Morning Lift: Back / Shoulders Volume 32

Shoulder Press (Dumbbell Front Seated)

Target Muscles: Medial deltoids, Triceps, Anterior deltoids

Starting Position:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, or sit on a bench.

2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms straight at your sides and hands facing inwards.

The Movement:

1. Keep your elbows very slightly bent (at 10°) and raise the dumbbells forward.

2. Raise them until your elbows and hands are level with your shoulders - i.e. parallel to the floor. Your palms should face the floor. Hold momentarily.

3. Slowly return to the starting position, resisting the weight on the way back down.

Tips:

• Your little finger should be higher than your thumb at the top of the movement, as if you were pouring water from a jug.

• Do not swing the dumbbells out or lean back as you raise them. Keep your body very still.

• Lead with your elbows rather than your hands.

Variations:

Single arm: Front raises can be performed using one arm at a time. Hold on to an upright support with the other hand to help keep you steady. This allows you to concentrate fully on the movement and helps to prevent you swinging the dumbbells upwards.

Cable front raise: The movement can be performed using a low pulley machine. You will need to use a lighter weight but this keeps more continuous tension on the deltoids.

Seated lateral raise: You can perform the movement sitting on the end of a bench. This reduces the tendency to generate momentum by swinging your body and is, therefore, a stricter movement. You may need to use lighter dumbbells to complete the exercise in good form.

Comments

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