Recommendations: 2-3 Sets, 8-12 Reps
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Hold water bottles with an overhand grip (palms facing towards the back) and your arms close to the sides of your body. Bend over while facing forward (not down) with your knees slightly bent until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Let the bottles hang down and you feel the stretch in the lats. This is the starting position. Lift the right bottle straight up toward your waist. Keeping your arm close to your body, rotate your right hand until it is facing outward and your upper arm is parallel with your back. Hold for a second at the top, feeling the lift from the lats and the traps (not the shoulders and arms) and squeeze the scapula together. Exhale during this movement. Lower the right weight slowly to the starting position. Inhale during this movement. Hold water bottles with an overhand grip (palms facing towards the back) and your arms close to the sides of your body. Bend over while facing forward (not down) with your knees slightly bent until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Let the bottles hang down and you feel the stretch in the lats. Lift the left bottle straight up toward your waist. Keeping your arm close to your body, rotate your left hand until it is facing outward and your upper arm is parallel with your back. Hold for a second at the top, feeling the lift from the lats and the traps (not the shoulders and arms) and squeeze the scapula together. Exhale during this movement. Lower the left weight slowly to the starting position. Inhale during this movement. Hold water bottles with an overhand grip (palms facing towards the back) and your arms close to the sides of your body. Bend over while facing forward (not down) with your knees slightly bent until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Let the bottles hang down and you feel the stretch in the lats. Repeat for the required number of repetitions. Variation: This exercise can also be done using other items found in the home, such as cans.
Step 1
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Hold water bottles with an overhand grip (palms facing towards the back) and your arms close to the sides of your body. Bend over while facing forward (not down) with your knees slightly bent until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Let the bottles hang down and you feel the stretch in the lats. This is the starting position.
Step 2
Lift the right bottle straight up toward your waist. Keeping your arm close to your body, rotate your right hand until it is facing outward and your upper arm is parallel with your back. Hold for a second at the top, feeling the lift from the lats and the traps (not the shoulders and arms) and squeeze the scapula together. Exhale during this movement.
Step 3
Lower the right bottle while rotating back to an overhand position. Hold water bottles with an overhand grip (palms facing towards the back) and your arms close to the sides of your body. Bend over while facing forward (not down) with your knees slightly bent until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Let the bottles hang down and you feel the stretch in the lats.
Step 4
Lift the left bottle straight up toward your waist. Keeping your arm close to your body, rotate your left hand until it is facing outward and your upper arm is parallel with your back. Hold for a second at the top, feeling the lift from the lats and the traps (not the shoulders and arms) and squeeze the scapula together. Exhale during this movement.
Step 5
Lower the left bottle while rotating back to an overhand position. Hold water bottles with an overhand grip (palms facing towards the back) and your arms close to the sides of your body. Bend over while facing forward (not down) with your knees slightly bent until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Let the bottles hang down and you feel the stretch in the lats.