Side and Rear Shoulders/Trapezius

Instructions:

• Sit on an upright bench (90 degree chair) with feet firmly on the floor.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand next to your shoulders, keeping elbows out and palms facing away from you. Your forearms should be perpendicular to the floor.
• Your back should be upright resting against the back of the bench with shoulders back and chest out.
• Press the dumbbells straight up to arms length overhead.
• Lower the weights to the starting position in a slow, controlled manner.

Don'ts

• Don't do this exercise without a chair/upright bench, or some kind of back support.
• Don't bounce the dumbbells off your shoulders in an effort to create momentum and complete the exercise.
• Don't just let the weight drop. Slowly lower the weight in a controlled manner till the weights are about ear level.

SHOULDERS : There are three specific areas of your shoulders: anterior (front), lateral (side), and posterior (rear)--each gets specific attention from various shoulder exercises. The front shoulders flex and medially (inwardly) rotate the arm. The side shoulders abduct the arm (moves it away from the body). The rear shoulders extend the arm and cause lateral (outward) rotation. These functions of the shoulder muscles help in performing throwing and swinging activities such as pitching, passing, climbing, and racquet sports.

Click on a muscle group and view a video demonstration and written instructions for each exercise for that muscle or muscle group.

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