Smith Shrug

Setup

1. 01Set the Smith bar at mid-thigh height.
2. 02Grip the bar just outside the thighs.
3. 03Stand tall and rotate the bar to unrack.
4. 04Let the shoulders hang fully depressed.

Execution

1. 01Shrug the shoulders straight up toward the ears.
2. 02Squeeze the traps hard at the top.
3. 03Hold the peak for one second.
4. 04Lower slowly to a full shoulder drop.

Checkpoints

• -Arms stay straight; the traps do the lifting.
• -The shrug travels straight up, not rolled backward.
• -The neck stays neutral, not jutting forward.
• -The bottom reaches a full stretch each rep.

Common mistakes

• -Rolling the shoulders in a circle.
• -Bending the elbows to hitch the bar higher.
• -Using tiny partial reps with excessive weight.
• -Jutting the chin forward during the shrug.