How to do the Dumbbell Shrug
Stand with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing in.
Keep your arms straight and chest up.
Shrug your shoulders straight up toward your ears.
Pause briefly and lower slowly.
Sets and reps
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle growth | 2–4 | 10–15 | 1 min |
| Muscular endurance | 2–3 | 15–25 | 45 s |
When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add 4 kg (10 lb) next session and work back up.
Starting points from training research. Stop each set 1–3 reps short of failure.
Muscles worked
Alternatives
Same muscles, similar movement: swap in one of these if the Dumbbell Shrug doesn’t suit your gym or your joints.
Train smarter
- How to build traps: shrugs done right, carries and pullsHow to build traps: train the upper, middle and lower trapezius with proper shrugs, carries, rows and Y-raises, plus weekly sets and a simple trap routine.
- 2 day workout plan: build muscle training twice a weekA 2 day workout plan that still builds muscle and strength: two full-body sessions, sets and reps, supersets to save time and what results to expect.
- 30 minute gym workout: templates that build muscleA 30 minute gym workout can build real muscle. Supersets, smart exercise choice and three ready-to-use templates for 30 to 45 minute sessions.
