Arm circles warm up your shoulders: stand tall, arms out at shoulder height, and make small forward circles that grow gradually bigger, smooth and steady. They need no equipment, work four muscle groups and suit beginners as part of a warm-up or a mobility routine, whether at home, in the gym or outdoors.

This guide accompanies our video lesson above. The video teaches the movement at the speed it is really performed, from the side, circle after circle without stopping, as the camera moves in from the coach’s whole body to her arms and shoulders. Then it explains the muscles at work (seen from the back and the front), the breathing and the tempo, and names the four most common mistakes, each with the cue that fixes it. Last come twelve arm circles at real speed, close up from all four camera angles, for you to follow along with.

How to do arm circles, step by step

  1. Set up. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your spine neutral, your neck relaxed and your core gently engaged.
  2. Open your arms. Extend both arms out to your sides at shoulder height, parallel to the floor, in a T. Keep them straight but not locked.
  3. Make small forward circles. Start with small, controlled circles: your hands move forward over the top of each circle, down the front and back up behind.
  4. Let them grow. Make the circles gradually bigger as you warm up, and keep them smooth and steady.
  5. Keep your shoulders down. As the circles grow, keep your shoulders down and away from your ears, and your neck relaxed.
  6. Keep circling. Each circle takes about three seconds, and the next one starts right away. The video shows forward circles.

Muscles worked in arm circles

Arm circles are a warm-up and mobility drill for your shoulders, and four muscle groups share the work: the shoulders lead as the target muscles, and the trapezius, chest and biceps assist them.

  • Shoulders: the three heads of the deltoid (front, side and rear) lead the circle and keep your arms up, so the movement warms up the whole shoulder.
  • Trapezius: the upper trapezius keeps your shoulders steady while your arms circle.
  • Chest: the serratus anterior, on the side of your rib cage, helps carry your arms forward.
  • Biceps: the biceps brachii helps keep your arms up.

Breathing and tempo: 2 down, 1 up

Every circle follows the same rhythm and takes about three seconds:

  • Down, 2 seconds: your hands travel down the front of the circle.
  • Up, 1 second: your hands travel back up behind it.
  • No pause: each circle flows straight into the next.
  • Breathing: breathe normally and never stop breathing, exhaling gently as you circle and inhaling whenever you need to.

A moderate, steady rhythm keeps each circle under control and spares your shoulder joints the strain that excessive speed brings. Keep every circle smooth and steady, and don’t speed up as the circles grow.

4 common arm circle mistakes and how to fix them

  • Shrugging the shoulders. If you shrug, keep your shoulders down and away from your ears. Cue: “shoulders down”.
  • Bending the elbows. If your elbows bend, straighten your arms without locking them. Cue: “arms straight”.
  • Moving too fast. If you rush, slow it down: two seconds down, one second up. Cue: “slow it down”.
  • Arching the back. If your back arches, brace your core. Cue: “brace your core”.

Sets, reps and variations

As part of a warm-up or a mobility routine, 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 circles, or 15 to 30 seconds of circling, in each direction are typical, with 30 seconds of rest between sets. The video shows forward circles; you can then reverse the direction to work your muscles evenly. A good first set is the one in the video: twelve arm circles.

  • Easier: make the circles smaller, or do fewer of them.
  • Harder: circle for longer, do more repetitions, or add light wrist weights if that is appropriate and safe for you.

Safety

If you have shoulder pain or instability, avoid excessive speed and large circles, and keep every movement controlled to prevent strain on the joint. If you feel discomfort, make the circles smaller or stop the exercise.

Your turn

Play the video above and do twelve arm circles with the coach, at the speed you would really do them: shoulders down, arms long and straight, and your last two circles the smoothest. Where did you feel it: at the front, the side or the back of your shoulder? Tell us in the comments under the video on YouTube. If this lesson helped, subscribe to HealthyShape on YouTube for a new exercise lesson every week. Every exercise in the HealthyShape app carries the same muscle view and tempo guide you see in the video.