Bodyweight Side Lying Shoulder External Rotation
- Zielmuskel
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- Equipment
- Body weight
- Körperregion
- Back
- Typ
- Strength
The bodyweight side lying shoulder external rotation is a rotator-cuff strengthening and prehab exercise that targets the external rotators of the shoulder (the infraspinatus and teres minor) on the back of the joint. Performed lying on your side with your elbow tucked to your ribs, it builds the small posterior shoulder muscles that stabilize the joint and support healthier overhead pressing and pulling.
Bodyweight Side Lying Shoulder External Rotation: So führst du sie aus
- 1Lie on your side on a mat with your legs stacked and your head supported, working the arm on top.
- 2Bend the top elbow to 90 degrees and tuck it firmly against the side of your ribs.
- 3Let your forearm rest across your stomach so your hand points toward the floor in front of you.
- 4Keeping your elbow pinned to your side, rotate your forearm upward toward the ceiling.
- 5Lift only as far as your shoulder allows without your elbow drifting off your ribs or your torso rolling back.
- 6Pause briefly at the top, feeling the muscles on the back of your shoulder working.
- 7Lower your forearm back across your stomach under control, resisting the descent.
- 8Complete your reps, then roll over and repeat on the other arm.
Technik-Tipps
- Keep the working elbow glued to your ribs throughout the set so the rotation comes from the shoulder, not from the elbow swinging away.
- Move slowly and deliberately in both directions; these small muscles respond to control, not momentum.
- Keep your torso still and stacked so you do not roll backward to help lift the forearm.
- Treat this as a high-rep prehab movement and stop short of any pinching or sharp pain in the joint.
Häufige Fehler
- Letting the elbow lift away from the ribs, which turns the movement into a shoulder raise and removes tension from the external rotators.
- Rolling the torso backward to fling the forearm up, which uses momentum instead of the target muscles and reduces the training effect.
- Rushing the reps, so the small posterior shoulder muscles never do the work and the joint gets little benefit.
- Pushing into a painful range, which can irritate the shoulder rather than strengthen the cuff.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
What muscles does the side lying shoulder external rotation work?
It works the external rotators on the back of the shoulder, mainly the infraspinatus and teres minor of the rotator cuff. These muscles stabilize the shoulder joint during pressing and pulling.
Is the side lying shoulder external rotation good for beginners?
Yes. With bodyweight only and a fixed elbow position, it is a gentle, controllable movement, which makes it well suited to beginners and to anyone building shoulder stability or working through prehab.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Because these are small stabilizing muscles, higher reps work well. Two to three sets of 12 to 20 reps per arm is a sensible default, performed slowly with good control.
Where should I feel this exercise?
You should feel it in the muscles on the back of your shoulder as you rotate the forearm up. If you feel pinching inside the joint, reduce your range and slow the movement down.
