Arm Circles (Front & Back)
What you'll gain
Warms the shoulder joint through a full circle without added load.
Needs no equipment, so it fits any upper-body session.
Covers both forward and backward directions in one clip.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
Stand tall with the feet hip-width apart and both arms hanging relaxed at your sides.
- 2
Keep the ribs down, the shoulders away from the ears, and the elbows long but not locked.
- 3
Trace a full circle with both arms: reach back, up overhead, forward, and down to the thighs.
- 4
Make each circle smooth and as large as the shoulders allow without shrugging.
- 5
After the planned number of forward circles, reverse the path and circle backward.
- 6
Finish with the arms hanging at the sides, then step out of the stance.
Common Mistakes
Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears, which dumps the motion into the neck.
Bending the elbows so the circle shrinks into a forearm swing.
Rushing or using momentum instead of a controlled, even circle.
Skipping the reverse direction after the forward circles.
About This Exercise
Arm circles are a bodyweight shoulder warm-up. From a standing start with the arms hanging, each arm traces a full circle: back, overhead, forward, and down, then the same path in reverse. The deltoid cap guides the motion while the torso stays quiet and the neck stays relaxed. The approved clip begins with both arms down at the sides, which is the true start of the first circle, not a mid-rep freeze with the arms already raised. For a catalog this is the front-and-back circle entry for upper-body warm-ups. It belongs in mobility collections, shoulder-prep blocks, and equipment-free sessions where coaches need a simple, loopable circle rather than a loaded raise.
Looking for an exercise animation collection for your app, coaching platform, or content workflow? MoveKit gives you consistent quality across every movement so your product feels cohesive from first launch through scale.
Build faster with related MoveKit resources
A standing shoulder warm-up that traces full arm circles forward, then reverses the same path backward.
Need more than one animation?
Compare our packs to find the right fit, all with commercial licensing included.
Specifications
Built for
- Upper-body warm-up sequences before pressing or overhead work.
- Shoulder-mobility collections in training apps.
- Equipment-free home and travel sessions.
- Dynamic warm-up templates that pair circles with arm swings.
Muscles Worked
Details
License Includes
Explore these exercise collections
Jumping Jack
$4.99Two-count bodyweight jump that opens the legs and sweeps the arms overhead, then closes back to a standing start.
Pike Push-Up/Handstand Push-Up
$4.99A floor pike press from an inverted V, lowering the head toward the hands to load the shoulders like an overhead press.
Prone Y-T Raises
$4.99A floor scapular series that lifts both arms into a Y, then a T, to train the lower traps and rear delts.
Shadow Boxing
$4.99Punching combinations thrown at empty air with footwork and rotation, worked in timed rounds without a bag.
Standing Wall Shoulder Opening Stretch
$4.99A one-arm wall stretch: the palm plants at shoulder height and the chest turns away so the front shoulder opens.
Wall Ball
$4.99A front squat into an explosive overhead throw against a wall target, caught on the rebound and repeated.