Know your exercise: Dumbbell side raise

Know your exercise: Dumbbell side raise

by Nirmalya Dutta
My inches.

If you want to work your shoulders especially, the deltoids (the portion where your arm ends and shoulders begin) then there's no better exercise than the side dumbbell raise. This isolation exercise is extremely simple to do and great for beginner's since it's easy to understand and very less risk of an injury.

How to do

Grab two dumbbells in each hand. Start with a lightweight dumbbell (or a slightly heavier one if you're a girl, because women seriously underestimate their strength in the gym). Your starting position will be a dumbbell on each side, with your palms facing you. Keeping your torso stationary, lift the dumbbells to your sides with a slight bend in your elbows until your arms are parallel to the floor. Your arms should be tilted forward, but not too much. Hold the position for a moment and then lower the weight to the starting position.

Tips

Make sure you're keeping your upper torso stable and not jerking it to give yourself extra momentum while doing this exercise. Don't bend your elbow, too much only slightly and also make sure your wrist doesn't come under your elbow.

Done correctly, the dumbbell side raise is a good exercise to get you started on those big shoulders that ladies love.

PS – Ladies you're not going to get those big scary shoulders because you just don't have the testosterone for it. Please don't shy away from this exercise and the weight room in general.  (Read: Dumbbells – are they better than machines?)

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Image source: The Bodybuilding.com: Guide to Your Best Body 

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