Clean Shrug 101 Video Tutorial
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Exercise Synopsis
Target Muscle Group
Traps
Execution
Compound
Force Type
Pull (Bilateral)
Required Equipment
Barbell
Fitness Level
Intermediate
Variations
Alternatives
Timer
Hour
Minute
Second
Stopwatch
00:00:00:00
Overview
The Clean Shrug is a full-body exercise that primarily targets the traps, helping to develop upper back strength. In addition to the traps, it engages several secondary muscle groups, including the abs, adductors, biceps, calves, forearms, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and shoulders, making it a highly effective compound movement. Using a barbell, this exercise involves lifting the weight from the ground to the shoulders in a clean motion, followed by a powerful shrug. It helps improve overall strength, coordination, and explosive power, particularly beneficial for athletes or anyone aiming to enhance their upper body and core strength.
How to Perform
Begin by positioning the barbell just above the knot of your shoelaces, ensuring it doesn’t make contact with your shins.
Set your feet shoulder-width apart with your toes angled out slightly, and place your hands on the bar, just outside shoulder width.
Lower your hips while keeping your chest lifted, and keep your gaze directed forward to maintain proper posture.
Push through your legs to stand up straight, fully extending your knees and hips to bring your body to an upright position.
Perform a slight dip by bending your knees and hinging at the hips, maintaining a strong and controlled stance.
Explosively extend through your hips, driving upward with a jump, and simultaneously shrug your shoulders forcefully to elevate the bar.
Lower the bar back into the starting hang position with control and repeat for the desired number of reps.
★ Bonus: For exercises that involve external weights (such as dumbbells, barbells, or machines), the One Rep Max (1RM) calculator can help you estimate your maximum lifting capacity. Use it to track your strength progress and adjust your training for optimal results.
Tips
Olympic lifting focuses on maximizing efficiency rather than relying solely on raw power.
Start using this exercise to develop the ability to create vertical movement when performing the clean. It’s especially helpful if you tend to use your arms too early in the pull.
The goal is to execute the movement in a straight upward direction. Avoid focusing on pushing the hips forward; instead, think about driving the movement vertically.
The angle of your toes can vary from person to person—experiment with different positions to find what feels most natural and effective for you.
Make sure to drive through your entire foot, maintaining contact at three key points: the big toe, little toe, and heel, ensuring a stable and powerful base.
How Not to Perform
Avoid Pulling with Your Arms Too Early
Don’t initiate the lift by pulling with your arms before your legs have extended. This wastes energy and shifts the focus away from the target muscles, particularly the traps. Instead, focus on driving the movement upward using your legs first, and then let the arms follow.
Don’t Round Your Back
Keep your back straight throughout the movement. Rounding your back puts unnecessary strain on your spine and increases the risk of injury. Maintain a neutral spine by keeping your chest up and shoulders back, especially as you stand up from the starting position.
Don’t Rush the Shrug
Avoid jerking your body in an attempt to shrug the bar quickly. The shrug should be controlled and powerful, but not an uncontrolled jerk. This ensures that you’re properly engaging your traps without wasting energy on momentum.
Don’t Overextend Your Hips
Don’t push your hips forward excessively when you reach the top of the movement. Overextending can strain your lower back and cause misalignment. Keep your movement vertical and avoid excessive hip thrusts—your focus should be on driving upward, not forward.
Don’t Let Your Knees Collapse Inward
Ensure your knees stay aligned with your toes throughout the lift. If your knees collapse inward, it can lead to instability and improper force distribution, putting unnecessary stress on your joints. Maintain proper alignment by keeping your knees tracking over your toes.
Avoid Using Excessive Weight Too Soon
Start with a manageable weight to perfect your form before increasing the load. Using too much weight too early can lead to poor technique, which increases the risk of injury and prevents you from targeting the correct muscles effectively.
Don’t Lose Your Foot Position
Keep your feet stable and properly positioned throughout the lift. Avoid letting your feet shift or point in unnatural directions. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart with toes slightly pointed outward, and you should maintain three points of contact with the ground: the big toe, little toe, and heel.
Avoid Using Momentum
Don’t rely on swinging or jerking your body to move the bar. This can lead to inefficient energy use and shift focus away from your target muscles. Perform the movement with controlled, deliberate effort to ensure the energy is directed towards the traps and other muscle groups.
Variations
Variations of fitness exercises refer to different ways of performing a specific exercise or movement to target various muscle groups, intensities, or goals. These variations aim to challenge the body differently, prevent plateaus, and cater to individuals with varying fitness levels.
Alternatives
Alternative exercises in fitness refer to different movements or activities that target similar muscle groups or serve the same training purpose as the primary exercise. These alternative exercises can be used as substitutes when the original exercise is unavailable or challenging to perform due to various reasons such as equipment limitations, injuries, or personal preferences.
