5 Alternatives to Smith Machine Behind-The-Back Shrug (No Smith)

If you can't do the Smith Machine behind-the-back shrug, use dumbbell shrugs, trap-bar shrugs, barbell front shrugs, standing cable shrugs, or farmer carries. Drive the shoulders straight up toward the ears, pause at the top, and avoid shoulder rolling to emphasize upper-trap elevation and scapular upward rotation.

Original Exercise: Smith Machine Behind The Back Shrug

Smith Machine Behind The Back Shrug
Primary Muscle
Traps
Equipment
Machine
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation
Secondary Muscles: Shoulders
How to Perform Smith Machine Behind The Back Shrug
  1. With the bar at thigh level, load an appropriate weight.
  2. Stand with the bar behind you, taking a shoulder-width, pronated grip on the bar and unhook the weight. You should be standing up straight with your head and chest up and your arms extended. This will be your starting position.
  3. Initiate the movement by shrugging your shoulders straight up. Do not flex the arms or wrist during the movement.
  4. After a brief pause return the weight to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions before engaging the hooks to rack the weight.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Pull
  • Movement type: Isolation

Ranked Smith Machine Behind The Back Shrug Alternatives

Best Match
Barbell Shrug

1. Barbell Shrug

82.7% Match
Traps Barbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell in front of you with an overhand grip.
  2. Keep your arms straight and your back straight throughout the exercise.
  3. Lift your shoulders up towards your ears as high as possible, squeezing your traps at the top.
  4. Hold for a moment, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Cable Shrug

2. Cable Shrug

79.4% Match
Traps Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand facing the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Grasp the cable handles with an overhand grip and let your arms hang down in front of you.
  3. Keeping your arms straight, shrug your shoulders up towards your ears.
  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.
Smith Machine Upright Row

3. Smith Machine Upright Row

77% Match
Traps Smith-machine Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. To begin, set the bar on the smith machine to a height that is around the middle of your thighs. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, grasp the bar using a pronated (palms forward) grip that is shoulder width apart. You may need some wrist wraps if using a significant amount of weight.
  2. Lift the barbell up and fully extend your arms with your back straight. There should be a slight bend at the elbows. This is the starting position.
  3. Use your side shoulders to lift the bar as you exhale. The bar should be close to the body as you move it up. Continue to lift it until it nearly touches your chin. Tip: Your elbows should drive the motion. As you lift the bar, your elbows should always be higher than your forearms. Also, keep your torso stationary and pause for a second at the top of the movement.
  4. Lower the bar back down slowly to the starting position. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell Shrug

4. Dumbbell Shrug

74.7% Match
Traps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
  2. Keep your arms straight and let the dumbbells hang by your sides.
  3. Raise your shoulders as high as possible, as if you are trying to touch your ears with your shoulders.
  4. Hold the contraction for a second, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug

5. Calf-Machine Shoulder Shrug

74.1% 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.
Lever Pullover

6. Lever Pullover

72% Match
Lats Lever Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the seat and handles of the leverage machine to a comfortable position.
  2. Sit on the machine with your back against the pad and grasp the handles with an overhand grip.
  3. Keep your arms slightly bent and your core engaged.
  4. Slowly pull the handles towards your chest, squeezing your lats.
  5. Pause for a moment at the peak contraction, then slowly return to the starting position.
Rope Straight-Arm Pulldown

7. Rope Straight-Arm Pulldown

69.7% Match
Lats Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Attach a rope to a high pulley and make your weight selection. Stand a couple feet back from the pulley with your feet staggered and take the rope with both hands. Lean forward from the hip, keeping your back straight, with your arms extended up in front of you. This will be your starting position.
  2. Keeping your arms straight, extend the shoulder to pull the rope down to your thighs.
  3. Pause at the bottom of the motion, squeezing your lats.
  4. Return to the starting position without allowing the weight to fully rest on the stack.
Straight-Arm Pulldown

8. Straight-Arm Pulldown

68.7% Match
Lats Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. You will start by grabbing the wide bar from the top pulley of a pulldown machine and using a wider than shoulder-width pronated (palms down) grip. Step backwards two feet or so.
  2. Bend your torso forward at the waist by around 30-degrees with your arms fully extended in front of you and a slight bend at the elbows. If your arms are not fully extended then you need to step a bit more backwards until they are. Once your arms are fully extended and your torso is slightly bent at the waist, tighten the lats and then you are ready to begin.
  3. While keeping the arms straight, pull the bar down by contracting the lats until your hands are next to the side of the thighs. Breathe out as you perform this step.
  4. While keeping the arms straight, go back to the starting position while breathing in.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Assisted Standing Pull-up

9. Assisted Standing Pull-up

68.7% Match
Lats Lever Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the machine to your desired weight and height settings.
  2. Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Engage your lats and biceps, and pull yourself up towards the handles.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your back muscles.
Dumbbell Decline Shrug

10. Dumbbell Decline Shrug

66.7% Match
Traps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set up a decline bench at a 45-degree angle.
  2. Lie face down on the bench with your chest and stomach resting against it.
  3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms fully extended towards the floor.
  4. Keeping your arms straight, raise your shoulders towards your ears as high as possible.
  5. Hold the contraction for a moment, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Why You Might Need a Smith Machine Behind The Back Shrug Alternative

You may substitute the Smith Machine behind-the-back shrug for several reasons: no access to a Smith, shoulder pain from the fixed bar path, or a need for more natural scapular motion. Alternatives let you vary grip, loading vectors, and range of motion to shift trap activation and reduce impingement risk. For example, dumbbell shrugs let each scapula move independently to correct imbalances, while a trap bar places the load closer to your center of mass and reduces shear through the cervical spine. Cue: keep a neutral neck and pull straight up, not back, to target the upper trapezius without stressing the levator scapulae.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Base your choice on equipment, injury history, and the stimulus you want. If you need strict isolation and maximal loading, use heavy dumbbell or barbell shrugs and emphasize concentric squeeze and a 1–2 second pause at the top. For clients with shoulder impingement pick trap-bar or cable shrugs to allow a neutral grip and freer scapular elevation. If you want carryover to functional strength, pick farmer carries to engage traps isometrically while training grip and core stability. Cue: choose the variation that lets you maintain vertical scapular elevation and progressive overload without compensatory neck extension.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Smith Machine Behind The Back Shrug work?

The exercise primarily targets the upper trapezius by driving scapular elevation and upward rotation. It also recruits the levator scapulae and parts of the rhomboids isometrically for scapular control; keep the neck neutral and pull straight up to maximize upper-trap activation.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Smith Machine Behind The Back Shrug?

Standing scapular shrugs (scapular pull-ups) are the best bodyweight option: hang from a bar with straight arms and elevate your shoulders without bending the elbows. Cue: pull your scapulae down and back then drive them up toward your ears to reproduce the trap contraction.

Can I build muscle without doing Smith Machine Behind The Back Shrug?

Yes, you can build upper-trap mass with other heavy, high-tension movements like dumbbell or trap-bar shrugs, heavy farmer walks, and loaded carries. Focus on progressive overload, full scapular elevation, and controlled eccentric lowering to stimulate hypertrophy.

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