Traps Strength
Band Shrug
The Band Shrug is a beginner-friendly resistance-band strength exercise that targets the traps. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesTraps
Secondary muscles—
EquipmentResistance band
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Band Shrug
- Stand on the middle of a band with feet shoulder-width apart, holding one handle in each hand at your sides.
- Stand tall with arms straight, shoulders relaxed down, and chin slightly tucked for a neutral neck.
- Lift both shoulders straight up toward your ears, keeping your arms straight and elbows soft.
- Pause briefly at the top, squeezing the upper traps under the band's peak tension.
- Lower your shoulders back down with control over a 2 to 3 second eccentric, fighting the band.
- Repeat for 12 to 20 reps, focusing on the trap squeeze at the top rather than the speed.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
- Builds upper trap strength for posture and neck stability.
- Improves the deadlift lockout by training a stronger trap contraction.
- Low-impact and travel-friendly — works anywhere with a single band.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
- Rolling the shoulders forward and back rather than lifting straight up — adds nothing and risks the joint.
- Bending the elbows during the shrug, turning the move into a partial row.
- Standing on too narrow a section of band, making the tension uneven across the two arms.
- Rushing the eccentric and letting the band snap your shoulders down, losing the hardest part of the rep.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Band Shrug, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
