Seated Dumbbell Shrug

TrapsDumbbells, Bench

Seated dumbbell shrugs isolate the upper traps while taking your legs and spinal axial loading out of the equation.

How to do it

1Sit on a bench with a straight back, feet flat on the floor shoulder-width apart.

2Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with a neutral grip.

3Exhale and shrug your shoulders straight up toward your ears.

4Hold at the top for a second to feel the peak contraction.

5Inhale as you lower your shoulders back down under control.

Common mistakes

Rolling your shoulders during the lift, which stresses the shoulder joints unnecessarily.

Bending your elbows, shifting tension from your traps to your biceps.

Craning your neck forward, putting undue strain on your cervical spine.

Breathing

Exhale as you shrug your shoulders up; inhale as you lower the weights down.

Make it harder or easier

To make it easier, use lighter dumbbells and shorten the range of motion.

To make it harder, hold a two-second pause at the top of each rep.

This is general guidance, not a medical opinion. Listen to your body: if it hurts, stop. If you have an injury or a chronic condition, talk to a doctor first.