How to Do Barbell Wide Shrug

Barbell Wide Shrug is a shoulders exercise using barbell, listed as intermediate in the A90 Training Club catalogue.

Primary muscle

Shoulders

Equipment

Barbell

Difficulty

Intermediate

01 / Move with control

How to perform

How to do Barbell Wide Shrug

  1. 01Hold a barbell with an overhand grip significantly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  2. 02Let the bar hang at arm's length against the thighs with a slight bend in the knees.
  3. 03Elevate the shoulders as high as possible toward the ears without bending the elbows.
  4. 04Hold the peak contraction for a split second before lowering the bar back to the start.
  5. 05Keep the chin tucked and avoid jutting the head forward during the contraction.

Same guidance shown inside the A90 app

02 / Anatomy

Muscles worked by Barbell Wide Shrug

Primary Stabiliser Inactive

Tap to explore manually

Primary movers

  • Front delts Raises the arm forward and overhead.
  • Rear delts Pulls the arm back and stabilises the shoulder.

Stabilisers

  • Core Stabilises the spine and transfers force.
  • Lower back Stabilises the spine during lifts and bends.
  • Forearms Grips and stabilises the wrist under load.

03 / A90 Coach

A90 Coach tip

Imagine pulling the bar toward the ears rather than just lifting the shoulders to engage the upper trapezius fully.

Same coaching engine used inside the A90 app

05 / FAQ

Barbell Wide Shrug questions

What muscles does Barbell Wide Shrug work?

Barbell Wide Shrug is catalogued as a shoulders exercise in A90 Training Club, with the shoulders as its primary muscle group.

How do you do Barbell Wide Shrug correctly?

Hold a barbell with an overhand grip significantly wider than shoulder-width apart. Let the bar hang at arm's length against the thighs with a slight bend in the knees. Elevate the shoulders as high as possible toward the ears without bending the elbows. Hold the peak contraction for a split second before lowering the bar back to the start. Keep the chin tucked and avoid jutting the head forward during the contraction.

What is the A90 coach tip for Barbell Wide Shrug?

Imagine pulling the bar toward the ears rather than just lifting the shoulders to engage the upper trapezius fully.

Is Barbell Wide Shrug suitable for beginners?

Barbell Wide Shrug is rated intermediate in the A90 Training Club catalogue.

What equipment do you need for Barbell Wide Shrug?

Barbell Wide Shrug uses barbell.

A90 Intelligence

Put this into a real plan.

A90 Intelligence programmes barbell wide shrug into a 30, 60 or 90 day plan built around your equipment, then adjusts it as you train.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Free to download · 7 day free trial · Cancel anytime