# Elevated Pike Shrug

A straight-arm shrug in a feet-elevated pike, hands on the floor and feet on a box. Trains the traps and serratus by lifting your body with the shoulders alone, and works as a light prep drill for overhead pressing.

- Intermediate · Isolation
- Equipment: Plyo box
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/elevated-pike-shoulder-shrug/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/elevated-pike-shrug/

## Muscles worked

- Traps: 8/10
- Serratus anterior: 7/10
- Front delts: 5/10
- Triceps: 3/10

## How to do the Elevated Pike Shrug

1. Feet on a box, hands on the floor, hips high.
2. Arms straight, let your body sink between your shoulders.
3. Press through your palms and shrug your shoulders toward your ears.
4. Lower slowly, elbows straight the whole time.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Place your feet on a stable box or bench and set your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart.
2. Walk your hands in and lift your hips high so your body forms an upside-down V.
3. Keep your arms and legs straight and let your head hang between your arms.
4. Let your body sink between your shoulders without bending your elbows.
5. Press through your palms and raise your shoulders toward your ears to lift your hips higher.
6. Keep your elbows straight throughout so only your shoulders move.
7. Sink back down under control to the starting position.

## Common mistakes

- Bending and straightening the elbows
- Turning it into a press
- Losing the high pike position
- Cutting the bottom short
- Bending the knees to lift the hips

## Form cues

- Keep hips high
- Arms stay long
- Press through your palms
- Shrug toward your ears
- Let traps fully lengthen

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, pause 1 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s
- **Muscle growth**: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps · rest 1 min · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s
- **Endurance** (good fit): 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps · rest 45 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Barbell**: [Barbell Overhead Shrug](https://seto.fit/exercises/barbell-overhead-shrug/)

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Elevated Pike Shrug work?

Primary: Traps 8/10, Serratus anterior 7/10. Also works: Front delts 5/10, Triceps 3/10.

### When should I do the Elevated Pike Shrug in a workout?

Warm-up. Done at the start to get the body ready. ≈ 5 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Elevated Pike Shrug?

Strength: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 1 min, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Elevated Pike Shrug?

Barbell: Barbell Overhead Shrug.

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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