Which do you use?: Dumbell or Barbell Shrugs?

[mcveigh1]

we have a shrug machine at my gym, its kind of awkward but its a very strict motion... also i've seen shrugs done on a free weight machine for chest that the person straddled the bench and shrugged the handles also diff, never tried

[rbkhcky62706]

weird

[gjohnson5]

I've found HammerStrength squat/Lunge to be the most convienient way to deadlift

[ryuten]

i like dbs cuz the bbs hit my nuts every single time i shrug

[Bonecrshr]

Originally Posted by porcupinetree

I never shrug. I don't want big traps. Big traps make a person look like a hunchback, and it takes away from the impressiveness of wide delts.

I think way too many people do too many shrugs.

But the real problem I see is that people who shrug always use too much weight. They don't really do shrugs, they just do twitches.

My first year, I did shrugs all the time. Then I analyzed it, and realized that I only did shrugs because they were easy. Such a short range of motion, and it's easy to use a lot of weight. Purely an ego thing. And by that time, my traps were way too big in comparison to my delts. I was being laughed at in the gym for looking like a hunchback. I spent the next two years doing concentrated delt training to fix the problem.

Interesting take, actually, but...

I'll admit that having huge hulking traps does not look very elegant as Serge Nubret would say. However I have no desire to look elegant. Yes, traps are an easy muscle group to work, I grant you, and they are a lot of fun to work, IMO. But having any one bodypart that clearly overpowers the rest of your body will look bizarre and subject to ridicule.

[wildphucker]

Our gym only goes up to 100s for dbs and I rep those for over 30 so it isn't really doing anything, switched over to barbells now.

My only drawback is the barbell hitting my nuts on the way up and the temptation to add too much weight and turn the power rack into a 10,000 decibel trampoline for the barbell, which I see far too many people do.

[johnsue79]

most people i know use a BB. my choice of weapon is a shrug bar.

[CanuckTank]

Originally Posted by johnsue79

most people i know use a BB. my choice of weapon is a shrug bar.

I have heard about the shrug bar. I would kill to have one at my gym.

Did barbell shrugs today. They definitely did help seeing I am sore right now.

they will be stiff tomorrow. Good stiff though.

[Senate156]

Originally Posted by wildphucker

My only drawback is the barbell hitting my nuts on the way up

hahaha...exactly. I mean i'll use Barbells for shrugs when i decide to do snatch-grip shrugs, other than that it's the Trap bar, or Dbs.

[CanuckTank]

Very true on hitting the nutz thing.

I now just adjust to miss.

But it is a big adjustment.. *badum Tsssssh*

[pr_muscle]

I use both bb to the front and back and db's at sides

[hulkinout]

For those guys looking for a more unorthodox approach: use your gym's standing calf raise. Stand on the floor, not on the raised platform. Adjust the shoulder pads as necessary. Shrug as usual.

No chance of your grip weakening before your traps. Makes a good finishing move.

For a nice shock, try these for super-high reps every once in a while.

[trivium9]

Originally Posted by hulkinout

For those guys looking for a more unorthodox approach: use your gym's standing calf raise. Stand on the floor, not on the raised platform. Adjust the shoulder pads as necessary. Shrug as usual.

No chance of your grip weakening before your traps. Makes a good finishing move.

For a nice shock, try these for super-high reps every once in a while.

Hell yeah, I have done these before when some *******s where taking forever on the smith machine and pwoer rack. Good call

[wildphucker]

The calf raise machine usually doesn't have anywhere near enough weight though.

[hulkinout]

Originally Posted by wildphucker

The calf raise machine usually doesn't have anywhere near enough weight though.

Does yourcalf machine allow for hanging extra plates on it?.

Likewise, you can also do 1-1/2 reps, or just go for a crazy set of 100 (one of my competitive bb friends sets a timer for five minutes, then just reps out, getting anywhere between 300-400 reps...crazy I know, but as an occasional shock technique, it works).

[wildphucker]

Yeah you can stack plates on top of it but a tower of 45s is bound to come crashing down when you start doing your reps.

[Juggernaut33]

I like the ROM on dumbell shrugs and emphasize the top of the movement with a peak contraction.

[macv_72]

My vote goes to DB's cause you can use them: front, side & back; and you can go light if don't want bigger "traps" or go heavy if you want them... IMO.

[jmusclehead]

Originally Posted by Bonecrshr

Me too, Kate. Who wants to be throwing around all those big heavy thingys.

Seriously though, I use DBs 99% of the time. We have 220 lb DBs at my gym and I don't even go that heavy very often at all. Although I know you can go heavy as hell with shrugs, technique plays a much larger role (what else is new, right?). Most people I see are using far more weight than they need and consquently are not executing the exercise efficiently. Just my opinion of course...

Agreed....Form plays a much larger role than just how much weight. I see way too many lifting weights and not hitting the target muscle at all because they are using other parts of their bodies to get the weight up. I use both bb's and db's, but, I'm starting to prefer db's on almost all of my exercises.

[Dark_MadMax]

I use HS lever machine for shrugs. -I tried both dumbell and barbell -dumbells are good ,especially seated ones, but dumbell handles caused too much calousing.

Barbell are fine, but I found it easier to use HS level machine (in terms I dont have to wait for the bar -this machine is always empty) plus it has nice grips which are easy on palms

[hulkinout]

Originally Posted by Dark_MadMax

I use HS lever machine for shrugs. -I tried both dumbell and barbell -dumbells are good ,especially seated ones, but dumbell handles caused too much calousing.

Barbell are fine, but I found it easier to use HS level machine (in terms I dont have to wait for the bar -this machine is always empty) plus it has nice grips which are easy on palms

Actually, I forgot about this one. I like this one too, usually because some musclehead has walked away from it without unloading. (Hey, it's annoying to have to put a dozen 45's on the damn thing yourself).

[Billyspt4]

I do them both. We have a barbell that conforms around the body to make shrugs much easier cuz a straight BB either hits your nuts or hits your ass and is just a real pain.