Raise your shoulders straight upward while holding a dumbbell in each hand to work the trapezius muscles. The movement is a vertical shrug performed with a stable torso and neutral spine.
How to do the Shrug (Dumbbell)#
- Stand tall with feet about shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell at each side and brace your core.
- Keep your arms straight and let the weights hang, maintaining a neutral spine and relaxed neck.
- Lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears by contracting the upper trapezius—do not roll the shoulders.
- Pause briefly at the top to feel the contraction.
- Lower the weights back down under control to the starting position.
Muscles worked#
Common mistakes#
- Rolling the shoulders instead of lifting them straight up.
- Bending the elbows or using the arms to pull the weights.
- Leaning or swinging the torso to generate momentum.
- Using excessively heavy weights that cause jerky movement.
