Arm Circles Exercise

Arm circles are one of the oldest warm-up movements there is, and they survive because they do something specific: they take the shoulder through its complete range of rotation under your own control, without any load. Starting with small circles and letting them grow gradually raises the temperature of the joint capsule and the rotator cuff before you ask them to stabilise a weight, which is exactly what a warm-up is supposed to achieve. Circling in both directions matters more than people assume. Forward circles favour the muscles that internally rotate the shoulder, backward circles the ones that pull it open, and skipping the second direction leaves half the joint unprepared. Keep the shoulders down away from the ears rather than shrugging, and stay within a range that feels smooth rather than forcing the arms behind the body.