Arm Circles
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the shoulders.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Arm Circles
- Stand up and extend your arms straight out by the sides. The arms should be parallel to the floor and perpendicular (90-degree angle) to your torso. This will be your starting position.
- Slowly start to make circles of about 1 foot in diameter with each outstretched arm. Breathe normally as you perform the movement.
- Continue the circular motion of the outstretched arms for about ten seconds. Then reverse the movement, going the opposite direction.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Arm Circles
9 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Elbow Circles
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the shoulders.
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2
Shoulder Circles
A beginner mobility exercise that works the shoulders.
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3
Chair Upper Body Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the shoulders.
-
4
Round The World Shoulder Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the shoulders.
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5
Shoulder Raise
A beginner mobility exercise that works the shoulders.
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6
Shoulder Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the shoulders.
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7
Side Wrist Pull
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the shoulders.
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8
Upward Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the shoulders.
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9
Seated Front Deltoid
An advanced mobility exercise that works the shoulders, needing no equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do arm circles work?
Arm Circles primarily works the shoulders. The traps assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for arm circles?
The source dataset does not record equipment for arm circles. Check the instructions above before you set up.
Arm Circles: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Arm Circles is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of arm circles?
Elbow Circles, Shoulder Circles, Chair Upper Body Stretch train the same primary muscles and are listed with 6 more alternatives above.
How do I log arm circles in Fitnit?
As time held rather than reps. Fitnit records the seconds and credits them to the shoulders on your body map, so you can see which muscles you train hard and never stretch.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
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