Take both handles and attach them to an immobile object then while facing away from the object lean forward slightly, and make sure their is enough tension in the band that it almost pulls you back. From the slanted position shrug your shoulders up and back squeezing the traps as you come up.
Stand on top of an exercise band with both feet using a shoulder-width stance or wider. Hold the handles of the band with a neutral grip with your arms extended down at the sides of your thighs. Contract your traps to shrug your shoulders up as high as possible holding the top position for a second as you contract your traps. Slowly lower your shoulders and repeat for reps. The wider you stand on the band, the greater the resistance will be. You may need to knot the band to make it shorter for adequate resistance on this exercise. You can also use multiple bands to increase the resistance. Tips Band shrugs can also be performed "hands free," as shown in the third photo below.
START: Stand with your right side facing a low cable pulley and maintain a shoulder-width stance while holding a single-handle D grip in your right hand.
MOVE: Shrug your right shoulder up toward your ear. At the top, pause for a moment and contract the muscles hard before slowly lowering the handle back to the start.Step 2Step 3
Grab the cable bar with both hands, your palms facing your thighs and your feet shoulder-width apart. Stand straight, keeping your arms fully extended, and start the exercise by shrugging your shoulders towards your ears, while keeping your arms still. Hold the peak position for a moment, feeling the contraction in your upper trapezius muscles. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position, allowing your shoulders to fully extend downwards, and repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.
START: Stand in front of a low cable pulley with a shoulder-width stance while holding a straight bar attached to the low pulley.
MOVE: Slowly shrug your shoulders up toward your ears. At the top, pause for a moment and contract hard through your traps and rhomboids before slowly lowering the bar back to the start.Step 2Step 3
START: Stand holding a barbell with an overhand grip in front of your thighs. Both your hands and your feet should be spaced shoulder-width apart.
MOVE: Lift your shoulders up toward your ears as high as possible while keeping your arms straight. Hold the contraction for a second before lowering the bar back to the start.
Place the bar in front of your body. Place your hands shoulder width apart. Shrug the bar up using your traps squeezing at the top and slowly return the bar back down to mid thigh.
First Place a Band and attach either end to the ends of the barbell with the cuffs. Once secure step evenly onto the band with both feet and lift up on the barbell.
START: Stand holding a barbell with an overhand grip in front of your thighs. Both your hands and your feet should be spaced shoulder-width apart.
MOVE: Lift your shoulders up toward your ears as high as possible while keeping your arms straight. Hold the contraction for a second before lowering the bar back to the start.
To do shrugs using a hex bar stand in the middle of a loaded hex bar while holding the handles with your arms extended down by your sides. Maintain a slight bend in your knees and focus on maintaining the natural arch in your lower back. Contract your traps to lift your shoulders up as high as possible and hold the top position for a second. Slowly lower your shoulders back down to the start position and repeat for reps.Hex bar shrugs are great way to work the traps different than with a barbell or dumbbell. This is because you use a neutral grip and your arms are spaced wider apart. While it is true that you use a neutral grip with the dumbbell shrug and you can use a wide grip with barbell shrugs, the hex bar shrug combines the neutral grip and wide hand spacing. It also prevents the bar from rubbing up against your body as happens with barbell and dumbbell shrugs. This fact makes the movement quite unique as one feels when they perform the exercise. Because the bar is not rubbing against the body, it is less stable and requires greater stabilization from your shoulder girdle and your core.Step 2Step 3
Stand holding a barbell with an overhand grip in front of your thighs using a grip outside of shoulder-width (wide grip). Lift your shoulders up toward your ears as high as possible while keeping your arms straight. Hold the contraction for a second before lowering the bar back to the start
START: Stand with shoulder-width stance while holding a dumbbell in your right hand at your side. MOVE: Slowly shrug your right shoulder up toward your ears. At the top, pause for a moment and contract the muscles hard before slowly lowering the weight back to the startStep 1Step 2
Take both weights in your hands. Shrug your shoulders up and back squeezing the traps as you come up.
START: Stand with shoulder-width stance while holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides.
MOVE: Slowly shrug your shoulders up toward your ears. At the top, pause for a moment and contract hard through your traps and rhomboids before slowly lowering the weights back to the start.Step 2Step 3
Take a weight and both handles and stand on the band. Lean back slightly, and make sure their is enough tension in the band that it almost pulls you forward. From the slanted position shrug your shoulders up and back squeezing the traps as you come up.
START: Stand in a Smith machine holding the unlatched bar with an overhand grip in back of your thighs. Both your hands and your feet should be spaced shoulder-width apart.
MOVE: Lift your shoulders up toward your ears as high as possible while keeping your arms straight. Hold the contraction for a second before lowering the bar back to the start.Once you finish all of the reps with one arm, switch directions and repeat with the other arm. Switch back an forth without rest in between sets until all reps and sets are completedStep 2Step 3
START: Stand in a Smith machine holding the unlatched bar with an overhand grip in front of your thighs. Both your hands and your feet should be spaced shoulder-width apart.
MOVE: Lift your shoulders up toward your ears as high as possible while keeping your arms straight. Hold the contraction for a second before lowering the bar back to the start.*Note: This exercise can be done with a staggered grip (one hand using an overhand grip and the other using an underhand grip).Step 2Step 3
Stand in the standing calf machine with the pads on your shoulders and keep a slight bend in your knees. Shrug your shoulders up as high as possible and hold this position for a second then slowly lower your shoulders back down and repeat for reps.