Shape the shoulders while working the core

Here’s a terrific chest and shoulder shaper that you can easily do at home or at the gym with a set of dumbbells and a stability ball. If you don’t have a ball, you can substitute a sturdy bench, but the advantage to working on a ball is that you’ll learn to stabilize your core muscles while your arms are moving. This is important for protecting your back, so work slowly using control and precision.

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Karen Voight

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1 Grasp a 5- to 8-pound dumbbell in each hand and position your shoulders and upper back on a large stability ball. Walk your feet out so that your knees and feet are hip-width apart and your ankles are directly below your knees. Keep your hips lifted to knee level. If you are using a bench, lie on your back with your head on one end of the bench and your knees bent with your feet flat on the floor. Raise your arms directly above your chest with your wrists and elbows slightly rounded and your palms facing each other.

2 Inhale and lower your arms out to the side and down, forming an arc. Do not move your elbows below shoulder height. You should feel a slight stretch across your chest. Pause for two seconds, then slowly raise your arms to the starting position and repeat three sets of 8 to 12 reps. Make sure you maintain the arc movement of your arms and focus on contracting your abdominals to keep your pelvis and torso stable.

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Karen Voight can be reached at kvoightla@aol.com.