Behind-the-Back Barbell Shrug

What is the Behind-the-Back Barbell Shrug?

The behind-the-back barbell shrug is a traps isolation performed with the barbell held behind the glutes rather than in front of the thighs. Holding the bar behind you keeps the torso more upright and pulls the shoulders slightly back as they elevate, which biases the upper traps and encourages a straight-up shrug without the bar drifting the shoulders forward.

Muscles worked

Primary: Traps

The upper trapezius is the target, elevating the shoulder blades toward the ears against the bar held behind the body while the shoulders stay drawn back.

Secondary: Forearms

The forearms grip the bar behind the body to hold the load through the set, since the arms hang straight.

How to perform the Behind-the-Back Barbell Shrug

1. Stand with a barbell held behind the glutes, taking a shoulder-width overhand grip with the arms straight.
2. Holding the bar behind the body pulls the shoulders back, biasing the upper traps while opening the chest.
3. Let the bar hang against the back of the thighs so the traps stretch at the bottom.
4. Elevate the shoulders straight up toward the ears, keeping the bar close to the body and the arms straight.
5. Squeeze the traps at the top with the chest tall, then lower under control to the stretch.
6. Keep the neck neutral and avoid rolling the shoulders, since the bar path is already behind you.

Suggested working range: 12–20 reps. Default progression: double progression.

Mechanics

A single-joint isolation with the bar behind the body: the shoulder blades elevate and depress while the arms hang straight behind the glutes and the elbows stay locked. As an isolation the behind-the-back position keeps the torso upright and draws the shoulders back, so the shrug travels straight up and biases the upper traps, unlike a front-held bar that can pull the shoulders forward.

Form cues

• •Hold the bar behind your glutes with straight arms and stand tall with the chest up.
• •Shrug the shoulders straight up toward the ears, keeping them drawn back rather than rolling forward.
• •Pause and squeeze the upper traps at the top before lowering under control.
• •Keep the arms straight and let the bar clear the glutes; a rack or blocks help you set up.

Common mistakes

• •Letting the bar drift away from the back of the thighs so the shoulders round forward.
• •Rolling the shoulders instead of shrugging them straight up behind the body.
• •Jutting the head forward and straining the neck under load.
• •Bending the elbows to help lift the bar rather than keeping the arms straight.

Variations & alternatives

• •Barbell shrug: the front-held version that lets you load the most total weight.
• •Behind-the-back cable shrug: a low cable behind the body with constant tension.
• •Smith machine shrug: a fixed path that can be set behind or in front of the body.
• •Dumbbell shrug: dumbbells at the sides for a natural range with less setup.

Face Pull

Traps · Cable

Barbell Shrug

Traps · Barbell

Dumbbell Shrug

Traps · Dumbbell

Cable Shrug

Traps · Cable

Smith Machine Shrug

Traps · Machine

Programming: sets, reps & when to use it

Program behind-the-back barbell shrugs as a traps accessory in the library’s 12–20 rep range, where a controlled squeeze at the top matters more than heavy load. The behind-the-back position naturally keeps the shoulders back and the shrug vertical, making it a good complement to front shrugs. Setup is a little awkward, so use a rack or blocks to un-rack. A few sets after your main work suffice.

Frequently asked questions