How many dumbbell shrugs

Even better, shoulder shrugs are perfect for most fitness levels and can be modified for different levels of strength. The main muscles that shoulder shrugs target are the trapezius muscles.

These muscles are located on either side of your neck. They control the movement of your shoulder blades as well as your upper back and neck.

When these muscles are strengthened through exercise , you will have an easier time maintaining proper posture. A strong trapezius pulls your shoulders back and helps stabilize your neck and upper back. Everyday movements such as lifting, reaching, bending, and even sitting are more efficient and safer when your trapezius muscles are toned and strong. Working these muscles may also help you with other fitness exercises, such as lifting barbells. Researchers who conducted a review of the literature on exercises for neck pain, found that strengthening exercises targeted at the neck and shoulders have the ability to significantly reduce neck pain.

A study involving people in Denmark found that participants with work-related neck pain got significant relief by doing specific neck-strengthening exercises, including shoulder shrugs with dumbbells.

If you have chronic neck pain, consider talking to a physical therapist about shoulder shrugs. Ask if they are safe for you to do, or if there are other exercises they recommend for your pain. Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions to start. You can increase the number of reps as you build up your shoulder strength.

Shoulder shrugs can be done with or without weights. Shoulder shrugs with weights also called dumbbell shrugs boost the strengthening potential of this exercise.

Hand weights of 5 or 8 pounds are still heavy enough to strengthen your trapezius and upper back muscles. As you get into the habit of doing this exercise several times a week, you can increase the weight to 15, 20, 25 pounds or more. Latest news. Watch Batman Deadlift kg. A simple exercise for spicy results. Training Exercises Dumbbell. October 14, Updated: October 14, By Caro Kyllmann. You can make the exercise easier or harder by choosing a different dumbbell weight.

What is a dumbbell shrug What muscles do dumbbell shrugs work Are big traps necessary How to do a dumbbell shrug properly Common dumbbell shrug faults What benefits do dumbbell shrugs have How many repetitions of dumbbell shrugs should I do? Other exercises to build strong traps and shoulders. Latest articles. Related news. Contact About us. Imprint Privacy Policy Cookie Policy. The dumbbell shrug is one of the best exercises to build bigger, stronger trapezius muscles. The trapezius and rhomboids are primarily worked by the dumbbell shrug.

Located in the upper back, these muscles work together to stabilize and pull back your shoulders. The dumbbell shrug secondarily engages your forearms and your core abdominal muscles. The brachioradialis muscle in your forearm activates to secure the dumbbells, thus improving your forearm strength. While lifting the weights, your core also activates to stabilize your upper body. The dumbbell shrug is an essential exercise to develop strength and size in the traps, as it fully activates the muscle fibers of the upper back.

Not only will developed traps give you a broader physical appearance, but strength in this area will help you with other compound exercises such as the squat and deadlift. Often times, weightlifters and bodybuilders alike tend to neglect the traps in favor of larger muscles such as the lats or pecs. The dumbbell shrug can help you build stronger traps and achieve a balanced upper body appearance.

This position commonly occurs when we sit in a chair for long periods of time. To prevent long term issues with posture, it is important to maintain a strong upper back. When you do the dumbbell shrug, you create a thicker band of muscles in your upper back, which allows you to work less in order to maintain proper posture. This exercise can be extremely useful for correcting and maintaining proper posture in the long-run. The dumbbell shrug is one of the best trapezius strengthening exercises because it is an isolation exercise.

This means that it specifically targets one muscle group. Compound exercises can activate the traps, but not to the extent of an isolation exercise like the dumbbell shrug.

There is no need to grab the heaviest dumbbells you can find.