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Shrugs- Smith vs. Barbell

deputyjason

New member
Am is losing anything by using the smith machine for shrugs over a standard barbell? For pressing movements I don't like it, but seems to be great for shrugs.

THanks!
 
deputyjason said:
Am is losing anything by using the smith machine for shrugs over a standard barbell? For pressing movements I don't like it, but seems to be great for shrugs.

THanks!
Click to expand...

General rule of thumb...machines allow you to focus on the target muscle while free weights allow you to incorporate the stabilizing muscles. Use both but don't just use machines unless your rehabing an injury.
 
I do about 5-6 shrug workouts. Sitting, standing, cables, free weights ect. Dont limit to one. Smith machine also. All good and not one better than the other. just different
 
I do both. I start with regular bb shrugs then I go to the Smith and do underhand grip shrugs bent foward to really target the trap area.
 
If you want some big traps do deadlifts, and when you do shrugs go really light. I see so many people out there using 3 and 400 lbs on shrugs and its just stupid, you cannot raise your traps as high as you need to in order to get the right squeeze. The biggest my traps ever got is when I would grab a 45 lb plate in each hand and shrug them really slow controlled, and high as I could and pause for a second at the top. (The iron grip ones with the holes in them) Those plates allow you to get the weight closer to your body which in turn targets your traps more. Try them sometime!!
 
CoorsLight126 said:
If you want some big traps do deadlifts, and when you do shrugs go really light. I see so many people out there using 3 and 400 lbs on shrugs and its just stupid, you cannot raise your traps as high as you need to in order to get the right squeeze. The biggest my traps ever got is when I would grab a 45 lb plate in each hand and shrug them really slow controlled, and high as I could and pause for a second at the top. (The iron grip ones with the holes in them) Those plates allow you to get the weight closer to your body which in turn targets your traps more. Try them sometime!!
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, most def deadlifts are THE best for trap development. I always follow deads with bb shrugs and smith shrugs though.
 
CoorsLight126 said:
If you want some big traps do deadlifts, and when you do shrugs go really light. I see so many people out there using 3 and 400 lbs on shrugs and its just stupid, you cannot raise your traps as high as you need to in order to get the right squeeze. The biggest my traps ever got is when I would grab a 45 lb plate in each hand and shrug them really slow controlled, and high as I could and pause for a second at the top. (The iron grip ones with the holes in them) Those plates allow you to get the weight closer to your body which in turn targets your traps more. Try them sometime!!
Click to expand...

Agreed. And olympics like cleans and clean pulls. Just look at the traps on female 100m sprinters.

Personally, when I do shrugs I use dumbbells and rotate sides (right 1, left 1, right 2, left 2...etc), just like you would when doing dumbbell curls.

Br
 
elgenyo said:
General rule of thumb...machines allow you to focus on the target muscle while free weights allow you to incorporate the stabilizing muscles. Use both but don't just use machines unless your rehabing an injury.
Click to expand...

I entirely disagree on both points.

EMG readings show that free weights result in a more intense contraction by the target muscle. Further, machines change limb placement and joint alignment and often involve the recruitment of other muscles (such as the ant delts on your typical pec machines).

Second, with the exception of serious injury that prevents ambulation, machines are a terrible choice for rehab. A large part of rehab is strengthening the stabilizer muscles, as often times with sport injuries it is due to muscular imbalances. In addition, you want to reinforce correct motor programming...whiledoing all exercises on a fixed ROM will have the opposite effect.

Br
 
My traps grew when I started heavy deads to the point when I couldn't grip the bar for more than one rep... then I got some straps which I used after my grip failed to go even heavier on the deads, and that's when my traps exploded. kept my upper back aligned and shoulders back the entire DL movement, with slight pause at the top before letting weight back down.

I do 12-15-rep shrugs w/ a 175lb barbell super-setted with wide grip pullups on my hypertrophy days, and around 300+ 5-rep shrugs on power days. going HEAVY for me seems more effective than 20 reps w/ a light weight. I use an overhand grip, arms straight down, and slight bend forward to clear the bar. I tried holding 45plates in each hand, and did like 30reps... didn't feel anything. tried doingthem slow, holding at top, etc... got tired, but the "i just walked 20 miles carrying shopping bags and I didn't buy anything" tired, not the "I just hit a new squat PR" type of tired.
 
IMO, best use of shrugs are done during deadlifts. complete the lift, and at the top shrug the bar. i guarantee you will be sore. even if u arent doing as much weight as you normally shrug on straight shrugs
 
deputyjason said:
Am is losing anything by using the smith machine for shrugs over a standard barbell? For pressing movements I don't like it, but seems to be great for shrugs.

THanks!
Click to expand...
anything compound exercise is good.So barbell upright row is my choice and it got me about three inches long and about 1/2 to 2 inches thick. a very nice exercise to get that shrug thicker
 
I personally like DB shrugs holding your hands about 7 or 8 inches away from your body. I find it works best for me. And deadlifts with a shrug at the top.
 
yeah i do deads with shrug at the top. even when i shrug 120 pound DB, i can shrug it fine. the thing thats hard is holding it for so long, not the actual shrug. thats why i prefer barbell.
 
Never do shrugs anymore. Go heavy on the deads and i assure you your traps will grow. Just be patient. Its absolutely impossible for your traps not to grow if you are doing some serious weight on your deads. End of story. No magic potion.
 
msucurt said:
Never do shrugs anymore. Go heavy on the deads and i assure you your traps will grow. Just be patient. Its absolutely impossible for your traps not to grow if you are doing some serious weight on your deads. End of story. No magic potion.
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Everyone says this, it seems to work for almost everyone. But I only feel deads in the lower and middle back. To the point were my lower back gets too pumped to continue. For Trap development do you start the movement at bottom with your shoulder blades squeezed tight together and keep squeezed through the lift? I have awesome lower back muscles (like two steel pipes) but terrible upper back. I really want them beefy lumps at the top of your back, thats what fills a shirt out! But I am always bewildered when guys say how much deads kill their traps? Im definately doing something wrong!
 
As far as brute strenght I say barbell but to for isolation purpose with out a doubt smith machines are great.
 
Hammer Strength Ground Base High Pull FTW!

Do it nice and slow, hold at the top, and use the different variations of the handles/grips :D

Honestly, I agree with whoever said to do a combination of the options available, free weights and machines.
 
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