Shoulder siren: transform your upper body with Christine Pomponio-Pate's delt-widening workout

Muscle & Fitness, Sept, 2005 by Michael DiGregorio

THE ROUTINE

EXERCISE                        SETS  REPS

Dumbbell Lateral Raise          3     10-12
Bent-Over Lateral Raise         3     10-12
Front Plate Raise               3     10-12
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press  3     10-12

This is Christine's off-season routine.

TRAINING SPLIT

DAY  BODYPARTS TRAINED

1    Shoulders, 30 min. cardio
2    45 min. cardio
3    Legs, 30 min. cardio
4    Chest and triceps, 30 min. cardio
5    Back and biceps, 30 min. cardio
6    Cardio class; strength, conditioning
     and competition practice
7    Rest

Christine trains abs 3-4 times per week.

BY CHRISTINE POMPONIO-PATE

RELATED ARTICLE: BENT-OVER LATERAL RAISE

Christine says: "Standing with dumbbells in hand and my knees slightly bent, I arch my back and lean forward, allowing my arms to hang down in front of my legs. I pull up through my elbows, raising them up, out and as far back as I can. I concentrate on moving smoothly and deliberately through each rep."

RELATED ARTICLE: SEATED OVERHEAD DUMBBELL PRESS

"Seated on a flat bench with dumbbells in hand, I position the weights a little above my shoulders, palms facing forward, wrists straight and elbows pointing to the floor," says Christine. "From there, I press the dumbbells over my head, going all the way up, straightening my arms but not locking them out before returning to the start position."

RELATED ARTICLE: DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE

"I stand with my feet together and knees slightly bent, holding a dumbbell in each hand slightly in front of my body," Christine explains. "With my chest lifted and my shoulders down, I raise my arms up and away from my body out to the sides until my elbows reach shoulder height. I pause, slowly lower the weights back to the start and repeat."

RELATED ARTICLE: FRONT PLATE RAISE

"I bend my knees slightly and hold a plate in both hands with my arms nearly straight and hanging down in front of my body," Christine notes. "I slowly raise the plate to about shoulder height, hold for a second, then reverse the motion."

Michael DiGregorio has also written for Backpacker, FHM's international editions, San Francisco Examiner and Spin.