By RealJock Staff

This exercise provided courtesy of Billy Polson, founder and co-owner of DIAKADI Body training gym, voted best personal training gym in San Francisco by CitySearch in 2006.

Benefits
With a standard lateral raise, you hold one arm at your side as you raise the other. This variation ups the ante with an isometric lift; you hold one arm out to the side as you raise the other. You'll work harder through your shoulders as you control one arm while pushing through the other.

Muscles Worked
Shoulders (middle deltoids)

Starting Position
Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand with hands facing down and arms held out and up at shoulder level in a T position (see Photo 1).

Exercise

1. Keeping your left arm extended at shoulder level, lower your right arm down toward your side, keeping your arm straight. Your hand should be oriented with the thumb forward (palms toward your body) throughout (see Photos 2 and 3).
2. When your right arm is at your side, reverse and lift it back up to the starting position (see Photo 4).
3. Next, lower your left arm down to your side, and then raise your left arm back to the same height.
4. Continue to alternate, keeping one arm extended as you raise and lower the other arm, until you have completed the number of recommended repetitions.

About Billy Polson: Billy Polson is the founder and co-owner of DIAKADI Body training gym, which was voted the best personal training gym in San Francisco by CitySearch in 2006. A competitive swimmer and triathlete in his own right, Polson has over 15 years of experience working as a coach and trainer, and was recently named by Men's Journal Magazine (December 2005) as one of the Top 100 Trainers in America.