Shrugs

[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.

 

[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

 

[Arnold]

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

 

[prophet]

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

 

[TaylorsNutrition]

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

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[Triple Threat]

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).

 

[SolidToTheCORE]

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

 

[Dreadlox]

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

You sure?

Deltoideus: Latin for Deltoid

 

[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

 

[Rocco32]

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

 

[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

 

[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.

 

[Rob_NC]

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.

 

[Randy]

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.

 

[Mudge]

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.

 

[Randy]

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.

 

[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.

 

[Michael D]

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.

 

[Mudge]

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

 

[Michael D]

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

 

[Randy]

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

 

[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.

 

[Diehard007]

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

 

[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.

 

[Mudge]

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

 

[Randy]

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.

I was just going to say this very same thing

 

[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?

 

[Spottieottie]

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?