A tip on shrugs that helped me out

**davtown** · 03-27-2007, 04:36 AM

I was doing DB shrugs today and I noticed that when I was gripping the heavier weights, I wasn't going all the way down with them at the bottom. I was so focused on gripping the weight that I tightend up and sacrificed range of motion! I watched someone else do DB shrugs today and noticed that he was doing it too... made me think that perhaps a lot of people do this.

The way I rectified this problem was that instead of shrugging the weight up and then simply letting it drop back down to the bottom position, I focused on pushing it back down. Shrug the weight up, push it back down. I was able to drop the DBs lower and get a better range of motion, which is always a plus for me. Next time you're shrugging DBs, take note of this, hopefully it helps you out.

**bubba g** · 03-27-2007, 04:58 AM

I have a shrug technique I came up with.. it is a combination of static holds, and rest pause...

I lift the weight to the top position(shoulders up as high as possible) hold it there till I can not possibly hold the weight up anymore, then I do as many quick explosive reps as possible, on the last one I hold the weight at the top again for as long as possible repeat... 3 sets and my traps are pumped up...

at teh end of the set I let the weights hang to finish off with a nice stretch..

**davtown** · 03-27-2007, 05:00 AM

ooo, sounds fun... I'll try it out next week when I work my traps again. Sounds killer on the grip too.

**DarkFalcon** · 03-27-2007, 05:01 AM

Eliminate all other muscles by using the standing calf raise machine. My traps have doubled in size this past year getting rid of all bb and db shrugs.

**davtown** · 03-27-2007, 05:03 AM

There is no standing calf raise machine at my gym

I wanted to try out Hise shrugs, but I forgot to do them today.... that's another one for next week. If I had a standing calf raise machine at my disposal I'd definitely try that out. Although I gotta say, I love the grip/forearm work I get from shrugs.

**bubba g** · 03-27-2007, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davtown

There is no standing calf raise machine at my gym

I wanted to try out Hise shrugs, but I forgot to do them today.... that's another one for next week. If I had a standing calf raise machine at my disposal I'd definitely try that out. Although I gotta say, I love the grip/forearm work I get from shrugs.

No shame in using straps... look at some of tech 9s videos of Coleman, Branch Warren etc.. two of the most hard core bodybuilders.. they both use straps for everything... they are great for helping focus on the muscle you are working...

**DarkFalcon** · 03-27-2007, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davtown

There is no standing calf raise machine at my gym

I wanted to try out Hise shrugs, but I forgot to do them today.... that's another one for next week. If I had a standing calf raise machine at my disposal I'd definitely try that out. Although I gotta say, I love the grip/forearm work I get from shrugs.

Hise works great too it's just harder to get right. I get plenty of grip/ forearm work on deads day and arms day. I want to do lat shrugs too but my gym doesn't have the straps for it. I have a feeling they will work as well as the Hise but for my lats.

somexiridemybike · 03-30-2007, 08:17 PM

bubba, that sounds like a nice hardcore technique. ill be sure to try it out!

**madman911** · 03-30-2007, 09:11 PM

Try seated db shrugs sometime... they isolate the traps better than standing. You won't be able to shrug as much weight, but your traps will feel it more.

I see guys all the time shrugging with barely any ROM... most are going way heavier than they can really handle and that causes the muscles to lock up... your body is basically doing all it can to just hold the weight if you go too heavy. Even Coleman's ROM sucks IMO, but he's shrugging 250 lb db's so ROM is a moot point at that level. If you can just hold that kind of weight and remain upright for 20-30 seconds, you're going to get huge.

**romanaz** · 03-30-2007, 10:35 PM

I was thinking, what if you did shrugs on the dip handles? I gotta try this out.

**MacTech** · 03-31-2007, 12:02 AM

Try using the standing calf machine to do shrugs, especially when your grip is suffering, like mine always is.

**bubba g** · 03-31-2007, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacTech

Try using the standing calf machine to do shrugs, especially when your grip is suffering, like mine always is.

lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkFalcon

Eliminate all other muscles by using the standing calf raise machine. My traps have doubled in size this past year getting rid of all bb and db shrugs.

**MacTech** · 03-31-2007, 12:10 AM

silly me... poor reading comprehension too, along with the grip.

**powerman2000** · 03-31-2007, 09:27 AM

I'm not having the need to push the 130s I use back down. They get there all on their own.

Refuge · 04-05-2007, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubba g

I have a shrug technique I came up with.. it is a combination of static holds, and rest pause...

I lift the weight to the top position(shoulders up as high as possible) hold it there till I can not possibly hold the weight up anymore, then I do as many quick explosive reps as possible, on the last one I hold the weight at the top again for as long as possible repeat... 3 sets and my traps are pumped up...

at teh end of the set I let the weights hang to finish off with a nice stretch..

haha, this sounds saweet, gotta try it. I try to go as heavy as possible w/o any straps, but when my grip finally does go out, I employ the use of hooks. Of course only as a last resort. But I also like the grip training I get from doing heavy shrugs.

