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Shrug Machine

beginner · isolation

Setup

Load plates onto the posts at the base of the machine and lock them with collars. Stand into the machine, gripping the handles on either side at roughly hip or thigh height, standing tall with a soft bend in the knees.

Execution

  1. Stand tall with your shoulders relaxed at the start, gripping the handles firmly.
  2. Exhale and shrug both shoulders straight up toward your ears, moving only vertically, never rolling the shoulders.
  3. Hold for a beat at the top, squeezing the upper traps.
  4. Inhale and lower the shoulders slowly back to the start, without letting the weight drop hard.
  5. To finish, lower your shoulders all the way and wait until the plates have settled back on the frame and stopped moving before you let go of the handles and step out; if a rep will not come up, lower the shoulders under control and let the weight settle rather than hanging on.

Breathing

Exhale as you shrug up, inhale as you lower. Do not hold your breath trying to shrug a heavier weight.

Quick cues

  • Shrug straight up, don't roll.
  • Soft knees, don't bounce with the legs.
  • Pause and squeeze at the top.
  • Lower slowly and under control.
  • Your hands are just hooks.

Common faults

  • Fault: Rolling the shoulders forward or back instead of shrugging straight up

    Fix: Move the shoulders only in a straight vertical line, up and down; rolling strains the neck and rotator cuff.

  • Fault: Using the legs to bounce or snapping the knees straight to jerk the weight up

    Fix: Keep a fixed soft bend in the knees and let the shrug come entirely from the shoulders.

  • Fault: Only shrugging through half the range

    Fix: Shrug all the way to the top of your shoulder's range, pausing there before lowering.

  • Fault: Dropping the shoulders fast, the weight slamming down

    Fix: Lower over 2 seconds and stay in control back to the start.

Equipment

machine

Muscle groups

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