Dumbbell Seated External Rotation

1. Sit on a bench holding a light dumbbell in one hand, upper arm pressed against your side.
2. Bend your elbow to 90 degrees with your forearm resting across your stomach.
3. Brace your core and keep your upper arm fixed against your torso throughout the set.
4. Rotate your forearm outward and away from your body, keeping your elbow pinned to your side.
5. Continue until your forearm is roughly parallel to the floor, palm facing up.
6. Pause briefly at the top of the rotation.
7. Slowly rotate your forearm back to the starting position under control.
8. Complete all reps on one side before switching arms.

Common Mistakes

• Letting the elbow drift away from the body: Elbow movement away from your side turns the exercise into a shoulder raise instead of a rotation. Keep your upper arm pinned to your torso throughout.
• Using too heavy a dumbbell: A weight that's too heavy causes you to swing the arm and use momentum instead of controlled rotation. Choose a light dumbbell that allows a slow, deliberate motion.
• Rotating too far: Twisting past a comfortable range can strain the shoulder joint. Stop the rotation once your forearm reaches roughly parallel to the floor.
• Rushing the tempo: Moving quickly through the rotation reduces the muscle engagement that makes this exercise effective. Perform each rep slowly in both directions.