**A.FreeRadical** · 04-05-2007, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacTech

Try using the standing calf machine to do shrugs, especially when your grip is suffering, like mine always is.

Yep, also the squat machine (at least the one in my gym) works for shrugs. Although I prefer that for standing calf raises.

*

**DarkFalcon** · 04-05-2007, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A.FreeRadical

Yep, also the squat machine (at least the one in my gym) works for shrugs. Although I prefer that for standing calf raises.

*

lol..nothing as it is intended.

03-27-2007, 04:36 AM	#1
davtown OM NOM NOM NOM Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 2,348 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 128	A tip on shrugs that helped me out I was doing DB shrugs today and I noticed that when I was gripping the heavier weights, I wasn't going all the way down with them at the bottom. I was so focused on gripping the weight that I tightend up and sacrificed range of motion! I watched someone else do DB shrugs today and noticed that he was doing it too... made me think that perhaps a lot of people do this. The way I rectified this problem was that instead of shrugging the weight up and then simply letting it drop back down to the bottom position, I focused on pushing it back down. Shrug the weight up, push it back down. I was able to drop the DBs lower and get a better range of motion, which is always a plus for me. Next time you're shrugging DBs, take note of this, hopefully it helps you out. __________________ --Training Journal-- current/goal D: 350/380 S: 280/300 B: 235/260

03-27-2007, 05:00 AM	#3
davtown OM NOM NOM NOM Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 2,348 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 128	ooo, sounds fun... I'll try it out next week when I work my traps again. Sounds killer on the grip too. __________________ --Training Journal-- current/goal D: 350/380 S: 280/300 B: 235/260

03-27-2007, 05:03 AM	#5
davtown OM NOM NOM NOM Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 2,348 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 128	There is no standing calf raise machine at my gym I wanted to try out Hise shrugs, but I forgot to do them today.... that's another one for next week. If I had a standing calf raise machine at my disposal I'd definitely try that out. Although I gotta say, I love the grip/forearm work I get from shrugs. __________________ --Training Journal-- current/goal D: 350/380 S: 280/300 B: 235/260

03-30-2007, 09:11 PM	#9
madman911 Metamorphosizing Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Boston Area Posts: 1,524 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 60	Try seated db shrugs sometime... they isolate the traps better than standing. You won't be able to shrug as much weight, but your traps will feel it more. I see guys all the time shrugging with barely any ROM... most are going way heavier than they can really handle and that causes the muscles to lock up... your body is basically doing all it can to just hold the weight if you go too heavy. Even Coleman's ROM sucks IMO, but he's shrugging 250 lb db's so ROM is a moot point at that level. If you can just hold that kind of weight and remain upright for 20-30 seconds, you're going to get huge. __________________ Millennium Sport Technologies Sponsored Athlete http://www.millenniumsport.net IMPC 2006 Novice Division Champ IMPC 2007 Open Division Champ Never underestimate the power of the bandana.

03-31-2007, 12:02 AM	#11
MacTech IronMassoholic Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: State of well being Posts: 439 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 35	Try using the standing calf machine to do shrugs, especially when your grip is suffering, like mine always is. __________________ Still going thru life one rep at a time. My training journal.

03-27-2007, 04:58 AM	#2
bubba g Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 3,179 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 178	I have a shrug technique I came up with.. it is a combination of static holds, and rest pause... I lift the weight to the top position(shoulders up as high as possible) hold it there till I can not possibly hold the weight up anymore, then I do as many quick explosive reps as possible, on the last one I hold the weight at the top again for as long as possible repeat... 3 sets and my traps are pumped up... at teh end of the set I let the weights hang to finish off with a nice stretch..

03-27-2007, 05:01 AM	#4
DarkFalcon I've got a RAGING clue! Join Date: May 2005 Location: dnyc99's cleaning staff Posts: 12,526 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 309	Eliminate all other muscles by using the standing calf raise machine. My traps have doubled in size this past year getting rid of all bb and db shrugs.

03-30-2007, 08:17 PM	#8
somexiridemybike Amateur Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 36 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 0	bubba, that sounds like a nice hardcore technique. ill be sure to try it out!

03-31-2007, 12:10 AM	#13
MacTech IronMassoholic Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: State of well being Posts: 439 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 35	silly me... poor reading comprehension too, along with the grip. __________________ Still going thru life one rep at a time. My training journal.

03-31-2007, 09:27 AM	#14
powerman2000 The Old Moderator Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 4,281 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 199	I'm not having the need to push the 130s I use back down. They get there all on their own. __________________ Don't forget to periodize Best BP 507 lbs competitive Best Squat 705 lbs competitive Best DL 650 lbs competitive Guns don't kill people, men who come home early do. My workout log http://www.ironmass.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6247