Arm circles
Muscles worked : Shoulders · Upper back
How to do it
- Stand with your arms extended horizontally out to each side.
- Draw small, steady circles with the arms, shoulders down and relaxed.
- Continue for the planned duration, then reverse the direction.
Common mistakes
- Shoulders creeping up towards the ears during the movement.
- Circles too large or too fast: you lose control.
- Arching the back to compensate for tiring shoulders.
Where you should feel it
A burn building gradually over the top and back of the shoulder. If the traps take over and the shoulders ride up, slow down or shrink the circles.
Range of motion
Small, regular circles about the size of a plate, not big windmills. Range is not the objective: it is time under tension, arms held horizontal against gravity.
Tempo and breathing
A constant, slow rhythm with normal breathing. Switch direction halfway through to balance the work between the front and rear portions of the deltoid.
What works, precisely
The deltoid, across all three portions, holds the arm horizontal — that is endurance work in abduction. The supraspinatus contributes to the hold, and the lower and middle trapezius stabilise the shoulder blade. The upper trapezius should stay relaxed.
Movement mechanics
A static hold in shoulder abduction with a circular component in the frontal and transverse planes. The arm acts as a long lever: the straighter it is, the greater the torque the shoulder must support, with no external load required.
Benefits
- Builds shoulder endurance, heavily taxed in every overhead task of daily life.
- Works as an effective warm-up before any pushing exercise.
- Needs no equipment and no floor: practicable in any standing space.
Adapt and progress
- Easier : Shorten the duration, or bend the elbows slightly to shorten the lever.
- Harder : Extend the duration, or hold a small water bottle in each hand.
- Move on when : When a minute in each direction goes by without the shoulders rising, add a light load.