What is the correct way to do seated dumbbell shrugs?

Jake LaMotta · Nov 8, 2009

This is a spin off of my other thread regarding shrugs.

What is the correct way to do seated dumbbell shrugs? A friend of mine is buddies with Lee Priest and Lee told him NEVER to tuck your chin and to look straight ahead. Lee told him he has seen numerous guys injure their necks as a result of tucking. The thing is, when I look straight ahead I don't feel the exercise working. When I do tuck my chin, I feel because of the increased range of motion that I feel it more. However, I don't want to injure my neck. I've seen numerous pros tuck their chin, so I'm not sure which way is the most effective...and safest.

KillerStack · Nov 8, 2009

Can't say for sure if tucking the chin can be dangerous, but in general there's no one correct way to do an exercise. What I mean by that is that experts don't agree many times, and that it depends on the individual, the load, and numerous other factors. What kind of squats are dangerous, what kind of good mornings are dangerous, are deadlifts a dangerous exercise, is rounding the upper back when doing deads dangerous, are leg extensions dangerous, is the smith machine a dangerous machine, etc? You'll get numerous opinions from different experts.

I would do the exercise and sort of feel if it's straining your neck.

dragonfire101 · Nov 8, 2009

Jake LaMotta said:
This is a spin off of my other thread regarding shrugs.

What is the correct way to do seated dumbbell shrugs? A friend of mine is buddies with Lee Priest and Lee told him NEVER to tuck your chin and to look straight ahead. Lee told him he has seen numerous guys injure their necks as a result of tucking. The thing is, when I look straight ahead I don't feel the exercise working. When I do tuck my chin, I feel because of the increased range of motion that I feel it more. However, I don't want to injure my neck. I've seen numerous pros tuck their chin, so I'm not sure which way is the most effective...and safest.

I find tucking my chin bothers my neck... in a bad way.

Flex2019 · Nov 8, 2009

I said I always tuck my chin...but if I feel the slightest tweak I stop tucking. Only takes one good pull of your neck to make you not want to do that again.

Myosin10 · Nov 9, 2009

I dont like tucking my chin because I feel like my neck muscles dont get worked properly. Also do you guys just do shrugs lifting straight up or do you go up and forward like a circle or reverse? I had a guy tell me the best way was to grab dumbells and lift up and then back like small circles.