Back · Row
Cable Shrug
The Cable Shrug mainly trains your upper back. Also working: forearms.
Both cables
Stable
How to do it
- Stand centered between the pulleys, arms straight
- Pull your shoulders straight up toward your ears
- Hold for one second at the top
- Lower slowly all the way: don’t roll your shoulders
Coach’s tip
The traps can take a lot: feel free to max out the stack here. Your arms are just ropes: as soon as your elbows bend, your biceps join in and your traps get a break.
Setup
Pulley
Both pulleys at the bottom
Grip
Single handles at your sides
Load
Both cables
Needs two cable towers
Stability
A bench, the floor or the frame takes the counterforce, or the cable pulls straight up or down. Good for heavy sets.
Alternatives
Other exercises for the same movement (row). In DCFT you can swap with one tap, and the app only offers what your equipment allows.
Questions about this exercise
What muscles does the Cable Shrug work?
Mainly the upper back. The forearms help.
How do I set up the cable machine for the Cable Shrug?
Pulley: Both pulleys at the bottom. Grip: Single handles at your sides.
Can I do the Cable Shrug on a single cable tower?
Not like this. The Cable Shrug needs both cables at once, so two towers. If you set up DCFT for one tower, the app leaves it out of your plan and uses exercises such as One-Cable Seated Row and Seated Single-Arm Cable Row instead.
What can I do instead of the Cable Shrug?
For the same movement: Seated Cable Row, One-Cable Seated Row and Seated Single-Arm Cable Row. In DCFT you swap with one tap.
DCFT
The Cable Shrug in DCFT
In the app this exercise comes with your weight: the plate to pin, what you lifted last time and a rest timer that starts by itself.
Free on the App Store for iPhone. Pro is a one-time purchase with no subscription.