Dumbbell Shrugs

Dumbbell Shrugs Instruction

• Position your feet in an athletic stance slightly outside shoulder-width.
• Your knees are slightly bent and toes pointed straight ahead.
• The core is braced and engaged. Shoulders are pinned back and eyes fixed straight ahead.
• Grab a set of dumbbells, one in each hand at your sides, hands in a neutral position.
• With passive arms, lift (shrug) your shoulders straight up, think about bringing your traps to your ears.
• Pause to hold the contraction.
• DB's remain at your sides, don't let them drift in front of you. Maintain that initial, neutral hand position.
• Lower the DB's to the starting position.

*Tips*

• Focus on the isolation of the traps.
• Refrain from using your arms to pull the DB's up. The arms are merely a lever for your traps. 
• Don't use momentum or excess movement to elevate the DB's.