Spell Caster

How to do it

1. Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand at one hip, feet a little wider than shoulder width and knees soft.
2. Brace the stomach and keep the arms nearly straight.
3. Swing both dumbbells across the body in an arc to the opposite side, rotating the torso and pivoting on the feet.
4. Let the dumbbells rise to about shoulder height on the far side, as if casting something away.
5. Swing them back down and across to the starting hip, rotating the other way.
6. Keep the movement smooth and continuous, side to side.

Common mistakes

• Swinging with the arms only. The rotation comes from the hips and trunk; the arms carry the dumbbells and would tire in seconds on their own.
• Keeping the feet planted. The back foot pivots as the torso turns; feet that stay flat twist the knees.
• Rounding the back at the bottom. The dumbbells come down to the hip with the back flat, not to the floor with the back rounded.
• Going heavy. This is a rotation done fast; the dumbbells are light enough to swing without pulling the shoulders.

Muscles worked

Primary

• Abs
• Obliques

Secondary

• Glutes
• Shoulders