Shrugs [Forum Archive]

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Shrugs

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Posted by: Dreadlox

I have been training religiosly since my junior year in High school. I have been to many gyms around the country(U.S) since I traveled alot in the season of football in college. Every where I go I seen a person doing shrugs with a 45lb bar. I take notice of the muscle part they are working when doing this routine. The people I see that do shrugs this way seem to have a large frontal deltoideus'. I personally think it looks kinda of ackward and it dosen't seem proportional to their body even if they where 20lbs more of LM.

If I want to work out my traps, I will head over to the dumbells and put them to my sides and shrug. yet maybe I am missing somthing. Are they are meaning to make their shoulders bouldge out in the front? I trully feel amiss about this.

I guess you can call this a rant but dose anyone feel me about this? or do you do this workout this way? Please I wanna hear from you.

Posted by: Scotty the Body

Well, I've been doing shrugs with a straighrt bar and my front delts arn't over developed.
Maybe its just me.

deltoideus?!? - I think your making shit up

Posted by: Prince

Same here, I do not know what he's talking about.

Posted by: prophet

anyway.. while on the topic of shrugs.. do you guys go bar in front or bar behind?

Posted by: TaylorsNutrition

Alternate. I do shrugs with the bar in the front and with the bar brhind me.

Posted by: Rob_NC

I alternate DB and BB shrugs. I always pull the weight up a little more at the top by bending my elbows. I feel a really good contraction when I do this. I always alternate front and back when doing BB shrugs.

Posted by: I Are Baboon

My traps seem to adapt quickly if I do the same ol' shrugs every time, so I keep mixing it up: Dumbells, barbell, Smith machine, hammer strength machine, wide grip, narrow grip, medium grip. It's all good. I never hold the bar behing me though. It's always in front, or in the case of dumbells, on the side.

Posted by: CaptainDeadlift

Quote:

Originally posted by prophet
anyway.. while on the topic of shrugs.. do you guys go bar in front or bar behind?

Both, alternating back and front in each workout (i.e., set of behind, set of infront, behind, infront, etc).

Posted by: SolidToTheCORE

I don't shrug ... I was born with AWESOME TRAPS --

Posted by: Dreadlox

Quote:

Originally posted by Prince
Same here, I do not know what he's talking about.

You sure?

Deltoideus: Latin for Deltoid

Posted by: Tha Don

i thought shrugs did your traps not delts, maybe i am wrong

i never used to do them, just started on db shrugs recently on the side?

my gym has no barbells, can i still do shrugs infront and behind, will it benefit my do alternate a couple of sets on each of them?

peace

Posted by: rock4832

I just do the shrugs with DBs. I don't feel I have a good range of motion with BB's.

Posted by: fluffy

besides shrugs, doing upright rows with close grip hits the traps hard (wide grip will emphasize side delts more). as of course, do good old deadlifts

Posted by: P-funk

Doing shrugs with dumbell to your side does not seem effecient a to me at all. The traps: trap 1 and 2 which elevate the scapula, trap 3 which adducts the scapula and trap 4 which interanally rotates the scapula run down your back.....they don't run down the side of your body....So the muscle fibers (specifically of trap 1 and 2 which are being used here) run up and down....this is how they pull, doinr the shrugs to the side does not contract the muscle in the appropraite way. if you really want to hit them right do barbell shrugs to the front and even lean your upper body forward slightly because the muscle fibers don't only run up and down they kind of run at an angle around your back.

Posted by: Rob_NC

Quote:

Originally posted by P-funk
Doing shrugs with dumbell to your side does not seem effecient a to me at all. The traps: trap 1 and 2 which elevate the scapula, trap 3 which adducts the scapula and trap 4 which interanally rotates the scapula run down your back.....they don't run down the side of your body....So the muscle fibers (specifically of trap 1 and 2 which are being used here) run up and down....this is how they pull, doinr the shrugs to the side does not contract the muscle in the appropraite way. if you really want to hit them right do barbell shrugs to the front and even lean your upper body forward slightly because the muscle fibers don't only run up and down they kind of run at an angle around your back.

Great point there P! When I use DBs, they hang in front of me but move independantly. I always bend slightly at the waist and always try pulling my upper arm up farther at the top by bending my elbows. This allows for an incredible contraction.

Posted by: Randy

Quote:

Originally Posted by I Are Baboon

My traps seem to adapt quickly if I do the same ol' shrugs every time, so I keep mixing it up: Dumbells, barbell, Smith machine, hammer strength machine, wide grip, narrow grip, medium grip. It's all good. I never hold the bar behing me though. It's always in front, or in the case of dumbells, on the side.

Absolutely Baboon. Traps are like any other muscles in the body. You need to mix up your workout routine so your body doesn't adapt.

My favorite trap exercise is using the cable crossover. I just use a short bar on the lower pulley. It is more convenient for me working out at home anyway. And my traps are not to shabby.

Posted by: Mudge

Quote:

Originally Posted by rock4832

I just do the shrugs with DBs. I don't feel I have a good range of motion with BB's.

