Thursday, March 1

Welcome to Losing It with Jillian Michaels, the newsletter designed to help you shed pounds, increase energy, and finally get fit for life!

 
Your Other Backside
Shoulder exercises are a popular part of resistance workouts. Working out while facing a mirror, many people train what they can see — the front and middle heads of the deltoid muscle. But the rear head of the deltoid needs attention, too. Otherwise, you'll have unbalanced strength in your shoulders, which can set you up for a rotator cuff injury.

Let's take some time to target the back of your shoulders with bent-over shoulder raises. Here's how:

Sit on the edge of a workout bench or a chair, a dumbbell in each hand and your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend forward at the waist so that your upper body is parallel to the floor. Let your arms hang straight down under your chest, with your palms facing behind you. Exhale and raise the dumbbells out to the side until they are parallel to the floor. Hold for a beat.

Inhale and slowly lower your arms back to the starting position; repeat. Keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout the entire movement. Be careful not to lift your torso when you raise the weights.

Tomorrow's Tip: Stay the Course

JILLIAN'S TIP OF THE DAYFiddly Bits
Small muscle groups like the rear delts can't handle a lot of stress, so this won't be the move where you impress others by dropping huge dumbbells to the floor after a set. In fact, don't be surprised if you have to start with very light weights — within the 3-to-15-pound range. Progress, measured by both amount of weight and number of reps, might seem slower than with major muscle groups like the quads. Don't get discouraged or drop these exercises from your routine. Remember, you are striving for a healthy, balanced physique.