Dumbbell Chest & Shoulders

Lie back on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand and your feet planted on the floor. Press the dumbbells up over your chest with your palms facing your feet, arms straight but elbows unlocked. Set a slight natural arch in your lower back, draw your shoulder blades down and together against the bench, and keep your head, upper back, and hips supported.

1. Position the dumbbells above your mid-chest with your wrists stacked over your elbows.
2. Inhale — bend your elbows and lower the dumbbells out and down until they reach chest level.
3. Keep your elbows angled at roughly 45 degrees to your torso as you reach the bottom.
4. Exhale — press the dumbbells back up and slightly together until your arms are straight.

• Keep your shoulder blades pinned down and back against the bench throughout.
• Guide your elbows to about 45 degrees from your ribs rather than flaring them wide.
• Keep your wrists stacked over your elbows so the load travels straight down.
• Exhale as you press up, inhale as you lower.
• Lower only to a range that feels comfortable across the front of your shoulders.

Set an adjustable bench to a low incline and sit back with a dumbbell in each hand resting on your thighs. Lie back, guiding the dumbbells up over your upper chest with your palms facing your feet. Draw your shoulder blades down and together against the bench, plant your feet, and keep a slight natural arch in your lower back.

1. Position the dumbbells above your upper chest with your wrists stacked over your elbows.
2. Inhale — bend your elbows and lower the dumbbells out and down toward the sides of your upper chest.
3. Keep your elbows tracking at roughly 45 degrees to your torso as you reach the bottom.
4. Exhale — press the dumbbells up and slightly together until your arms are straight.

• Keep your shoulder blades pinned down and back against the bench.
• Let the dumbbells settle toward your upper chest, following the incline angle.
• Keep your wrists stacked over your elbows and your knuckles pointing to the ceiling.
• Exhale as you press up, inhale as you lower.
• Keep your hips and head resting on the bench without pushing off your feet.

Sit tall on a bench with back support, a dumbbell in each hand. Bring the dumbbells up to shoulder height with your palms facing forward and your elbows bent below your wrists. Set your feet on the floor, brace your core, and keep your ribs stacked over your hips so your lower back stays neutral.

1. Hold the dumbbells at shoulder height with your wrists stacked over your elbows.
2. Exhale — press the dumbbells up and slightly together until your arms are straight overhead.
3. Pause with the dumbbells stacked over your shoulders and your arms nearly straight.
4. Inhale — bend your elbows and lower the dumbbells under control back to shoulder height.

• Keep your ribs down and core braced so your lower back doesn't arch as you press.
• Keep your wrists stacked over your elbows and your knuckles driving toward the ceiling.
• Finish with the dumbbells over your shoulders, arms straight but not locked hard.
• Exhale as you press up, inhale as you lower.
• Lower to shoulder height or a range that feels comfortable in your shoulders.

Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand resting at your sides with your palms facing in. Keep a soft bend in your elbows, lift your chest, and draw your shoulder blades down. Brace your core so your torso stays still through the movement.

1. Set your arms at your sides with a soft, fixed bend in your elbows.
2. Exhale — raise both dumbbells out to the sides until your arms reach about shoulder height.
3. Pause with your elbows and wrists roughly level, leading slightly with your elbows.
4. Inhale — lower the dumbbells back down to your sides under control.

• Lead with your elbows so they rise level with or just above your wrists.
• Keep a steady soft bend in your elbows rather than straightening or bending them mid-lift.
• Keep your shoulder blades down and your neck relaxed — avoid shrugging toward your ears.
• Exhale as you raise, inhale as you lower.
• Raise to about shoulder height, then lower with control rather than dropping.

Stand in an open doorway with your feet in a short split stance, one foot slightly forward. Bend your right elbow to about 90 degrees and rest your forearm flat against the door frame, with the elbow at roughly shoulder height.

1. Inhale — lengthen through your spine and settle your right shoulder down, away from your ear.
2. Exhale — gently shift your weight onto your front foot, letting your chest turn away from the frame until you feel a stretch across the front of your right shoulder and chest. Hold for the prescribed duration, breathing steadily.
3. Release and switch sides.

• Keep your forearm flat against the frame and your shoulder settled down, not shrugged up.
• Turn your chest away gently — a small rotation is enough to open the front of the shoulder.
• Raise or lower your elbow on the frame to shift where you feel the stretch.