Exercise Profile
- Target Muscle Group
- Exercise TypeStrength
- Equipment RequiredMachine
- MechanicsIsolation
- Force TypePull (Bilateral)
- Experience LevelBeginner
- Secondary Muscles
Shoulders, Upper Back
Target Muscle Group
Traps
Standing Calf Machine Shrug Overview
The standing calf machine shrug is an exercise used to isolate the trapezius muscles.
The standing calf machine shrug takes the need for grip strength out of the shrugging equation, so theoretically you could train the traps using at a greater intensity than you could by performing other shrug variations.
Standing Calf Machine Shrug Instructions
- Assume a standing position in a calf raise machine with your shoulders against the pad and knees bent.
- Inhale and stand up straight by extending the knees.
- Contract your traps into the shoulder pads to elevate the shoulders. Squeeze hard at the top and slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Standing Calf Machine Shrug Tips
- Looking slightly up while shrugging may enhance the contraction as traps help to control movement of the skull. This motion should be smooth and controlled, as a ballistic movement could result in a neck injury.
- The traps tend to respond well to high reps and explosive movements (e.g. snatch grip high pulls) so program your accessory work accordingly.
- Limit momentum and excessive jerking or bouncing of the weight. No one cares about how much you shrug.
- Don’t allow the head to jut forward excessively as you squeeze the traps, this can put the neck in a compromised position and result in an injury.
- Adding a pause at the top of the movement can help to enhance the mind muscle connection.
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