Dumbbell Up Rotator
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
The dumbbell upward rotator helps warm up and strengthen those easy-to-injure rotator cuff muscles. Doing these with light weights before you dive into your strength-training program will loosen them up and help minimize the risk of injury.
Muscles Worked
Shoulders (rotator cuffs)
Starting Position
Stand holding dumbbells in each hand in front of you with your elbows and armpit held at a 90-degree angle. As this is a warm-up exercise, use light weights (see Photo 1).
Exercise
- Being sure to maintain the 90-degree angle of your elbow and armpit, slowly raise the dumbbells until they are straight up and your forearms are perpendicular to the floor (see Photo 2).
- Reverse the motion and bring the dumbbells back to starting position (see Photo 3).
