Ellim is a free AI-powered personal coach and fitness app for iOS. It features an AI workout generator that creates personalized workout plans in seconds, a library of 3,500+ exercises, meal tracking with AI food recognition, comprehensive progress tracking, and pre-built workout routines.

How does the AI personal coach work?

Describe the workout you want in plain English — for example, "upper body strength workout" or "30-minute HIIT session." Ellim's AI personal coach instantly generates a complete workout plan with exercises, sets, reps, and rest periods, matched from our library of 3,500+ exercises.

Is Ellim free to use?

Yes, Ellim is completely free to use. Core features including the AI workout generator, exercise library, workout tracking, meal logging with food search and barcode scanning, and pre-built routines are available at no cost — no ads, no credit card required. AI food recognition from photos is available as a premium feature.

What types of exercises does Ellim include?

Ellim includes over 3,500 exercises across multiple categories including weight training, bodyweight exercises, stretching and flexibility routines, and cardio workouts. Each exercise comes with detailed instructions.

Can Ellim create personalized workout plans?

Yes, Ellim's AI personal coach creates fully personalized workout plans based on your goals, preferences, and workout history. You can also build custom routines manually or choose from 100+ pre-built workout programs.

Does Ellim track meals and nutrition?

Yes, Ellim includes a dedicated Meal tab for tracking your nutrition. You can search for foods, scan barcodes to add items instantly, or use AI-powered food recognition to identify what you're eating from a photo. Food search and barcode scanning are free, while AI photo recognition is a premium feature.

All Exercises

Smith Back Shrug

Build powerful upper traps and a strong neck with the Smith Back Shrug. This isolation exercise targets the trapezius for improved posture and strength.

Intermediate

Isolation

Pull

1 min per set2 min rest

Back

Smith machine

Description

A smith machine exercise that primarily targets the upper back and to a lesser degree also targets the shoulders and middle back.

How to Do Smith Back Shrug

1
Setup
Position yourself inside a Smith machine with the bar resting on your upper back, across your trapezius muscles, similar to a high-bar squat setup.
2
Setup
Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and grip the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than your shoulders, then disengage the safety catches.
3
Keeping your arms straight and core engaged, elevate your shoulders straight up towards your ears as high as possible, actively squeezing your upper trapezius muscles.
4
Hold this peak contraction briefly, then slowly and with control, lower the bar by depressing your shoulders back to the starting position, feeling a stretch in your traps.
5
Maintain a neutral head position and an upright torso throughout the entire movement, avoiding any forward or backward rocking.

Tips

Focus on Scapular Elevation: Concentrate on shrugging your shoulders straight up, actively thinking about lifting your shoulder blades towards your ears rather than just moving the bar.
Control the Negative: Don't let the weight drop quickly; slowly lower the bar to maximize time under tension and enhance muscle growth in the traps.
Maintain Upright Posture: Keep your chest up and core tight throughout the entire movement to prevent leaning forward or backward, which can shift tension away from the traps and strain the lower back.
Vary Grip Width: Experiment with a slightly wider or narrower grip on the bar to find what feels most comfortable and allows for the best contraction in your upper traps.

Common Mistakes

×Using excessive momentum: Avoid bouncing the weight up and down; instead, perform controlled, deliberate shrugs to effectively isolate the trapezius muscles.
×Rolling the shoulders: Do not roll your shoulders forward or backward at the top or bottom of the movement, as this can strain the shoulder joints and reduce trap activation; focus on a pure vertical elevation and depression.
×Bending the elbows: Keep your arms straight and elbows locked throughout the entire movement to ensure the tension remains on your traps and not your biceps or forearms.