Leverage ShrugMuscles Worked
The leverage shrug works your traps, with your forearms holding the handles as you shrug. The machine sets the path and the handles sit at your sides, so you can load it heavily and keep your mind on the squeeze instead of balancing the weight.
How to do it
- Load the machine evenly and stand between the handles with your feet about hip width apart.
- Squat down, grip the handles and stand up with your chest tall and arms straight, as if finishing a deadlift.
- Let your shoulders sink down so you start from a full stretch.
- Shrug straight up toward your ears and hold the top for a second.
- Lower your shoulders slowly, and when the set is done, bend your knees to set the weight back down.
Form tips
- Lift the load into position with your legs, not by rounding your back to reach the handles.
- Keep your arms straight and relaxed so the traps, not the biceps, raise the weight.
- Use the steady machine path to slow down the lowering phase on every rep.
Why it made the list
No. 6 of 12
Best Trap Exercises
Machine shrug provides a guided path. Easy to load heavy without grip being a limiting factor.
More trap exercises
See it on your own body map
Log your Leverage Shrug sets in KasMaker and watch your traps and forearms fill in on the map, weighted by how much you did. Logging and the body map are free on iPhone.
