How to do the Cable Shrug
- Stand facing the cable machine, holding the handle with straight arms.
- Let the cable pull your shoulders down slightly, then shrug upwards.
- Raise your shoulders toward your ears, keeping your torso upright.
- Slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
Full technique — 6 steps
- Attach a straight bar or rope to the low pulley and stand tall facing the machine.
- Grip the handle with arms straight and let the cable pull your shoulders slightly downward.
- Set your feet about hip width apart and keep your torso upright and neck neutral.
- Raise your shoulders straight upward toward your ears without bending your elbows.
- Reach the highest shrug your shoulders can achieve while keeping the torso still.
- Lower your shoulders back down until the traps are fully lengthened under cable tension.
Common mistakes
- Turning the shrug into a row
- Bending elbows to move weight
- Rolling shoulders in circles
- Leaning back to finish reps
- Cutting off the bottom range
Form cues
- Shrug straight up
- Keep arms long
- Let traps fully lengthen
- Neck stays neutral
