Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug

How to do the Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug

1. With the bar at thigh level, load an appropriate weight.
2. 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.
3. Initiate the movement by shrugging your shoulders straight up. Do not flex the arms or wrist during the movement.
4. After a brief pause return the weight to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions before engaging the hooks to rack the weight.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	traps
Secondary	shoulders
Equipment	machine
Difficulty	beginner
Type	isolation

No machine? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Scapular Pull-Up Bodyweight Dumbbell Shrug Dumbbell Upright Row - With Bands Resistance Bands Standing Dumbbell Upright Row Dumbbell Kettlebell Sumo High Pull Kettlebell Barbell Shrug Barbell

Harder than the Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug

Snatch Shrug intermediate · Barbell Upright Cable Row intermediate · Cable Machine Kettlebell Sumo High Pull intermediate · Kettlebell

Superset the Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug with

Opposing chest work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Butterfly chest Decline Smith Press chest Leverage Chest Press chest Leverage Decline Chest Press chest

Common questions

What muscles does the Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug work?

The Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug primarily works the traps, with the shoulders as secondary movers. Barbell Shrug, Barbell Shrug Behind The Back, and Cable Shrugs train the same muscle, across 7 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug?

A Machine. Without a machine, Scapular Pull-Up, Dumbbell Shrug, and Upright Row - With Bands train the same muscle, and 1 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug is rated beginner. Snatch Shrug, Upright Cable Row, and Kettlebell Sumo High Pull are the progressions from here.

Where should the Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug go in a workout?

Late — the Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug is isolation work, so it follows your compounds. Supersetting it with Butterfly and Decline Smith Press cuts session time without extra rest.

Similar exercises

Barbell Shrug Barbell Barbell Shrug Behind The Back Barbell Cable Shrugs Cable Machine Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug Machine Dumbbell Shrug Dumbbell Leverage Shrug Machine