Back · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Shrug
How to do the dumbbell shrug, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
See it in motion
How to do it
Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Shrug your shoulders upward as high as possible, then lower them with control.
- 1Feel your upper traps lifting your shoulders straight up
- 2Keep your arms relaxed and let your traps do the work
- 3Hold for a second at the top to maximize contraction
Common mistakes
- Avoid rolling your shoulders; shrug straight up and down
- Don't bend your elbows or use momentum
- Avoid craning your neck; keep it neutral
Muscles worked
The dumbbell shrug mainly works the upper traps.
- Upper TrapsPrimary
- ForearmsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell 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 barbell shrug
- How to do the cable straight arm pulldown
- How to do the chin-up
Last reviewed April 2026.