• Type: Strength
• Main Muscle Worked: Shoulders
• Equipment: Dumbbell
• Level: Beginner

1. Stand up with your torso upright and a dumbbell on each hand being held at arms length. The elbows should be close to the torso.
2. The palms of the hands should be facing your torso. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart. This will be your starting position.
3. Keeping your arms straight and the torso stationary, lift the weights out to your sides until they are about shoulder level height while exhaling.
4. Feel the contraction for a second and begin to lower the weights back down to the starting position while inhaling. Tip: Keep the palms facing down with the little finger slightly higher while lifting and lowering the weights as it will concentrate the stress on your shoulders mainly.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variations: There are many possible variations for this movement. For instance, you can perform the exercise sitting down on a bench with or without back support and you can also perform it by alternating arms; first lift the right arm for one repetition, then the left, then the right, etc.