Bodyweight Lying Shoulder External Rotation

Perform the bodyweight lying shoulder external rotation to improve shoulder stability and mobility.

  1. Lie on your side with your bottom arm extended and your head resting on it.
  2. Keep your elbow bent at 90 degrees and your upper arm against your side.
  3. Rotate your forearm upward, lifting it towards the ceiling while keeping your elbow in place.
  4. Lower your forearm back to the starting position and repeat.

How to perform the Bodyweight Lying Shoulder External Rotation

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Bodyweight Lying Shoulder External Rotation using your body weight.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your latissimus dorsi.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your latissimus dorsi rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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