Arm Circles Backward

Shoulder Circles, also known as shoulder rolling, are a simple but very effective mobility exercise for the shoulder joint. You let your arms hang loosely at your sides, slowly lift your shoulders up, and then move them in a smooth, circular motion—backwards, down, and up to the front again. This exercise loosens tight muscles, boosts blood flow, and improves mobility in the shoulder and neck area.

It’s perfect as part of a warm-up before training or for active recovery on rest days. Especially after sitting for a long time—like at the office—a few minutes of shoulder circles can work wonders.

As an alternative, you can try Arm Circles, where you draw big or small circles in the air with your arms extended. This also activates your arms and chest muscles.

Forward Arm Circles focus on the front shoulder and chest muscles while also mobilizing the upper back and rotator cuff. This exercise is often part of a warm-up routine and prepares the shoulders for upcoming activity by improving mobility and activating the muscles.

Alternatively, this exercise can be done as Arm Circles with Band to add extra resistance and enhance shoulder muscle activation. The band increases tension during the movement, creating a stronger stretch in the chest and shoulders.

In Wall Slides, you stand with your back against the wall and move your arms up and down along it. This exercise improves shoulder mobility and is particularly effective for correcting posture.

Similar to Wall Slides, Face Pulls also target the shoulders and upper back. In Face Pulls, a cable machine or gymnastic rings are used to pull the hands toward the face.