How to: 45 Lb. Plate Shrugs

In your pursuit of sculpting and achieving that “perfect” body shape it’s extremely important to make sure that you look your very best from all angles. Shrugs are great way to build both thickness and definition to your traps as well as your shoulders. In this technique blog/video I will be teaching you how to do shrugs using 45lb. plates. My Advice: Do this shrugs exercise at the very end of your shoulders workout routine when the shoulder muscles are already pretty fatigued. The 45lb. plate shrugs are the perfect ending or addition to any shoulder workout or trap specific workout.

In my personal opinion, take it as you will, these 45lb. plate shrugs should used more as a burnout at the end of a workout then as a heavy compound exercise by itself. Also, considering I compete in the NPC Men’s Physique Division, I try to avoid having huge, massive traps since I’m not going for that bodybuilder look. Yes there was a time I would load up 4, 5, 6 plates on the bar and shrug that shiz out, but this was before I started competing. If your traps are seriously lacking in size and shape, then doing heavy ass shrugs is the way to go to build dem baby’s up.

How to: 45lb. Plate Shrugs

• 45lb. Plate Shrugs (3 complete sets X 30 reps)
  • 10 reps to the Front
  • 10 reps to the Side
  • 10 reps to the Back

** Refer to the How to 45lb. Plate Shrugs Video for a complete demonstration. You can also see the 45lb. Plate Shrugs in all their glory in my recent Insane Shoulder Workout 3.0, which I highly recommend you give a try if your goal is develop some fuller, rounder shoulders. The shoulder workout is focused on targeting all 3 different deltoid heads, the anterior delt, lateral delt, and posterior delts.

45lb. Plate Shrugs Technique Explanation:

First: Grab two 45lb. plates (Dumbbells will also work for this shrugs exercise).

Second: Place the weight out in front of you with your thumbs facing eachother. While keeping your back and spine erect, let the weight hang so that you full a nice stretch in your traps and shoulders.

Third: Shrug the weights up and contract your trap muscles at the top of the movement. Make sure you are breathing your air out at this point before performing another shrug.

Fourth: Perform 10 shrugs before placing the weights to your sides.

Fifth: Position the plates or dumbbells to the sides of your body. Keep a slight bend in your elbows. Proceed with the Third step above.

Sixth: Perform 10 shrugs before placing the weights to the back.

Seventh: Position the plates behind your back, with your thumbs facing each other and look up to the heavens. Proceed with the Third step above until completing 10 shrugs to finish and complete the full set.

Hope you enjoy the 45lb. Plate Shrugs. Leave your comments and feedback below. Be sure to “Like” and Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter so you never miss a beat with our free workout and exercise tips. Our goal is to help you improve every single day.

Incredible Shoulder Workout 3.0

Incredible Shoulder Workout 3.0

The following shoulder workout is very well rounded as it will help you target each and every one your delt heads in a different way. By throwing in 2 pressing movements into the shoulder workout as well 3 different muscle specific shoulder workout exercises to target your anterior, lateral and posterior delts, you will quickly notice and feel how effective this shoulder workout actually is.

Quick Tip: Any time you ever go to do a shoulder workout, make sure…I repeat... make  sure that you are doing shoulder exercises that are targeting all 3 of your deltoid heads independently. So just be sure you are doing a specific shoulder workout exercise to target each and every different deltoid region in order to build bigger, more fully developed and better proportioned shoulders. Primarily a lot of people neglect to workout their posterior (rear) delts. Don’t let that be you! You want to look damn sexy from all angles, not just from the front or the side. Note: Just follow this workout, the shoulder workout 3.0 and you will be just fine.

Insane Shoulder Workout 3.0

• Dumbbell Press/ (4 sets X 8-12 reps)
• Side Lateral Raises/ (4 sets X 12-15 reps)
• Reverse Peck Deck Flys/ (4 sets X 12-15 reps)
• Front Cable Raise With Rope/ (3 sets X 8-12 reps)
• Military Press/ (Drop-Set Until Failure)

Traps

• 45 lb. Plate Shrugs/ (3 complete sets X 30 reps)
  • 10 reps to the Front
  • 10 reps to the Side
  • 10 reps to the Back

Insane Shoulder Workout 3.0 Benefits: As you add this shoulder workout into your current training program you will first of all realize...holy shite my shoulders are fire... immediately upon this realization you will catch a glimpse of the insane pump your shoulders are experiencing in the mirror, it is at this point you will reach the understanding of just how well rounded and great this shoulder workout routine is and your mind will literally be blown...Yeah the whole entire process is intense! So be prepared for the shoulder workout 3.0 to take your shoulder development to a whole other level baby.

Personal Tidbit: Shoulders happen to be my favorite muscle group to workout with arms being a close second. It’s a shame my arms are naturally so big though because I can’t train them as much as I’d like to, in fact in my pursuit to achieve a more perfectly symmetrical body I haven’t done an arm day for as long as I can remember now. But for some reason my arms remain jacked! Not that I’m complaining but seriously sometimes I feel like them babies need to calm down a bit and let my shoulders catch up haha. I now do a shoulder workout twice a week and have seen dramatic improvements. Shoulder workouts for days brah!!