Bodyweight Sitting Alternating Shrug

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit upright on the edge of a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Maintain a neutral spine with your chest lifted and your gaze forward.
3. Let your arms hang naturally at your sides, palms facing your body.

How to do it

1. Exhale and shrug your right shoulder as high as possible toward your ear while keeping your arm straight and the left shoulder relaxed.
2. Hold the peak contraction for one second, focusing on squeezing the upper trapezius muscle.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower the right shoulder back to the starting position in a controlled manner.
4. Repeat the movement with your left shoulder, alternating sides for each repetition.

Form checklist

• Keep your head and neck stationary; do not tilt your head toward the shrugging shoulder.
• Ensure the movement is strictly vertical; avoid rolling your shoulders forward or backward.
• Keep your elbows locked to ensure the trapezius is doing the work rather than the biceps.
• Maintain an upright torso and avoid leaning your body to the side to 'cheat' the range of motion.

Pro tips

• To maximize muscle fiber recruitment, imagine you are trying to touch the back of your skull with the top of your shoulder blade.
• Focus on a slow, 2-second eccentric (lowering) phase to increase time under tension even without weights.

Make it harder

• Perform the exercise with a 5-second isometric hold at the top of every repetition to increase metabolic stress.
• Incorporate a 'dead stop' at the bottom of each rep, consciously depressing the scapula before the next shrug.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the bodyweight sitting alternating shrug work?

The bodyweight sitting alternating shrug primarily targets the trapezius, and also works the deltoids and rhomboids as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the bodyweight sitting alternating shrug?

The bodyweight sitting alternating shrug requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the bodyweight sitting alternating shrug good for beginners?

Yes. The bodyweight sitting alternating shrug is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.

Related exercises

• Alternating Dead HangAdvanced · lats and trapezius
• Archer Pull-UpAdvanced · lats and trapezius
• Around The World Superman HoldIntermediate · erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, and trapezius
• Back LeverAdvanced · erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, pectorals, and trapezius