Exercise:

Standing Dumbbell Side Laterals

Target Muscle:

Shoulders (Medial)

Secondary Muscle:

Traps

Equipment Needed:

Dumbbells

Proper Execution:

Pick up a pair of dumbbells and stand with your knees slightly bent and feet spaced roughly shoulder-width apart. Bend your arms slightly with the dumbbells facing eachother about waist-high. With a slight sway in your back, raise the dumbbells out to your sides until they are a bit higher than your shoulders. At the top of the movement your pinky finger should be pointing slightly up and your thumbs should be pointing slightly down. Lower the weights back down to the starting position and continue until you reach muscular failure.

Tips:

When performing this exercise it is very important to move naturally and use somewhat “loose” form. You do not have to keep your back completely straight as you perform your reps but instead should allow your body to naturally sway back and forth as you lift and lower the weight. You should still be in complete control of the dumbbells at all times, but being too strict with your form will limit the amount of muscle stimulation you can achieve. Also remember not to raise the dumbbells too high as this can be stressful to your shoulder joints.