Elevated Pike Shrug — how to, muscles worked, alternatives

How to do the Elevated Pike Shrug

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

Full technique — 7 steps

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

Substitutes by equipment

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

Barbell

Barbell Overhead Shrug Same level

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.