Shrugging at Shrugs

**Spud** · 12-11-2006, 04:50 PM

From http://www.stephenholtfitness.com/ar..._at_shrugs.htm

Shrugging at Shrugs
by Stephen Holt

When I ask people why they do shrugs there is typically no thoughtful answer at all or they say, “because shrugs are good for the traps.”

The truth is shrugs may be bad for the “traps.”

Shrugs are a traditional exercise that most people perform without even thinking. You may want to consider removing it from your strength training routine.

The fact is that the traps have actually three parts – upper, middle and lower. Shrugs can overemphasize the upper part of the trapezius.

The problem is that most people don’t understand what the trapezius does and how it works.

Since your entire shoulder girdle and your arms have only two small bony connections (the sterno- clavicular joints) to the rest of your skeleton, the entire trapezius has to work together to stabilize your shoulder girdle whenever you move your arm.

More specifically, the upper and lower traps work together in what’s sometimes referred to as a "force couple."

It’s the upper trapezius and lower trapezius acting along with the serratus anterior that results in the upward rotation of the shoulder blade that allows us to raise our arms overhead.

If you isolate the upper traps with exercises such as shrugs, they become inordinately strong compared to the lower traps and serratus anterior.

Even more important, the upper traps are neurologically predisposed to shorten and dominate the force couple. Shrugs may exacerbate this problem.

Once upper traps become dominant (or facilitated), they will neurologically inhibit or weaken the lower traps.

Thus, the stronger muscle becomes even stronger and the weaker one becomes even weaker. The stronger your upper traps become, the more likely it is to throw off the way your shoulder is supposed to move (athrokinematics) and the greater the likelihood of shoulder injuries.

Instead of the upper arm (humerus) remaining firmly in the socket (glenoid fossa) of the shoulder blade, the humerus moves upward and leads to impingement or “squishing” of the tendons and muscle fibers of the rotator cuff (specifically the supraspinatus).

If you insist on performing shrugs, make sure that you do at least an equal amount of work for the middle and lower trapezius

**fufu** · 12-11-2006, 05:06 PM

I hate shrugs, but I noticed a few holes in that article.

"Shrugs are a traditional exercise that most people perform without even thinking." - What? This is kind of stupid.

"If you isolate the upper traps with exercises such as shrugs, they become inordinately strong compared to the lower traps and serratus anterior." The magic word.

I think shrugs are fine if you train with balanced movements. So the last paragraph was good. That pretty much applies to anything though. Train one part more than another and you create an imbalance. Imbalances are bad, that's a given. I don't really see the point of this article. Not that I don't think it has value, but it is a little nonsensical. Training any muscle can be detrimental if you don't train for a balance. I think he should address that - not only shrugs can create in an imbalance. There are a hundred other things that people commonly train too much in the gym that are much more predominant that shrugs.

**Spud** · 12-11-2006, 05:36 PM

I think he means that most people don't realise the traps have a lower, middle and upper section and that they work synergistically. Shrugs definitely put ALOT more stress/emphasis on the upper traps.

**Nate K** · 12-11-2006, 05:59 PM

But I like having nice traps, what am I supposed to do. I can't isolate the middle lower

**fufu** · 12-11-2006, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by Nate K

But I like having nice traps, what am I supposed to do. I can't isolate the middle lower

I'm not quite sure of what I am saying, but you could do a shrug movement horizantly with the seated cable rower, or off a tall bench with DB's. I think as long you have enough rows and vertical pulling movements you should be fine.

**StanUk** · 12-12-2006, 10:59 AM

Hmm, interesting article, but I happen to love shrugs and since i started doing them they have done wonders for my traps.

**P-funk** · 12-12-2006, 11:02 AM

this is nothing new....we have been talking about training scapular stabilizers like the lower and mid traps for a long time here and talking about poor posture etc...

**DOMS** · 12-12-2006, 01:17 PM

"Once upper traps become dominant (or facilitated), they will neurologically inhibit or weaken the lower traps."

I always though that a weaker antagonistic or synergistic muscle was hold back the agonistic (target) muscle and not the other was around.

**P-funk** · 12-12-2006, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by DOMS

"Once upper traps become dominant (or facilitated), they will neurologically inhibit or weaken the lower traps."

I always though that a weaker antagonistic or synergistic muscle was hold back the agonistic (target) muscle and not the other was around.

if the antagonist or synergist is weak, it wont be able to effectively stabilize or neutralize movement and the over active, or hypertonic, muscle will take over.

**DOMS** · 12-12-2006, 02:01 PM

Got it.

**mike456** · 12-12-2006, 06:18 PM

tight upper traps and weak lower/middle traps usually leads to kyphosis.

If you have this problem you have to work on your scapular depressors and retractors...

a good exercise to balance out shrugs is:
get on a lat pull down machine, grab the bar and keep your elbows locked, than just do the opposite of a shrug, I think there was a better description of this exercise with pics in a mike robertson article: fix that hunchback.

Fufu- I think the author chose the upper traps, because this is a muscle that is commonly overactive/tight in people such as the hip flexors even in people that don't train. Than when they go and do shrugs it will just cause a greater imbalance, but yes I see your point.

**Sexybeast777** · 12-13-2006, 03:03 AM

Originally Posted by StanUk

Hmm, interesting article, but I happen to love shrugs and since i started doing them they have done wonders for my traps.

I agree with this

**Gazhole** · 12-13-2006, 01:49 PM

Rowing and Deadlifting does enough for my traps.

**camarosuper6** · 12-13-2006, 03:13 PM

I do rack deads and deadlifts for traps.

No shrugs... havent in ages.

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