# Up and Down Arm Swing

A standing warm-up drill where one straight arm swings up overhead as the other swings down beside your thigh, switching arms each rep. Loosens the shoulders before upper-body work.

- Beginner · Mobility
- Equipment: 
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/standing-overhand-shoulder-stretch/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/up-and-down-arm-swing/

## Muscles worked

- Front delts: 7/10
- Shoulders: 6/10
- Lats: 3/10
- Traps: 3/10
- Upper chest: 3/10

## How to do the Up and Down Arm Swing

1. Stand tall, both arms forward at shoulder height.
2. Swing one arm up, the other down to your thigh.
3. Return to shoulder height, then switch arms.
4. Keep a steady rhythm, torso still.

### Full technique — 6 steps

1. Stand tall with your feet about hip width apart and raise both straight arms in front of you to shoulder height, palms down.
2. Swing one arm up overhead while the other arm swings down beside your thigh.
3. Return both arms to shoulder height in front of you.
4. Swing the opposite arm up and the other down the same way.
5. Keep your torso still and let the movement come from your shoulders.
6. Continue alternating in a steady rhythm with both elbows straight.

## Common mistakes

- Twisting the torso with each swing
- Bending the elbows during the swing
- Shrugging shoulders toward ears
- Overarching the lower back

## Form cues

- Keep torso quiet
- Swing, don't fling
- Keep shoulders down
- Alternate arms each rep

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 1–2 sets of 10–15 reps · rest 30 s · 6 reps in reserve · lower 1 s, lift 1 s
- **Muscle growth**: 1–2 sets of 10–15 reps · rest 30 s · 6 reps in reserve · lower 1 s, lift 1 s
- **Endurance**: 1–2 sets of 15–20 reps · rest 30 s · 5–6 reps in reserve · lower 1 s, lift 1 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Up and Down Arm Swing work?

Primary: Front delts 7/10, Shoulders 6/10. Also works: Lats 3/10, Traps 3/10, Upper chest 3/10.

### When should I do the Up and Down Arm Swing 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 Up and Down Arm Swing?

Strength: 1–2 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 30 s, 6 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 1–2 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 30 s, 6 reps in reserve. Endurance: 1–2 sets of 15–20 reps, rest 30 s, 5–6 reps in reserve.

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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