Dumbbell shrug
- Stand tall holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, with your palms facing your body.
- Lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears as high as possible.
- Pause for a second at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Tips
- Lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears rather than rolling them forward or backward, so the movement stays vertical throughout.
- Hold the dumbbells with a firm grip and keep your arms straight at your sides so they move passively with your shoulders rather than bending at the elbows.
- Pause briefly at the top of each rep before lowering the dumbbells in a controlled manner back to the starting position.
Common mistakes
- Rolling the shoulders in a circular motion rather than lifting them straight up turns the shrug into a different movement and takes the shoulders off the intended vertical path.
- Bending the elbows during the lift reduces the range of motion at the shoulders and shortens the movement before the shoulders have risen as high as possible.
Make Every Set Count.
Plan your workouts, track every session, and see your progress over time.
