Dumbbell Shoulder Shrug Description

Go To The 4 Workout. 4 is a full body workout plan, free online fitness ebook, and also a great restarter or beginner exercise routine. See The Dumbbell Shoulder Shrug Pictures Demonstrating The Beginning, Middle, and End of the Exercise. Watch The Dumbbell Shoulder Shrug Video.
  1. 1st step: Standing straight up with your feet shoulder width apart, bend your knees to lower your body as you simultaneously bend your upper body downward and slightly forward until you are able to grab each dumbbell firmly with each hand and then lift yourself back into the standing position you started in with the dumbbells naturally resting at your sides and slightly in front of you with the palm side of your hands facing your thighs. If you are holding the weights to much in front of your thighs or to far back your arms may feel like they are in an uncomfortable and unnatural position, and if that happens, just adjust your arms while holding the dumbbells to the position that your arms naturally are at when you let your arms relax at your sides when you are not holding anything. Remember to keep your feet shoulder width apart and to keep your back straight, your head facing straight forward and level, and your elbows close to your body the entire time. This is the starting position. This is the beginning of the repetition.
  2. 2nd step: Without moving your shoulders backward or forward, breathe out as you lift the weights straight upward as high as naturally possible as if you are trying to touch your shoulders to your ears, without actually touching your ears and without your elbows moving away from your sides. If you elbows are moving far away from your sides, bending a lot, or if it feels uncomfortable, you are going to high. Squeeze your trap muscles at the peak of this motion. Your elbows may naturally bend a little depending on how high you are able to squeeze your trap muscles by lifting your shoulders upwards and towards your ears, but do not over bend your arms anymore than the slight bend they are already held in. This is the positive movement of the repetition. This is the middle of the repetition.
  3. 3rd step: Now breathe in as you slowly lower your shoulders and the dumbbells straight back down to the starting position without moving your shoulders backwards or forwards. This is the negative movement of the repetition. This is the end of the repetition.
  4. 4th step: Once you have finished the set number of repetitions, slightly bend your knees to get closer to the ground and lean your upper body slightly downward and forward so that you can set the dumbbells back on the ground.