When it comes to building muscle on your upper body, shoulder shrugs are a great workout.
The upper body technique is simple to master which builds strength and improves posture too.
Shrugs are perfect because they can be done anywhere and only takes a few minutes to complete.
The workout is designed to build big shoulders, but people might be overcomplicating them slightly.
And if you’re doing your shrugs all wrong, it’s likely that you won’t get the results that you really want.
According to Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, mastering shoulder shrugs the right way isn’t that hard.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
With shoulder shrugs, you’re using the muscles to raise up then lower it again.
But a lot of see the basic premise of the exercise and think to just kick it up a notch – and that’s where it goes wrong.
Ebenezer said: “The shrug is such a simple move that maybe it’s destined to get overcomplicated. It can’t just be a shrug up and down.
“That’s what your upper traps do [move up and down], and that’s what we’re trying to train, so keep it to the action of the muscle.”
(Image: Getty Images)
The fitness guru continued: “That means there’s no need to roll your shoulders all over the place.
“If anything, all that shoulder rolling can take emphasis off your traps.”
So next time you’re doing shoulder shrugs, keep it simple.
Stand straight while holding the weight with your arms locked out and keep your neck in a neutral position.
Are you looking for more fitness tips?
For those who are looking to increase size in their muscles, there’s a common biceps mistake to avoid.
Previously, personal trainer and founder of Athlean-X Jeff Cavaliere explained why “biceps push-ups” are a dangerous waste.
He said how the technique focuses more on your triceps than it does your biceps.