Behind the Back Barbell Shrug

The behind the back barbell shrug is a trap exercise in which the bar rests against your glutes instead of hanging in front of your thighs, and you elevate the shoulders straight up from there. Holding the bar behind you pulls the shoulders into a slightly retracted position before the first rep, so the upper traps work with the chest open rather than rounded forward. Lifters who feel front shrugs mostly in the neck often report a cleaner trap contraction here. The trade-off is range: the glutes and hips block the bar early, so expect a shorter pull than a front shrug gives, and load accordingly. Most people handle noticeably less weight than they would from the front. Pause hard at the top for a full second, keep the arms straight throughout, and work in the range of ten to twelve reps rather than heavy triples.