• Curls and shrugs are both compound movements. Both can be extremely worthwhile if used appropriately.

    For a cyclists, the usefulness of curls may never arise unless in the case of an injury or other problems. But for general strength, curls go hand in hand with picking heavy stuff (or people off the ground), think wrestling, rugby, strongman atlas stones, bench press or even as an accessory exercise to chins/pull ups.

    Shrugs if done in the correct manner, can be a halfway movement between a power clean and a deadlift. Giving the many useful benefits of both. They are best left until a trainee is very adept at both powercleans and deadlifts however.

    why would a shrug one of the technically easiest gym exercises need someone to be proficient at cleans and dead lift two of the technically harder exercises? As for being a "half way exercise" what a load of tish.

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