Dumbbell Seated External Shoulder Rotation
Perform the dumbbell seated external shoulder rotation to strengthen the rotator cuff and improve shoulder stability.
- Sit on a bench with your back straight and feet flat on the floor.
- Hold a dumbbell in one hand with your elbow bent at 90 degrees, keeping it close to your body.
- Rotate your arm outward, raising the dumbbell away from your body while keeping your elbow stationary.
- Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
How to perform the Dumbbell Seated External Shoulder Rotation
- Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Dumbbell Seated External Shoulder Rotation using your dumbbell.
- Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your rotator cuff.
- 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 rotator cuff 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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