The Protein Corner

Table of Contents + Instructions (Seated Rear Delt Fly) Instructions (Standing Rear Delt Fly) Expert Tips Mike's Take Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly Alternatives 3 Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly Workouts Muscles Worked by the Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly More Shoulder and Rear Delt Exercises Instructions (Seated Rear Delt Fly) While holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on the edge of a bench and position your feet together on the floor. Bend forward at the hips so that your torso is as close to parallel to the floor as possible and your chest is almost touching your knees. Allow your arms to hang straight down with a slight bend in your elbows. Your palms should be facing each other and the dumbbells should be next to your ankles. Push your shoulders as far forward as they’ll go (think about rounding your shoulders toward the floor—this will feel a little awkward). Keeping your shoulders shifted forward, extend your arms out in an arc toward the ceiling with your palms facing the...

Here are the three best trap exercises you can do: A shrug (machine, cable, dumbbell, or barbell) A row (machine, cable, or dumbbell) A pulldown (lat pulldown, pull-up, or chin-up) Well, more accurately, these are the three best movements for training the traps—a row, a shrug, and a pulldown. You have a lot of flexibility in terms of the exact exercise variations you use, and I’ll share my favorites in this article (some are better than others). Unlike most muscle groups , the traps are composed of three parts shaped like a star in the center of your upper back, and they contract in different and sometimes opposing directions. Their primary functions are to move your scapulae (shoulder blades) up (elevation), down (depression), and back toward your spine (retraction), and to keep them locked in position during heavy pulling exercises like deadlifts and loaded carries. Here’s what scapular retraction looks like: Here’s what scapular depression looks like: ...

Table of Contents + Instructions Expert Tips Mike's Take Dumbbell Shoulder Press Alternatives 3 Dumbbell Shoulder Press Workouts Dumbbell vs. Barbell Shoulder Press Muscles Worked by the Dumbbell Shoulder Press More Shoulder Exercises and Workouts Instructions While sitting on an upright bench, hold a dumbbell in each hand and rest them on your thighs. Nudge the dumbbells with your thighs and hoist them just above your shoulders with your palms facing away from you. Press your mid and upper back against the backrest, push your chest out, and pull your shoulder blades together and down. Press the dumbbells toward the ceiling until your elbows are almost locked, allowing the dumbbells to drift toward each other as your elbows straighten. Keep your mid and upper back pressed into the backrest, and avoid excessively arching your lower back or letting your butt scoot forward on the bench. Reverse the movement and return to the starting position. Expert Tips Imagine...