Bar behind Back Smith Machine Shrug
In SetGrip: Smith Machine Shrug (Bar behind Back)
- Primary muscleTraps
- EquipmentSmith Machine
- DifficultyBeginner
- TypeIsolation · Pull
- Secondary muscles
- Delts
- Body part
- Back
- Position
- Standing
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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Placing the bar behind your body pulls the shoulders into a more retracted line, shifting emphasis toward the middle traps and making it harder to roll forward as you shrug. The Smith machine matters here - a free bar drags against the backs of your legs, while the rails keep the path clean.
How to do the Bar behind Back Smith Machine Shrug
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your arms straight and allow the barbell to hang in front of your thighs.
- Lift your shoulders straight up towards your ears, squeezing your traps at the top.
- Hold for a moment, then lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Hold the top for two seconds and lower for three.
Muscles worked
Common mistakes
- Rolling the shoulders — a circular motion does nothing extra and irritates the shoulder; move straight up and straight down.
- Bouncing out of the bottom — let the shoulders drop fully at the bottom, pause, then shrug up from a dead stop.
- Pulling the head forward — keep the chin tucked and the head neutral, since jutting the head forward shortens the range.
- Too heavy to squeeze — if you cannot hold the top for a full count, the weight is too heavy for the traps to actually contract.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Muscle growth | 3–4 × 10–15 | 60–90 s |
| Endurance / finisher | 2–3 × 15–20 | 45 s |
| Strength | Not ideal — pick a compound lift for the same muscle | — |
Shrugs go at the end of a back or shoulder session after the pressing and rowing. Superset them with a face pull or a rear delt fly on the same station.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without smith machine
Easier and harder
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Bar behind Back Smith Machine Shrug work?
The Bar behind Back Smith Machine Shrug primarily works the traps. It also involves the delts, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Bar behind Back Smith Machine Shrug good for beginners?
Yes. The Bar behind Back Smith Machine Shrug is rated beginner: it uses a smith machine and the movement is simple to learn. Start light, focus on the full range of motion and add load once every rep looks the same.
What can I do instead of the Bar behind Back Smith Machine Shrug?
If you cannot do the Bar behind Back Smith Machine Shrug, try the Barbell Shrug, the Dumbbell Shrug or the Incline Bench Dumbbell Shrug. Each of them trains the traps through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Bar behind Back Smith Machine Shrug, a sensible starting point is muscle growth: 3–4 × 10–15 with 60–90 s rest; endurance / finisher: 2–3 × 15–20 with 45 s rest. Do it after your compound lifts. It is a finishing movement, not the main event.
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