# is shoulder shrugs a good mass builder?



## BUCKY (Jul 12, 2012)

I know the bench press, deadlift, and squats are great mass builder. Does the shoulder shrug belong to this category as well? I usually pick up the hexagon shoulder shrug bar about a foot off the ground (it's on a stand), therefore it might also count as a deadlift, but not really.


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## jadean (Jul 12, 2012)

Do deads instead and when they become stagnant you can switch to trap bar deads


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## SFW (Jul 12, 2012)

I have to hit traps iso otherwise they will not have any height. I deadlift but i still need to shrug.

I alternate btwn hex, straighbar and db's. The db movements come in handy because you can hit em from diff angles. Either in front of you or off to the side a bit.

But i wouldnt consider shrugs a mass builder, at all. Its an isolated movement.


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## CG (Jul 12, 2012)

Side\front lat raises help for me as well, some say that cleans and behind the head mil press work too


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## toothache (Jul 12, 2012)

Shrugs are not classified as a mass builder like deads, squats, or bench but I make sure to do them.


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## Cork (Jul 12, 2012)

SFW said:


> But i wouldnt consider shrugs a mass builder, at all. Its an isolated movement.



That about sums it up.  Well put.


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## tballz (Jul 12, 2012)

toothache said:


> Shrugs are not classified as a mass builder like deads, squats, or bench but I make sure to do them.



Yep ^^^^


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## ctr10 (Jul 12, 2012)

shrugs=big traps


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## tinyshrek (Jul 12, 2012)

SFW said:


> I have to hit traps iso otherwise they will not have any height. I deadlift but i still need to shrug.
> 
> I alternate btwn hex, straighbar and db's. The db movements come in handy because you can hit em from diff angles. Either in front of you or off to the side a bit.
> 
> But i wouldnt consider shrugs a mass builder, at all. Its an isolated movement.



Agreed


- SHREK


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## tinyshrek (Jul 12, 2012)

ctr10 said:


> shrugs=big traps



Masterbation=big arms


- SHREK


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## jadean (Jul 12, 2012)

Squats=big ass


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## BUCKY (Jul 12, 2012)

I only have trap bar for deadlifts. It's not all the way to the ground since it is about a foot off the ground because it is on trap bar stand. Still heavy as shit. About 400 pounds. 3 sets of 10 reps. I could not pick it up on my 4th set so I'm stuck with just 3 sets so far. I live in an apartment not a gym.



jadean said:


> Do deads instead and when they become stagnant you can switch to trap bar deads


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## BUCKY (Jul 12, 2012)

I like this. I don't think deadlift alone will give big traps but it will improve posture due to working out all the major muscles slowly all at once. Doing shrugs will improve the traps dramatically. I remember in high school I had the biggest pecs and everyone knew it because I benched press everyday (which my gym class teacher told me is all wrong). Don't you have to kill a certain muscle group to see it pop out? I've been doing shoulder shrug the past week daily. I feel stronger and can lift it daily with ease compared to first day I lifted it instead of taking a day off from it. I do over 300 pounds of shoulder shrugs. 4 sets of 10 reps. I could do more sets but I'll keep it short.



ctr10 said:


> shrugs=big traps


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## N_I_C_K (Jul 16, 2012)

They aren't mass builders and not mandatory for a workout routine but I'd suggest you throw them in there.


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## Inciter (Jul 16, 2012)

Shrugs are just good for variation.


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## theCaptn' (Jul 16, 2012)

Clean n press will hit traps good. Shrugs are just a finisher IMO


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## allskillz20 (Jul 16, 2012)

SFW said:


> I have to hit traps iso otherwise they will not have any height. I deadlift but i still need to shrug.
> 
> I alternate btwn hex, straighbar and db's.* The db movements come in handy because you can hit em from diff angles. Either in front of you or off to the side a bit.*
> 
> But i wouldnt consider shrugs a mass builder, at all. Its an isolated movement.



Yeah, I love doing straight and side DB raises, because if you focus on your traps, you can feel them literally tearing it hurts so bad at like a 45 degree angle side raise... Honestly I rarely lift my traps because deadlift, shrugs, and db raises make the babies grow like a MF, and make my body look disproportional


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## KelJu (Jul 16, 2012)

I do 3 sets of heavy barbell shrugs every pull day. My traps look much better since I started doing this.


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