in some variants of this exercise, in which case lifting belts are often used to help support the lower back. Equipment: dumbbell, barbell, Smith machine or T-bar machine. Major variants: cable row (using a cable machine while seated). Deltoids (shoulders) The upright row is performed while standing, holding a weight hanging down in the hands, by lifting it straight up to the collarbone. This is a compound exercise that also involves the trapezius, upper back, forearms, triceps, and the biceps. The narrower the grip the more the trapezius muscles are exercised. Upright rows are prone to injure the shoulder through internal rotation and elevation of the ball and socket joint. Equipment: dumbbells, barbell, Smith machine or cable machine. The shoulder press is performed while seated, or standing by lowering a weight held above the head to just above the shoulders, and then raising it again. It can be performed with both arms, or one arm at a time. This is a compound exercise that also involves the trapezius and the triceps. Major variants: 360 Degree Shoulder Press (wrists are rotated while weights are lifted, then weights are lowered in front of the head before being rotated back to the first position). The military press is similar to the shoulder press but is performed while standing with the feet together. (It is named "military" because of the similarity in appearance to the "at attention" position used in most militaries) Unlike the seated shoulder press, the military press involves the majority of the muscles of the core as stabilizers to keep the body rigid and upright, and is thus a more effective compound exercise. Equipment: dumbbells, kettlebells, barbell, Smith machine or shoulder press machine. Major variants: Arnold Press (dumbbells are raised while rotating the palms outwards). The lateral raise (or shoulder fly) is performed while standing or seated, with hands hanging down holding weights, by lifting them out to the sides until just below the level of the shoulders. A slight variation in the lifts can hit the deltoids even harder, while moving upwards, just turn the hands slightly downwards, keeping the last finger higher than the thumb. This is an isolation exercise for the deltoids. Also works the forearms and traps. Equipment: dumbbells, cable machine or lateral raise machine. Major variants: front raise (lift weights out to the front; emphasis is on the front deltoids), bent-over ~ (emphasis is on the