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How to Do Plate Shrugs — Form, Muscles & Tips

Learn how to do the Plate Shrugs: step-by-step form, muscles worked, barbell setup, and common mistakes. Free workout tracker included.

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How to perform this exercise

  1. Stand upright holding a weight plate in each hand at your sides, arms fully extended.
  2. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, chest up, and core engaged.
  3. Shrug your shoulders straight up toward your ears as high as possible.
  4. Hold briefly at the top, squeezing your traps.
  5. Lower your shoulders back down slowly to the starting position.
  6. Avoid rolling your shoulders — move them straight up and down only.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.