolling your shoulders forward or back when you shrug. Just raise the barbell straight up and straight down.
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