Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug

Also called smith behind back shrug and behind the back smith shrug.

Works

Traps, plus shoulders

Equipment

Machine

Level

Beginner

Type

Isolation

How to do it

Setup. With the bar at thigh level, load an appropriate weight.

1. Stand with the bar behind you, taking a shoulder-width, pronated grip on the bar and unhook the weight. You should be standing up straight with your head and chest up and your arms extended. This will be your starting position.
2. Initiate the movement by shrugging your shoulders straight up. Do not flex the arms or wrist during the movement.
3. After a brief pause return the weight to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions before engaging the hooks to rack the weight.

Cues

• Bar behind the thighs, arms long.
• Shrug straight up to the ears.
• Pause 1 second at the top.
• Lower all the way down.

Common mistakes

• Rolling the shoulders.
• Bending the elbows.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. Tempo is seconds down, pause, up. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.

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