Leverage Shrug

A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the traps, using a machine.

Leverage Shrug — Starting position Starting position
Leverage Shrug — End position End position
Difficulty Beginner
Type Strength
Equipment Machines
Primary Muscle Traps
AI Rep Counting Log manually

How to Do Leverage Shrug

  1. Load the pins to an appropriate weight. Position yourself directly between the handles.
  2. Grasp the top handles with a comfortable grip, and then lower your hips as you take a breath. Look forward with your head and keep your chest up.
  3. Drive through the floor with your heels, extending your hips and knees as you rise to a standing position. Keep your arms straight throughout the movement, finishing with your shoulders back. This will be your starting position.
  4. Raise the weight by shrugging the shoulders towards your ears, moving straight up and down.
  5. Pause at the top of the motion, and then return the weight to the starting position.

Muscles Worked

Front
Back

Primary

Where Leverage Shrug does most of its work.

Secondary

Assisting and stabilising muscles.

Alternatives to Leverage 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.

  1. 1 Barbell Shrug Behind The Back

    Barbell Shrug Behind The Back

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the traps, using a barbell.

    beginner Barbell
  2. 2 Barbell Shrug

    Barbell Shrug

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the traps, using a barbell.

    beginner Barbell
  3. 3 Dumbbell Shrug

    Dumbbell Shrug

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the traps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  4. 4 Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug

    Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the traps, using a machine.

    beginner Machines
  5. 5 Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug

    Smith Machine Behind the Back Shrug

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the traps, using a machine.

    beginner Machines
  6. 6 Cable Shrugs

    Cable Shrugs

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the traps, using a cable machine.

    beginner Cable Machine
  7. 7 Scapular Pull-Up

    Scapular Pull-Up

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the traps.

    beginner Not specified
  8. 8 Standing Dumbbell Upright Row

    Standing Dumbbell Upright Row

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the traps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  9. 9 Upright Row - With Bands

    Upright Row - With Bands

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the traps, using a resistance band.

    beginner Resistance Bands
  10. 10 Clean Shrug

    Clean Shrug

    A beginner compound Olympic weightlifting exercise that works the traps, using a barbell.

    beginner Barbell

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles do leverage shrug work?

Leverage Shrug primarily works the traps. The forearms assist as secondary muscles.

What equipment do I need for leverage shrug?

Leverage Shrug uses machines.

Leverage Shrug: is it suitable for beginners?

Yes. Leverage 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 leverage shrug?

Barbell Shrug Behind The Back, Barbell Shrug, Dumbbell Shrug train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.

Can Fitnit count my leverage shrug reps automatically?

Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; leverage 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 Leverage 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.