Clean Shrug
A beginner compound Olympic weightlifting exercise that works the traps, using a barbell.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Clean Shrug
- Begin with a shoulder width, double overhand or hook grip, with the bar hanging at the mid thigh position. Your back should be straight and inclined slightly forward.
- Shrug your shoulders towards your ears. While this exercise can usually by loaded with heavier weight than a clean, avoid overloading to the point that the execution slows down.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Clean Shrug
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Snatch Shrug
An intermediate compound Olympic weightlifting exercise that works the traps, using a barbell.
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2
Leverage Shrug
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the traps, using a machine.
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3
Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the traps, using a machine.
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4
Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the traps, using a machine.
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5
Dumbbell Shrug
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the traps, using dumbbells.
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6
Barbell Shrug Behind The Back
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the traps, using a barbell.
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7
Barbell Shrug
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the traps, using a barbell.
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8
Smith Machine Upright Row
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the traps, using a machine.
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9
Standing Dumbbell Upright Row
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the traps, using dumbbells.
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10
Upright Row - With Bands
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the traps, using a resistance band.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do clean shrug work?
Clean Shrug primarily works the traps. The forearms and shoulders assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for clean shrug?
Clean Shrug uses barbell.
Clean Shrug: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Clean Shrug is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of clean shrug?
Snatch Shrug, Leverage Shrug, Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my clean shrug reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; clean shrug can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Clean Shrug with AI
Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.