Stand under the Smith machine bar and lift your shoulders upward to contract the trapezius muscles, then lower them under control.
How to do the Smith Machine Shrug#
- Set the Smith bar to about mid-thigh height and grasp it with an overhand grip about shoulder-width apart.
- Stand tall with feet hip-width and let the bar rest against your upper traps while your arms remain straight.
- Exhale and elevate your shoulders straight up toward your ears by squeezing the traps; hold briefly at the top.
- Inhale and slowly lower your shoulders back to the starting position with control.
- Repeat for the planned number of repetitions.
Muscles worked#
Common mistakes#
- Rotating or rolling the shoulders instead of moving them straight up and down.
- Bending the elbows and pulling with the arms rather than using the traps.
- Using too much weight, causing jerky movement or neck strain.
- Leaning the torso forward or backward during the lift.
