Shoulder Circles
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.
Shoulder Circles - the correct execution
- Start from a standing position
- Your arms hang passively next to your body
- Rotate backwards with your shoulder only
- Make sure you use your largest possible range of motion
The exercise Shoulder Circles is intended to be used as a mobility, warm up exercise.
Which muscles are trained by Shoulder Circles?
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Alternative variants of Shoulder Circles:
Shoulder Circles Forward
Unlike the backward Shoulder Circles, you can also do them in the opposite direction—forward. Both versions activate different muscle groups and improve mobility in slightly different ways, making them ideal for fully mobilizing the entire shoulder joint.
Shoulder Circles Forward - the correct execution
- Start from a standing position
- Your arms hang passively beside your body
- Circle forward with your shoulder only
- Make sure you use your largest possible range of motion
Similar exercises to Shoulder Circles
Arm Circles Backward
Backward arm circles are ideal for mobilizing and warming up the shoulder area. The backward circular movements improve flexibility and help release tension, especially in the upper back and neck. This exercise is perfect for warming up and pairs well with forward circles.
Arm Circles Forward
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.
Wall Slides
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.
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