Elbow Circles
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the shoulders.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Elbow Circles
- Sit or stand with your feet slightly apart.
- Place your hands on your shoulders with your elbows at shoulder level and pointing out.
- Slowly make a circle with your elbows. Breathe out as you start the circle and breathe in as you complete the circle.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Elbow 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
Arm 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 elbow circles work?
Elbow Circles primarily works the shoulders. The traps assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for elbow circles?
The source dataset does not record equipment for elbow circles. Check the instructions above before you set up.
Elbow Circles: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Elbow 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 elbow circles?
Arm Circles, Shoulder Circles, Chair Upper Body Stretch train the same primary muscles and are listed with 6 more alternatives above.
How do I log elbow 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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