10 Best Lever Gripless Shrug Alternatives for Trap Training

If you can’t perform the Lever Gripless Shrug V. 2, use barbell or dumbbell shrugs, trap-bar shrugs, cable shrugs, or weighted farmer carries to target the traps. Cue: keep elbows straight, pull the scapulae straight up toward the ears and pause 1–2 seconds at the top to maximize upper-trap contraction.

Original Exercise: Lever Gripless Shrug

Lever Gripless Shrug
Primary Muscle
Traps
Equipment
Lever
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation
Secondary Muscles: Shoulders, Forearms
How to Perform Lever Gripless Shrug
  1. Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the machine with your back against the pad.
  2. Grasp the handles or bars with an overhand grip, keeping your arms straight.
  3. Keeping your back straight, lift your shoulders up towards your ears as high as possible.
  4. Hold the contraction for a moment, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Ranked Lever Gripless Shrug Alternatives

Best Match
Lever Shrug

1. Lever Shrug

95.4% Match
Traps Lever Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the leverage machine with your back against the pad.
  2. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and keep your arms straight.
  3. Keeping your back straight, lift your shoulders up towards your ears as high as possible.
  4. Hold the contraction for a moment, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Cable Shrugs

2. Cable Shrugs

86% Match
Traps Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Grasp a cable bar attachment that is attached to a low pulley with a shoulder width or slightly wider overhand (palms facing down) grip.
  2. Stand erect close to the pulley with your arms extended in front of you holding the bar. This will be your starting position.
  3. Lift the bar by elevating the shoulders as high as possible as you exhale. Hold the contraction at the top for a second. Tip: The arms should remain extended at all times. Refrain from using the biceps to help lift the bar. Only the shoulders should be moving up and down.
  4. Lower the bar back to the original position.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug

3. Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug

82.3% Match
Traps Machine Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Position yourself on the calf machine so that the shoulder pads are above your shoulders. Your torso should be straight with the arms extended normally by your side. This will be your starting position.
  2. Raise your shoulders up towards your ears as you exhale and hold the contraction for a full second.
  3. Slowly return to the starting position as you inhale.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Band Shrug

4. Band Shrug

80.4% Match
Traps Band Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place the band under your feet, holding the ends with your hands.
  2. Keep your arms straight and relaxed, and let the band hang in front of your thighs.
  3. Engage your traps by shrugging your shoulders upward, lifting the band as high as possible.
  4. Hold the contraction for a moment, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Leverage Shrug

5. Leverage Shrug

74.7% Match
Traps Machine Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Load the pins to an appropriate weight. Position yourself directly between the handles.
  2. Grasp the top handles with a comfortable grip, and then lower your hips as you take a breath. Look forward with your head and keep your chest up.
  3. Drive through the floor with your heels, extending your hips and knees as you rise to a standing position. Keep your arms straight throughout the movement, finishing with your shoulders back. This will be your starting position.
  4. Raise the weight by shrugging the shoulders towards your ears, moving straight up and down.
  5. Pause at the top of the motion, and then return the weight to the starting position.
Smith Back Shrug

6. Smith Back Shrug

72% Match
Traps Smith-machine Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
  2. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Keep your arms straight and allow the barbell to hang in front of your thighs.
  4. Lift your shoulders straight up towards your ears, squeezing your traps at the top.
  5. Hold for a moment, then lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
Smith Shrug

7. Smith Shrug

70.7% Match
Traps Smith-machine Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
  2. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Keep your arms straight and your shoulders relaxed.
  4. Lift your shoulders up towards your ears, squeezing your traps at the top.
  5. Hold for a moment, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
Middle Back Shrug

8. Middle Back Shrug

65.4% Match
Trapezius Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie facedown on an incline bench while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Your arms should be fully extended hanging down and pointing towards the floor. The palms of your hands should be facing each other. This will be your starting position.
  2. As you exhale, squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold the contraction for a full second. Tip: This movement is just like the reverse action of a hug, or trying to perform rear laterals as if you had no arms.
  3. As you inhale go back to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Smith Upright Row

9. Smith Upright Row

64.7% Match
Delts Smith-machine Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, facing the smith machine.
  2. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
  4. Pull the barbell up towards your chin, leading with your elbows.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
Dumbbell Incline Shrug

10. Dumbbell Incline Shrug

63% Match
Traps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle and sit on it with a dumbbell in each hand.
  2. Place your feet flat on the ground and let your arms hang straight down with your palms facing your body.
  3. Keeping your arms straight, shrug your shoulders up towards your ears as high as possible.
  4. Hold the contraction for a moment, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Lever Gripless Shrug Alternative

You might substitute the Lever Gripless Shrug V. 2 because you lack a lever machine, experience wrist or elbow pain, or want a different loading pattern. Some lifters need greater load capacity (barbell/trap-bar shrugs), while others need continuous tension (cable shrug) or isometric carry work (farmer carry) to drive trap hypertrophy. Biomechanically, most alternatives preserve vertical scapular elevation, the primary movement for upper-trap activation, but vary eccentric control and grip demands. Cue: maintain a neutral neck, lead with the scapulae rather than shrugging the shoulders forward to keep activation focused on the upper traps.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Decide based on equipment, injury history, and training goal. For maximal loading and progressive overload pick barbell or trap-bar shrugs; cue: load the spine, shrug straight up without neck extension. For peak contraction and continuous tension choose cable shrugs and pause at peak for 1–2 seconds. If you need core and isometric trap strength select heavy farmer carries; cue: brace the core and keep scapulae elevated while walking. For unilateral balance use single-arm dumbbell shrugs with a slow eccentric to emphasize scapular control and reduce asymmetry.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Lever Gripless Shrug V. 2 work?

The exercise primarily targets the upper trapezius through scapular elevation, with secondary input from the levator scapulae and upper rhomboids. It minimizes shoulder joint movement to isolate the traps, so cue scapulae-driven motion and avoid neck extension to maintain trap focus.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Lever Gripless Shrug V. 2?

A bodyweight option is the elevated scapular pull-up hold: hang from a bar, pull only by elevating the scapulae without bending the elbows and hold at the top. Cue: drive the shoulder blades straight up while keeping the arms long to create isometric upper-trap tension.

Can I build muscle without doing Lever Gripless Shrug V. 2?

Yes. You can build trap mass with other movements that preserve vertical scapular elevation, like heavy barbell shrugs, dumbbell shrugs, cable shrugs, and farmer carries. Focus on progressive overload, full scapular elevation, and controlled eccentrics to stimulate hypertrophy.

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