shrug question

[seau45]

at my gym we have something like this for shrugs and i have been using it out of convenience.is there a reason why i should use the barbell only?

 

[Tosa]

For what reason are you doing shrugs?

 

[seau45]

strong trapezius muscles

 

[FiveFeezy]

Shrugs make my shoulders feel more stable.

 

[thelyricalmaste]

I've never shrugged, although some people in my gym with much more experience than myself do them a couple times a week.

Couldn't you get a more productive workout with heavy cleans? Or heavy farmer's walks?

If you really want to do shrugs, can't you just use two dumbbells?

 

[seau45]

http://startingstrength.com/articles/strong_traps_starr.pdf

 

[animalistik]

at my gym we have something like this for shrugs and i have been using it out of convenience.is there a reason why i should use the barbell only?

 

[Tosa]

I believe in that article Bill Starr is describing power shrugs. Which is entirely different and much better than the machine you're using. I imagine part of the appeal to that particular machine is that it gives a big leverage advatage, allowing you to use more weight. In addition to power shrugs, or variants of olympic lifts focusing on the shrug, farmer's walks are awesome for traps.

 

[Baconator69**]

Always better to use free weights in my opinion.

 

[seau45]

the reason why i ask is that my arms have to be pretty wide to reach the handles, like 6 inches away from either hip

 

[elevate]

The main question seems to be whether it is forcing your shoulders into an awkward ROM.

Otherwise, if it's helping you meet your goals it seems like it's fine. It's assistance work that should be complementing the compound lifts. It doesn't have to be overthought.

 

[zx]

Don't see the reason not to do DB shrugs. Why would somebody buy this shrug machine if he is not stupid?

 

[-Rottweiler-]

I prefer free weights over machines for pretty much any purpose, but this seems particularly useless.

 

[joshetc]

I prefer to do deadlifts, cleans, farmers walks, and overhead lifts to work my shoulders.

 

[VoodooPlata]

Wendler says to leave the shrugs alone altogether and do cleans instead, and his trapz are pretty awesome.