Mobility
Arm circles
Quick facts
- Beginner
- No equipment
- Shoulders
- Back
- seconds
Arm circles are a dynamic warm-up for the shoulder joints. They push blood through the rotator cuff and warm up the shoulders, chest and upper back before push-ups, presses and anything overhead. Do them before strength work, not instead of it — this is preparation, not loading. Circle forward for half the time and backward for the other half.
How to do it
-
Stand tall with your straight arms out to the sides at shoulder height, palms down.
-
Start drawing small circles forward — about the size of an apple — and gradually make them bigger.
-
Halfway through, reverse direction and circle backward, again from small to large.
-
Keep your shoulders down away from your ears and your trunk still throughout.
Coaching cues
- Shoulders away from the ears
- Small circles first
- Arms straight
Common mistakes
- Shoulders shrugged up to the ears
- Arms drifting below shoulder height
Breathing
Calm, even breathing.
Used in courses
Related exercises
FAQ
What are the most common mistakes in Arm circles?
The most common ones: shoulders shrugged up to the ears; arms drifting below shoulder height. Watch for them from the first rep.
What should I focus on during Arm circles?
Keep these cues in mind: shoulders away from the ears; small circles first; arms straight.
How should I breathe during Arm circles?
Calm, even breathing.
Train it inside a program
Arm circles is part of the Forma. Start: home CrossFit basics course: the app scales reps, rest and load to your level after every session.