How to do the Elbow Circles
- Stand tall, fingertips on your shoulders, elbows out to the sides.
- Circle your elbows forward, up, back, and down.
- Keep the circles slow and controlled.
- Reverse direction and repeat.
Full technique — 6 steps
- Stand tall with feet about hip width apart.
- Raise your arms out to the sides and bend your elbows to place your fingertips on your shoulders.
- Point your elbows out to the sides at about shoulder height.
- Draw slow circles with your elbows, moving them forward, up, back, and down.
- Keep your fingertips on your shoulders and your shoulders down away from your ears.
- Complete the circles in one direction, then reverse and repeat.
Common mistakes
- Shrugging shoulders toward ears
- Rushing through small circles
- Letting fingertips leave the shoulders
- Circling in only one direction
Form cues
- Stand tall
- Keep shoulders down
- Fingertips stay on shoulders
- Stop below pain
Quick answers
What muscles does the Elbow Circles work?
Primary: Side delts 6/10, Rotator Cuff 5/10. Also works: Front delts 4/10, Rear delts 4/10, Traps 4/10.
When should I do the Elbow Circles in a workout?
Warm-up. Done at the start to get the body ready. ≈ 2 min with rest.
How many sets and reps of the Elbow Circles?
Strength: 1–2 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 30 s, 6 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 1–2 sets of 15–20 reps, rest 30 s, 5–6 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps, rest 20 s, 5 reps in reserve.
