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Shoulders · Body Weight
Circle Elbow Arm
Circle Elbow Arm is an intermediate compound strength exercise that works the delts (shoulders), with the forearms and chest assisting. It needs no equipment beyond your own body weight. A typical prescription is 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps, and it burns about 6.1 calories per minute.
- Target
- Delts
- Body part
- Shoulders
- Equipment
- Body Weight
- Category
- Strength
- Mechanic
- Compound
- Force
- Push
- Sets × reps
- 3-4 × 6-10
- Calories / min
- ≈ 6.1 kcal
Primary muscles
- Shoulders · Deltoids
- Upper Back · Trapezius
Secondary muscles
- Forearms · Brachioradialis
- Chest · Pectoralis Major
How to do Circle Elbow Arm
- Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder level, keeping them straight.
- Bend your arms at the elbows, bringing your fingers to touch your shoulders on the same side, keeping your elbows pointing outwards.
- Begin to make small circular motions with your elbows, moving them forward, up, back, and down in a controlled manner.
- Continue circling your elbows for the desired number of repetitions, then reverse the direction of the circles and repeat.
Form tips
- Focus on making smooth and controlled movements to maximize muscle activation and avoid straining your joints.
- Perform the movement slowly to maintain control and improve shoulder mobility.
- Ensure your shoulders remain down and away from your ears to avoid unnecessary strain.
- Breathe steadily throughout the exercise, maintaining a consistent rhythm.
Circle Elbow Arm alternatives
More delts exercises
Circle Elbow Arm FAQ
What muscles does Circle Elbow Arm work?
Circle Elbow Arm mainly works the delts in the shoulders (Deltoids and Trapezius). The forearms and chest work as secondary muscles.
What equipment do you need for Circle Elbow Arm?
None. Circle Elbow Arm is a body weight exercise, so you can do it at home or anywhere with enough space.
How many sets and reps of Circle Elbow Arm should I do?
Start with 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps. Pick a load or variation where the last one or two reps are hard but your form stays clean.
Is Circle Elbow Arm good for beginners?
It's rated intermediate. Beginners can work up to it once they control simpler shoulders exercises.
How many calories does Circle Elbow Arm burn?
About 6.1 calories per minute for a person of around 70 kg, based on a MET value of 5. Ten minutes of work is roughly 61 calories; heavier people burn more.
What is a good alternative to Circle Elbow Arm?
Other exercises for the delts include Band Single Arm Overhead Press, Seated Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press, Kettlebell Kneeling One Arm Shoulder Press and Landmine Single Arm Push Press.
For developers
Use Circle Elbow Arm in your app
Get this exercise and 1,900+ others from the WorkoutX API: 720p MP4 animations at 30 fps without the watermark, male and female models, muscles, instructions and form tips in 7 languages.
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