The Best Shrug Variations for Building Bigger Traps

When most people think about training traps, they think about one thing: shrugs.

And for good reason. Shrugs are one of the best exercises you can do to build the upper traps — the part of the trapezius muscles that sits on top of your shoulders and gives your upper body that powerful, yoked look.

But there’s more to the traps than most lifters realize. The trapezius is really more of a back muscle than a shoulder muscle. You have the upper fibers, which are the main target with shrugs. You also have the middle traps, which pull the shoulder blades back, and the lower traps, which help pull the shoulder blades down.

For this article, I’m focusing mainly on the upper traps and how to get more out of your shrugs — whether you’re using a barbell, dumbbells, or a hex bar.

Barbell Shrugs: The Classic Trap Builder

The barbell shrug is the version most bodybuilders know best. It’s also used by powerlifters as an accessory exercise for the deadlift, because shrugs and deadlifts are closely related. In fact, some of the best deadlifters also have some of the biggest traps.

To do a barbell shrug, take about a shoulder-width grip on the bar. You can go slightly wider if it feels better. A wider grip can also help the bar sit a little higher, which may make the movement more comfortable.

From there, let the bar hang and allow your traps to take the load. I like to emphasize the stretch at the bottom. Hold that stretch for a second or two, then shrug the weight straight up. Hold the top briefly, then lower it back down under control.

The key is to move straight up and down. Don’t roll your shoulders. With free weights, the resistance is pulling straight down, so rolling the shoulders forward or backward doesn’t add anything useful. It just takes the focus off the movement you’re trying to train.

Why the Stretch Matters

One of the biggest mistakes lifters make on shrugs is cutting the bottom short. Instead, let the weight really hang at the bottom and feel the stretch in the traps.

That loaded stretch is one of the main reasons I like shrugs so much. It’s also one reason deadlifts can build big traps: The traps are being loaded hard in a stretched position.

As you fatigue, you may not be able to shrug all the way up. That’s fine. Keep working from that stretched bottom position and perform shorter pulse reps. Bring the weight up as high as you can, lower it back down, and keep going until you can barely move the weight.

Should You Drop Your Chin on Shrugs?

You may have seen lifters drop their chin when doing shrugs. There’s a reason for that.

The upper traps originate at the base of the skull. When you drop your chin, you stretch the traps from that top end. That may help increase growth by placing the muscle under stretch while you train it.

But here’s the

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