- Hold a single dumbbell near your chest, Lie down on a bench with your shoulders near the end of the bench. Your head should be off the bench.
- Grasp the dumbbell with both hands, and lift it up. Your arms should have a slight bend to them at the starting position.
- Slowly lower the dumbbell back over your head towards the floor, keep your elbows slightly bent throughout the movement. Remember, all muscles should be totally stretched as the weight approaches the floor. The back should have a maximum arch when the weight is lowered to this position.
- Slowly raise the dumbbell to above your chest to the starting position.
This exercise puts your arms in a bit of a weak position, so be sure to start out with a light weight, and gradually increase the resistance as your body adapts over time.
If you feel pain in your shoulders doing this exercise, you can try using two dumbbells, one in each hand instead of one for both. this will cause less stress on the joints.
Don't stretch your abs too much when the dumbbell is lowered behind your head. This might stretch the linea alba which is the connective tissue in the middle of your abs, causing weakening and even tears over time.