Exercise routines are tough because you need so many exercises for different body parts. It’s always a good time saver when one exercise can work several parts at once. In today’s exercise video Dennis Angelina will show you a simple exercise using a dumbbell, where simply drawing the alphabet in front of you, will do wonders for your core stability, chest, arms, shoulders and upper back. Once a week is all you need. Give it a try!
Getting into position
Stand upright with feet shoulder’s width apart. Hold the weight between your palms with arms extended straight in front of your chest.
An important note is not to have your shoulders pushing forward. If your shoulders are forward, pull them back and drop them down into their sockets. It’s easier done than written, so have a look at the video for a quick show and tell.
Your arms will move the weight in unison from this “set” shoulder position.
What to do
First visualize a large piece of paper, or like a poster board, in front of your body. It goes from above your head to below your waist and out past your sides. On this imaginary paper you are going to write the alphabet from A to Z in the air with the dumbbell moving from your extended arms.
Keep your body in place and do not twist your hips or bend your waist while drawing the letters. The power of the exercise comes from keeping the shoulders in place, arms extended, and only moving from the shoulder joint as much as will naturally allow in this position.
Because you are tracing the alphabet, you will get a full range of motion and strength building in the shoulders and chest. To help with overall body structure, keep your quads and core tight throughout.
Sets and time
Do all uppercase letters and go as far as you can. Many beginners can reach letters M or N before they run out of steam or strength. That is ok.
Once you get tired in a set, and feel the need to take a break and shake out the arm, stop the set. Do not go back to it. Each time you do this exercise the letters will be your measure of improvement.
Come back to this exercise once a week or even once a month, if it’s part of a broader fitness program. Once you are able to reach the end of the alphabet, drawing out the letter Z, you have accomplished a great goal. The next time, increase the weight by a pound or two and start again from A.
