Weightlifting 1-Week Challenge: Workout 4 – Habit Nest

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    Weightlifting 1-Week Challenge: Workout 4

    Workout 4: Shoulders & Forearms

    Shoulder Exercises

    1. Lateral Dumbbell Raise

    1. Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart and dumbbells aligned with your feet at arm's length. Make sure your palms are facing inward towards your sides.
    2. Keep your torso stationary and raise the dumbbells to your side with a slight bend at your elbow. Lift your arms until they are slightly parallel to the ground, or around shoulder level, and pause for a second at the top.
    3. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

    2. Front Dumbbell Raise

    1. Stand upright with your feet hip width apart. Grasp one dumbbell with each hand so that your palms are facing inward and hands are against your thighs.
    2. While keeping your torso stationary, lift the dumbbells in front of you with a straight arm or slightly bent elbow. Continue to raise the dumbbell until your arm is slightly above parallel to the ground or around shoulder level.
    3. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

    3. Reverse Fly

    1. On the reverse fly machine (which sometimes doubles as a chest fly machine), adjust the handles so that they are fully facing the rear (closest together). Adjust the seat height to make the handles at your shoulder level. Sit on the seat with your chest against the pad and grasp the handles with your palms facing inwards.
    2. Pull your hands out to your sides and back as far as possible. This should make a semicircular motion where you should feel a stretch in your shoulders.
    3. Pause at the back of the movement, and slowly return the weight to the starting position.

    4. Seated Dumbbell Press

    1. Sit on a military press bench, or any utility bench that has a back support, and hold two dumbbells upright on the top of your thighs.
    2. With your palms facing each other, lift the dumbbells up (one at a time) to shoulder level.
    3. Ten, rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing upward toward the ceiling.
    4. Press your dumbbells up and toward each other, without jerking your back.
    5. Slowly lower them until they return to the starting position.

    Forearms Exercises

    5. Shrugs

    1. Stand upright or very slightly bent over with one dumbbell in each hand. Your palms should be facing your torso or each other and your arms should be fully extended by your sides.
    2. Lift the dumbbells by raising your shoulders as high as possible towards your ears while keeping your arms fully extended. Hold the contraction at the top for at least half a second.
    3. Lower the dumbbells back to the original position. Your shoulder should be the only part moving for this movement.

    6. Reverse Grip EZ Bar Curl

    1. Sit at a preacher curl bench. Select an EZ bar and grasp it with your palms facing downward at around shoulder width apart.
    2. Rest your elbows on the pad. Keep your upper arms stationary while slowly curling the bar up.
    3. Do not pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.


    7. Barbell Twist-Up

    1. Stand upright and hold a barbell behind your back at the height of your glutes. Your arms should be fully extended with your hands placed shoulder width apart and your palms facing the ground in an overhand grip.
    2. Keep your feet at shoulder width apart and slowly elevate the barbell by curling your wrist in a semicircular motion toward the ceiling. Your wrists should be the only part moving.
    3. Hold this position for a second then lower the barbell back down.
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