They drag on my legs, and my gym only has 150s anyway. Barbell for me.

Posted by: Randy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudge

They drag on my legs, and my gym only has 150s anyway. Barbell for me.

150LB DUMBELLS...GEEZES! I have to do at least 350lb dumbells when I do my shrugs.

Posted by: Quadsweep

I think dumbells are very awkard. My thighs and hips get in the way.

My gym has a couple of short bars originally designed for hammer grip bar curls. I use these two relatively short bars for shrugs in the same way people use dumbells. The point is, the bars are long enough for the weight to stay clear of my thighs and I am able to keep my arms and elbows tucked in to the side of my body. I get awesome range of motion and there is no need to bend the elbows.

I also like to lean forward as mentioned by P-funk.

Posted by: Michael D

Quote:

Originally Posted by fluffy

besides shrugs, doing upright rows with close grip hits the traps hard (wide grip will emphasize side delts more). as of course, do good old deadlifts

Deads never hit my traps. Why not? I pull my shoulders back at the top but I never get a pump or anything.

Posted by: Mudge

Are you going heavy? 5 reps or less, and they hit my traps.

Posted by: Michael D

No I usually keep my reps to 10 on deads for fear of a bad form on higher weights.

Posted by: Randy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael D

No I usually keep my reps to 10 on deads for fear of a bad form on higher weights.

Form is #1. I would go light and perfect your form as a priority.
Like you say, poor form can most definately cause injuries

And back injuries are nothing to play with I'll tell ya

Posted by: Premo55

I think your form actually gets a lot worse on higher rep deads. You get fatigued and compromise your form.

Also I don't believe in shrugs behind the back at all, I've heard many horror stories about those.

Peace.

Posted by: Diehard007

Quote:

Originally Posted by P-funk

Doing shrugs with dumbell to your side does not seem effecient a to me at all. The traps: trap 1 and 2 which elevate the scapula, trap 3 which adducts the scapula and trap 4 which interanally rotates the scapula run down your back.....they don't run down the side of your body....So the muscle fibers (specifically of trap 1 and 2 which are being used here) run up and down....this is how they pull, doinr the shrugs to the side does not contract the muscle in the appropraite way. if you really want to hit them right do barbell shrugs to the front and even lean your upper body forward slightly because the muscle fibers don't only run up and down they kind of run at an angle around your back.

holy crap .. nicely said

Posted by: OMNIFEX

Well.........

Everyones body is different, and, reacts differently.

I started using Dumbells, tried, Barbells, and went
back to Dumbells. I tried alternating (DB and BB)
and realized I had better results just doing more
sets, with a shorter rest period.

I'm about to join a gym that carries 170 pound
Dumbells.(I can get only three sets of five out
of them so this will keep me busy for a while)

Personally, I like Dumbells because I have to
lift each one literary off the floor, hold each
dumbell in my hands, and, begin to shrug.

I have better flexability with the dumbells at
my sides than having a bar in front of my legs.

Many might disagree, but remember body types
are different, and, the bottom line is results.

Posted by: Mudge

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael D

No I usually keep my reps to 10 on deads for fear of a bad form on higher weights.

Bah, I dont like high rep deads. Go heavy or go home, puke often along the way

Posted by: Randy

Quote:

Originally Posted by P-funk

I was just going to say this very same thing

Posted by: Michael D

Well, I usually like to work out but if I start puking, I will definately tone it down a bit. I hate puking more than anything. Plus, how can you bulk with 1000 calories on the floor?

Posted by: Spottieottie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Premo55

I think your form actually gets a lot worse on higher rep deads. You get fatigued and compromise your form.

Also I don't believe in shrugs behind the back at all, I've heard many horror stories about those.

Peace.

what horror stories have you heard about this exercise?

Posted by: ClintZ28

I prefer the trap bar. I feel I get the best contraction, and it allows me to pull not just up, but also back a little bit. That allows me to hit the lower part of the traps. Next to that, I use the barbell to the front. Barbell to the back, and dumbells just don't feel right to me.

Posted by: Saturday Fever

I like to not do shrugs ever.

Posted by: Mudge

Quote:

Originally Posted by Premo55

I think your form actually gets a lot worse on higher rep deads

I used to always do 15-20 reps for shrugs, my form was better that way. If you aren't controlling the weight I'd say that could be muscle maturity as well as lack of mental control. I haven't been training for 40 years or anything but my form does not change much from one rep to the next no matter how tired I am.

Posted by: Randy

I am able to keep a nice smooth slow reverse rotation going with 30 reps. I do 4 sets of 30 myself. Nothing like a nice trap burn...

Posted by: M.J.H.

Quote:

I like to not do shrugs ever.

Posted by: Mudge

Randy, if you mean rolling the shoulders you dont want to be doing that (rotator cuff risk).

Heavy deads allow a lot of people to get away without doing shrugs.

Posted by: Randy

Thanks for the tip Mudge, I was unaware of that. I've always done my shrugs that way.
But I do them with lighter weight as I said with more reps.

I will definately look more into this Mudge. I don't want to damage my rotators

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