4 Steps To Get Alicia Keys’ Sensational Shoulders! (Healthy Hollywood)

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Some folks watch the awards shows to check out the year’s winners. Others tune in for the star style showdown.

Healthy Hollywood loves the red carpet action to check out the celebrities and their assets. Yup! I like to sit at home and breakdown which celebrity has the best legs, the most fabulous abs and so on.

And, Sunday’s Grammys were no different.

I have to give major kudos to Alicia Keys and her sculpted shoulders. It inspires me to get my butt off the coach and hit the gym. But first, I needed a game plan, so I recruited New York-based celebrity trainer Mary Ann Browning.

“The combination of heavy weights and cardio is key. Heavy weights build muscle where you don’t have muscle and eliminate fat where you have extra fat. For shoulders, I always suggest lighter weights, more repetitions and more exercises. Sometimes, heavier weights with certain body encourage you to use other body parts, which is counterproductive when you are targeting a certain area,” reveals Mary Ann.

Mary Ann shared with Healthy Hollywood four moves to tone up your shoulders.

One Arm Row With A Dumbbell: Kneel on a bench, with one leg on the bench and the other leg out to the side and slightly back so that your back is flat and not rounded. The hand of the knee on the bench supports you on the bench. The opposite hand holds the dumbbell straight down. With the dumbbell in your hand and your palm facing towards your feet lift the dumbbell while you feel the rotation in your waist until the dumbbell reaches your side and your palm faces towards your body. Rotate the dumbbell back as you lower it to the starting position. Lift heavy enough so that each time you have to do fewer reps for three sets (15, 12, 10 reps).

Lateral Pull Down: Sit facing the machine in perfect Browning posture. Legs at right angle; no slouching of your body. Grip the handles a little wider than your shoulders - don’t grip to wide except if you want to build your back. Aim to pull the bar to the front of your chest, not past your breast, so you round your shoulders. Imagine your elbows stay in line with your waist as you do the movement.

Tricep Dips: Sit on a bench, chair or side of a bed. Have your feet at right angle/90 degrees. Your hands are by your side and thumbs close to your butt. Lower your body off the bench, keeping it close to the bench as you bend your elbows to 90 degrees or as low as you can go without rounding the shoulders. Straighten up and down for 10 to 25 times. You can make this advanced by putting both feet up on an opposite bench/chair.

Rubber Band For Back, Shoulder And Real Deltoids (bra fat): Take a yellow or green rubber band and attach it to a door handle (be sure it’s secure). Facing the door, take the handles and step back so you feel some resistance with the bands. Separate your arms at chest height and keep shoulder width apart, palms facing each other. Then open your arms as wide as you can without over squeezing your shoulder blade. Return to the starter position. Do 12 to 25 reps.