Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, arms straight, feet about hip-width apart. Rather than rolling your shoulders forward or back, drive them straight up toward your ears, like you're trying to touch them to your earlobes. Keep your elbows relaxed and let the weight hang — this is a shoulder movement, not an arm one. Pause briefly at the top with your traps fully contracted, then lower under control rather than dropping the weight. Keep your neck neutral and your gaze forward throughout; tipping your head to help takes tension off the muscle you're trying to work. Going heavier only helps if your range stays full — a shorter, bouncier shrug with more weight trains less than a full one with less.