Inverted Shrug
Strengthen your upper traps and improve shoulder stability with the inverted shrug. Hang from a bar and depress your shoulder blades to lift your body.
- Movement
- Isolation
- Force
- Pull
- Per set
- 30s
- Rest
- 1 min
Free · iPhone only · Available on the App Store
Variations of Inverted Shrug
Description
Inverted shrug is a shoulder exercise that targets the upper traps. It is performed by hanging from a bar, pulling your shoulders down and then releasing them back up.
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How to do Inverted Shrug
- 01Setup
Grip a pull-up bar with an overhand, pronated grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and hang freely with fully extended arms.
- 02Setup
Maintain a stable, straight body line from head to heels, engaging your core to prevent any unnecessary swinging.
- 03
Initiate the movement by actively depressing your shoulder blades, pulling your shoulders away from your ears to slightly lift your body upwards.
- 04
Hold this peak contraction briefly, focusing on the engagement in your upper traps and lats, then slowly allow your shoulders to elevate back to the starting hanging position.
Tips
- Concentrate solely on the movement of your shoulder blades; your elbows should remain straight and locked throughout the exercise.
- Resist the urge to simply drop back down; control the eccentric phase as your shoulders elevate to maximize muscle engagement and prevent injury.
- Think about 'shoving the bar down' or 'pulling your chest up towards the bar without bending your arms' to properly engage the target muscles.
- Perform each repetition with deliberate control, avoiding any jerky movements or using momentum to lift your body.
Common mistakes
- Bending your elbows turns this into a partial pull-up; keep your arms completely straight to isolate the scapular movement.
- Swinging your body to gain height reduces the effectiveness; maintain a stable core and perform the movement with controlled scapular depression.
- Elevating your shoulders towards your ears at the top of the movement is incorrect; focus on actively depressing them away from your ears.
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Is Inverted Shrug good for beginners?
Inverted Shrug is rated intermediate. Beginners can still attempt it with lighter weight and careful form, but it's best to master easier variations first.
What equipment do I need for Inverted Shrug?
You need Body weight to perform Inverted Shrug. If you don't have this equipment, look for variations that target the same muscles with what you have available.
What are the best tips for Inverted Shrug?
Concentrate solely on the movement of your shoulder blades; your elbows should remain straight and locked throughout the exercise. Resist the urge to simply drop back down; control the eccentric phase as your shoulders elevate to maximize muscle engagement and prevent injury. Think about 'shoving the bar down' or 'pulling your chest up towards the bar without bending your arms' to properly engage the target muscles. Perform each repetition with deliberate control, avoiding any jerky movements or using momentum to lift your body.
What are common mistakes when doing Inverted Shrug?
Bending your elbows turns this into a partial pull-up; keep your arms completely straight to isolate the scapular movement. Swinging your body to gain height reduces the effectiveness; maintain a stable core and perform the movement with controlled scapular depression. Elevating your shoulders towards your ears at the top of the movement is incorrect; focus on actively depressing them away from your ears.
Related exercises
Shrug (on parallel bars)
Back · Body weight
Hanging Scapular Shrug
Back · Body weight
High Bar Inverted Row
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Underhand Grip Inverted Back Row
Back · Body weight
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
Back · Chest · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Renegade Row to Squat
Back · Hips · Dumbbell
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Free · iPhone only · Available on the App Store