The Trap Bar Shrug is a beginner-friendly barbell strength exercise that targets the traps, with the shoulders working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesTraps
Secondary musclesShoulders
EquipmentBarbell
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Trap Bar Shrug
Set the trap bar on rack safeties just below waist height and load it.
Step inside the frame and take the handles with a neutral grip.
Stand tall with a neutral spine and let the bar hang at arm's length.
Lift your shoulders straight up toward your ears with the elbows kept straight.
Hold the top for a beat and keep your head from pushing forward.
Lower the shoulders under control to a full hang and repeat.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Loads the upper traps directly with the shortest possible movement.
Neutral grip keeps the load beside the body and off the thighs.
Simple to coach and easy to progress with small load jumps.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Bending the elbows to help the bar up, which turns the shrug into a partial row.
Rolling the shoulders around the top, which stresses the joint without adding trap work.
Jerking the load with the hips and neck, which risks the neck for no extra tension.
Stopping short of a full hang, which cuts out the range where the traps lengthen.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Trap Bar Shrug, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
