- Stand erect with a dumbbell on each hand (palms facing your torso), arms extended on the sides.
- Lift the dumbbells by elevating the shoulders as high as possible while you exhale. Hold the contraction at the top for a second. Tip: The arms should remain extended at all times. Refrain from using the biceps to help lift the dumbbells. Only the shoulders should be moving up and down.
- Lower the dumbbells back to the original position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Variations: You can perform this exercise with bands, barbells or cables. You can also use a single handle and work one side at a time.
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Review: Dumbbell Shrug
Feb 12, 2012 7:16 AM: Perhaps better than the barbell shrug because the dumbbells allow you to hold the weight at your sides, rather than in front of your body. This allows your traps to perform the whole shrugging movement without excessive tension in the shoulders.
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Review: Dumbbell Shrug
Dec 24, 2011 2:39 AM: This is one of my favorites. I love dumbbell exercises like this one. Because the human body has a left and right side. Dumbbells allows each side to benefit from compound movements by forcing more balance as you move the weights through the air.
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Review: Dumbbell Shrug
Nov 16, 2011 11:14 AM: An excellent workout for the traps!!! Always the first exercise to do right after shoulders (both heavy and lite days) and back (lite and tone days only)!
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Review: Dumbbell Shrug
Nov 4, 2011 4:29 PM: i find that these are an amazing exercise if you have the wrist strengh to hold the weight.
PS: if you lean foward some you activate WAY more of your traps
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Review: Dumbbell Shrug
Sep 3, 2011 8:02 AM: I find this exercise excellent for the traps. Limit the reps to avoid injury.
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Review: Dumbbell Shrug
Aug 9, 2011 9:07 PM: Did this for a year and turned my pencil neck into Goldberg neck thanks to an Osu football player wise recommendation!
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Review: Dumbbell Shrug
Apr 10, 2011 10:40 AM: love the feel the next day after this shrug
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Review: Dumbbell Shrug
Mar 17, 2011 3:48 AM: Good for traps for sure!
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Tip: Dumbbell Shrug
Feb 4, 2011 11:11 PM: Yeah , i know this exercise , it helps :)
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Tip: Dumbbell Shrug
Aug 14, 2010 3:36 PM: Great exercise.