Side-Lying Dumbbell External Rotation

Start

Finish

How to do it

Lie on your side with the top arm's elbow bent to 90 degrees and tucked against your ribs, then rotate a light dumbbell up toward the ceiling until the forearm is vertical.

Muscles worked

Primary: shoulders · Also works: rotator cuff

Equipment

Dumbbells

Common mistakes

• Rolling the whole torso back to raise the weight instead of rotating at the shoulder
• Going heavy — this muscle group responds to 1 to 5 kg, not a working set weight
• Letting the elbow lift off the ribs as the forearm comes up

Variations

• Towel roll under the elbow for a better angle
• Side-lying internal rotation with the bottom arm

Can't do this one? Swap it for

• Band External Rotation
• Cable External Rotation
• Wall Slide

Related exercises

• Standing Overhead Pressshoulders
• Pike Push-Upshoulders
• Dumbbell Lateral Raiseshoulders
• Shoulder Controlled Rotationsshoulders
• Face Pullshoulders
• Cable Lateral Raiseshoulders