Cable Shrug

1. Attach a straight bar or set of handles to a low pulley and stand facing the machine.
2. Grip the handle with both hands, arms hanging straight down in front of your thighs.
3. Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
4. Shrug your shoulders straight up toward your ears, keeping your arms straight.
5. Pause and squeeze at the top of the movement.
6. Lower your shoulders back down under control to full extension.
7. Keep your torso still throughout, letting only your shoulders move.

Common Mistakes

• Rolling the shoulders instead of shrugging straight up: Circular shoulder motion doesn't add trap activation and can irritate the shoulder joint. Move straight up and down along one plane.
• Using the arms to help lift: Bending the elbows to curl the weight up takes tension off the traps. Keep your arms straight and let the trapezius do the lifting.
• Rushing through the top pause: Skipping the pause at full shrug height cuts the peak contraction short. Hold for a full second at the top of each rep.
• Leaning back to use momentum: Rocking the torso to help heave the weight up turns this into a lower-back movement. Keep your torso upright and still.