Dumbbell Lying External Shoulder Rotation

Setup

1. 01Lie on your side on a bench or the floor with the working arm on top.
2. 02Bend the top elbow to 90 degrees and pin it against the ribs.
3. 03Hold a light dumbbell with the forearm resting across the belly.
4. 04Support the head with the bottom arm or a pad to keep the neck neutral.

Execution

1. 01Rotate the forearm up and away from the belly while the elbow stays pinned.
2. 02Continue until the forearm points toward the ceiling or your end range.
3. 03Pause briefly at the top.
4. 04Lower slowly back across the belly.

Checkpoints

• -Elbow stays glued to the ribs; a folded towel underneath helps.
• -The forearm rotates like a hinge; the upper arm does not lift.
• -Torso stays stacked on its side without rolling backward.
• -Tempo is slow in both directions, around two seconds each way.

Common mistakes

• -Rolling the torso back to fake extra rotation.
• -Letting the elbow lift away from the ribs.
• -Using a dumbbell heavy enough to force momentum.
• -Whipping the bell up and dropping it down.