Gym alternative: Shoulder-press machine
Set your seat height so that the shoulder-press machine’s pulley is even
with the middle of your shoulder. Hold onto each of the front handles (see
Figure 14-10). Pull your abdominals in tight, but allow a slight natural gap to
remain between the small of your back and the back pad.Press the handles up without locking your elbows. Lower your arms until
your elbows are slightly lower than your shoulders.Photograph by Sunstreak Productions, Inc.External and internal rotation exercises
External and internal rotation exercises target your rotator-cuff muscles but
strengthen your shoulder muscles as well. If these movements bother your
neck, try resting your head on your outstretched arm.Getting set
Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and lie on the floor on your left side. Bend
your right elbow to a 90-degree angle and tuck it firmly against your side so
that your palm is facing downward. Pull your abdominals in. Bend your left
elbow and rest the side of your head in your left hand (see Figure 14-11a).Figure 14-10:
Try the
shoulder-
press
machine
as an
alternative
to the
dumbbell
shoulder
press.226 Part IV: Lift and Curl: Building a Stronger Bod with Weights