Having strong external rotator muscles is essential for protecting the shoulders from injury. They also play a big role in being able to perform heavy pressing movements like the bench and shoulder press. The dumbbell lying external shoulder rotation is a very effective exercise with isolates these very important muscles located in the shoulder.
You don’t need to use a lot of weight to build strength with this exercise but you don’t want to go too light otherwise the benefits won’t be as pronounced. So choose a dumbbell you can comfortably perform 15-20 reps with and before you know it; your strength will improve and injuries will be less likely to occur from strengthening your external shoulder rotators.
In this Exercise
- Target Muscle Group: Infraspinatus, teres minor (External shoulder rotators)
- Type: Strength
- Mechanics: Isolation
- Equipment: Dumbbell
- Difficulty: Beginner
Exercise Instructions
- Lie on your left side with your left arm stretched out on the floor perpendicular to your body.
- Grab a dumbbell with your right arm and rest your arm on your side at a 90-degree angle with your shoulder in a neutral position.
- Raise the dumbbell by rotating your shoulder toward the ceiling.
- Pause for a couple of seconds.
- Lower your arm back to the starting position.
- Complete desired reps and turn to your right side and repeat the exercise.
Variations & Tips
- You can lie on the ground or a flat surface.
- Do not over rotate your shoulders.
- Don’t go too heavy or you could injure your shoulder joints.
Watch: How to perform the dumbbell lying external shoulder rotation
Interested in measuring your progress? Check out our strength standards for Shoulder Press.
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