Back · Barbell
Barbell Shrug
How to do the barbell shrug, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
See it in motion
How to do it
Hold a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip. Shrug your shoulders upward as high as possible, squeezing at the top, then slowly lower back down.
- 1Feel your upper traps contract as you lift your shoulders toward your ears
- 2Keep your arms relaxed and let the traps do the work
- 3Hold the peak contraction briefly to feel the squeeze
Common mistakes
- Avoid rolling your shoulders; shrug straight up and down
- Don't bend your elbows or use momentum
- Avoid thrusting your head forward; keep neck neutral
Muscles worked
The barbell shrug mainly works the upper traps.
- Upper TrapsPrimary
- ForearmsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the barbell shrug for you and tracks it every session.
The AI builds your whole program, drops the right lifts into each workout, and adjusts your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More back exercises
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the barbell good morning
- How to do the barbell bent over row
- How to do the cable straight arm pulldown
- How to do the chin-up
- How to do the close grip lat pulldown
Last reviewed April 2026.