The dumbbell cobra standing exercise is a great movement to develop strong posture in the middle and upper back.
- Stand with feet shoulder width apart, bend at the waist until your chest is at a 45 degree angle to the ground.
- Feet should be pointing straight ahead with knees directly over the second and third toes.
- Allow the arms to hang in front of the body with a dumbbell in each hand.
- While keeping the abdominals tight, slowly perform shoulder extension and external rotation in a circular pattern until the arms are by the sides of the body.
- At the end range, the palms are facing away from the body with the thumbs pointing upward and the shoulder blades are retracted and depressed.
- Hold the end position for 1-2 seconds, then slowly return to the start position.
- Be sure not to compensate by elevating or protracting the shoulders.
- Perform for the prescribed number of repetitions.
Progression: