The [Most Effective] Workout: Barbell vs Dumbbell Shrugs

The [Most Effective] Workout: Barbell vs Dumbbell Shrugs

Are you looking for a powerful shrug workout that will help build muscle and strength? 

Here’s the bottom line… Look no further than the barbell shrug.

This workout is versatile and can be done with either weights or dumbbells, providing different benefits for different types of athletes.

Barbell shrugs vs Dumbbell shrugs, which is the best for your traps and shoulder?

If someone is doing shrugs, most of the time it will be a dumbbell shrug.

It appears to me that with dumbbell shrugs, you can lift your shoulders more.

If you are a beginner, then you can start with low weights and progress with heavy weights quickly.

But with a barbell shrug, the barbell creates a lot of fiction as it is touching your body all the time.

This makes the workout tougher to execute.

In reality, the dumbbell shrugs and barbell shrugs work the same muscle and yield the same results.

But with barbells, you can lift heavier weights than a dumbbell.

But which is the best?

[Benefits of barbell curls]

What is the difference between a barbell shrug and a dumbbell shrug?

• The main difference between the barbell shrug and the dumbbell shrug is that the barbell shrug is done with a neutral grip, while the dumbbell shrug allows your arms to not be internally or externally rotated.
• The dumbbell shrug allows for your traps to move slightly more range of motion than barbell shrugs.
• A barbell shrug is better for the strength-building element of your beginning weightlifting program, while a dumbbell shrug is just as effective.
• Both exercises are effective for the shoulder muscles, and it ultimately comes down to which you find more comfortable and efficient.

What is the shrug workout?

The shrug workout is an upper shoulder exercise that focuses on the upper trapezius muscles. These exercises are designed to improve the strength and size of these muscles and can help to improve overall posture.

Shrugs will work the posture and other muscles more if you involve your scapula during the upward or downward motion.

Shrugs are often used for shoulder or rotator muscle problems.

Barbell Shrugs

Dumbbell Shrugs

How to do the shrug workout with a barbell?

Step 1: Set up the barbell

Stand in front of the barbell with their abs tightened and their traps contracted. Grabbing the barbell with an overhand grip, they should raise their shoulders upward.

Step 2: Shrug the barbell

How do you correctly shrug a barbell?

Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, raise your shoulders towards your ears and squeeze your traps. Keep your arms straight and knees slightly bent while you do this.

Step 3: Lower the barbell

When lowering the barbell during the shrug workout, it is important to lower it slowly and under control to avoid injury. More time under tension will help your shoulder muscles to develop strength even more.

How to do the shrug workout with dumbbells?

Step 1: Set-up

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your arms at your sides.

Keep your palms facing your body and keep your eyes forward.

Step 2: Shrug the Dumbbells!

You should keep a tight grip on the dumbbells and raise them up towards your ears in a tall posture. Pause at the top of the move to squeeze your traps, and then slowly lower them back down to the starting position.

Step 3: Lower the dumbbells

Then just slowly lower your shoulders all the way back to the beginning position.

A Bigger Back

Barbell and dumbbell shrugs will train your upper back so you can develop a big and strong looking back.

Thus, your appearance will change, and you will have a larger back. I would ask you to do some pull-ups/lat pull-down to get the V look as well.

Preventing Injuries

Shrugs help to prevent injuries in contact sports by helping to protect the body against injury. The traps play an important role in shoulder retraction, neck stability and arm elevation.

A strong neck, and strong upper back muscles will help you prevent injuries.

Are Shrugs the Only Trap Exercises a Beginner Can Do?

There are many other shrug exercises that you as a beginner can do. Some can be more effective in working out more muscles than just the upper back.

Barbell Rows

The benefits of doing barbell rows are that they work two different muscles in your upper back and that exercising two muscle groups at once will give you a better workout.

You can easily go heavy with doing workouts like pendlay row, one arm dumbbell row etc.

Farmer’s Walks

Farmer’s walks are a good exercise for beginners because they develop traps, shoulder stability, and total body strength.

Farmer’s walks can be done with isometric holds to help increase trap tension.

Deadlifts

Deadlifts are a great workout which trains your entire posterior chain, including the traps.

While the focus is not on the traps, but a deadlift will train your upper back as well.

Quick Questions!

What are the different variations of the shrug workout?

The different variations of the shrug workout include the barbell shrug, dumbbell shrug, and wide grip shrug. Each of these variations targets almost all the same muscles. However, some can increase strength and some can help make more mass.

What is the peak contraction for a shrug?

The peak contraction is the highest point near your ear, upto where you can pull your shoulders up.

What are the negatives of doing a shrug workout?

Shrug workouts do not target more muscles, thus it is good for isolation. But it is not good as a compound exercise.

What is the verdict on the most effective shrug workout?

Barbell shrugs are often thought to be the most effective to develop strength. This is also great for going for progressive overload.

The Dumbbell Snatch Grip Shoulder Shrug is a great option if you have limited space.