Cable Shrug

Start

Finish

How to do it

Stand facing a low pulley holding a straight bar or two handles, let the cable pull the shoulders down into a stretch, then shrug up and hold the top for a full second.

Muscles worked

Primary: traps · Also works: forearms

Equipment

Cables, Full gym

Common mistakes

• Standing too far from the stack so the cable pulls you forward off balance
• Letting the elbows bend to sneak extra height
• Moving so fast the top position never actually gets held

Variations

• Behind-the-body cable shrug facing away from the stack
• Single-arm cable shrug

Can't do this one? Swap it for

• Barbell Shrug
• Dumbbell Shrug
• Resistance Band Shrug

Related exercises

• Barbell Shrugtraps
• Dumbbell Shrugtraps
• Resistance Band Shrugtraps
• Band Pull-Aparttraps
• Prone Y Raisetraps
• Dumbbell Rear Delt Flytraps