It takes a LOT to make my traps sore...and this exercise lit them up for about 3 days straight. It's awesome.

This is a Hybrid version of the standard dumbbell shrug. And by Hybrid I mean you'll be combining two forms of resistance into one movement to better match the strength curve and fiber alignment of the target muscles...the trapezius.

So to perform this exercise, you're essentially going to be doing a normal standing dumbbell shrug while attached to the two low pulleys, which are exerting outwards/diagonal force at the same time.

To see why this is so effective, let's take a quick look at the anatomy of the trap muscles.

As you can see in the diagram, the fibers of the traps run in multiple directions in a fan-like pattern.

The upper traps, which is what we're targeting with the shrug exercise run diagonally upwards (though never completely vertical). When you're doing a standard straight up and down shrug movement, you're only involving the fibers in a vertical movement pattern. You're also working the levator scapula muscles, whose sole purpose is to elevate the shoulder blades straight up.

When you add in the lateral-resistance component of the two low pulleys, you can immediately see how that additional pull is more in line with the direction of the upper trapezius fibers (you'll see this clearly in the pics of the exercise in action below).

When you combine the heavy load of the dumbbells with the lateral pull of the cables, you get MASSIVE tension on more "meat" of the trapezius muscles.

And that means SERIOUS trapezius growth.

Here's how to do Hybrid Cable-Dumbell Shrugs

First, you'll need a way to attach the low pulley to either your arms or your dumbbells. Fortunately, that's very easy to do.

My preferred method is to use two ankle harnesses attached to the low pulleys. Keep them set fairly loose so you can slide your hands in and out easily.

If you don't have ankle harnesses, you can also just loop the cable around the handle and clip it back onto itself. Keep that shifted towards the back of the dumbbell. It does make it a bit awkward, which is why I like the ankle harnesses, but it does give you an option.

Also, if you don't have low pulleys, you can do this with bands as well and get a similar effect.

So first, get your dumbbells set in in the center of the pulleys. I'm using a couple of 105 lb dumbbells and 100 lbs on each of the weight stacks (side note, when you're using heavier dumbbells, you need to match it with heavier weigth on the cables, otherwise the downward force of the dumbbell weight will overmatch the lateral force of the cables and you won't get the same effect).

Get your hands through the harnesses.

Now get in the center and grab your dumbbells, getting into position for a regular shrug.

Next, with an explosive movement, shrug your shoulders as high as you can and hold a few seconds at the top for maximum contraction.

You will feel this up into your neck like you never have before with shrugs, I can promise you that. The direct lateral resistance on the traps targets fibers that generally don't get worked by regular shrugs due to the standard vertical line of pull.

When you add in the lateral resistance with the cables, you're also going to get continuous tension on those fibers, which is a further stimulator of growth.

So you're...

1. Hitting more fibers
2. Hitting them with a lateral line of pull, which is more in line with their direction of pull
3. Keep continuous tension on them.

This is a KILLER combination that will give you MONSTER trap growth.

You can watch the video of this exercise in action here...

Nick Nilsson
The "Mad Scientist of Muscle"