# Underhand Circle Draw - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/10123/underhand-circle-draw/ - Media ID: 10123 - Primary muscle: Shoulders - Body part: Shoulders - Equipment: Body Weight - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/10123/underhand-circle-draw.mp4 ## Description The Underhand Circle Draw is a standing, bodyweight mobility drill where you hold both arms straight out in front of your chest with your palms turned up, then trace smooth circles with your hands as if drawing large rings in the air. The underhand palm position is what separates it from a regular arm circle: rotating the forearms so the palms face the ceiling changes the rotation at the shoulder and places a gentle, different demand on the front of the shoulder and the chest while still letting the upper back assist with control. Because there is no external load, this movement works well as a warm-up before pressing, pulling, or overhead work. It raises the temperature around the shoulder joint, cues the muscles that position the shoulder blade, and gives you a low-risk way to find out how your shoulders feel before you add weight to them. It is also a useful standalone drill for anyone who spends long hours at a desk, since drawing the circles across the midline of the body encourages the arms to travel through ranges that typing and driving rarely touch. The main work comes from the front of the shoulders, with the chest assisting as the arms sweep inward and across, and the muscles between the shoulder blades steady the scapula so the circles stay clean rather than collapsing into a shrug. The forearms and wrists stay involved too, because holding the palms-up position for the whole set requires active effort, not a loose wrist. Setup matters more than it looks. Stand tall with feet about hip-width apart, ribs stacked over the pelvis, and raise the arms to shoulder height before you begin drawing. If you start with the arms too low, the circles become a front raise with a wobble; if you start shrugged toward your ears, the upper traps take over and the shoulder itself stops moving well. Height, palm direction, and a relaxed neck are the three details to get right first. To execute it well, keep the elbows locked softly straight and let the circles come from the shoulder joint, not from bending and straightening the arms. Draw the circles across in front of your chest, keep the size consistent, and reverse direction halfway through your reps so both halves of the range get attention. The tempo should be slow enough that you could pause the hand anywhere in the circle and hold it without strain. Common use cases include pre-workout shoulder preparation, recovery-day mobility circuits, postural routines, and rehab-style programming where a clinician wants controlled, unloaded movement through a wide arc. Stop and shorten the circle if you feel pinching at the front of the shoulder, and never push through sharp pain. Since the drill is unloaded, the goal is quality of the path, not speed or endurance, so a couple of controlled sets in each direction is usually all you need. ## Instructions 1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, weight spread evenly across both feet, and let your arms hang relaxed at your sides for a moment. 2. Raise both arms straight out in front of you to shoulder height, then rotate your forearms so your palms face the ceiling in the underhand position. 3. Draw your shoulder blades down and slightly together so your neck stays long and your shoulders stay away from your ears. 4. Brace your core lightly and keep your torso still; the movement should come from the shoulders, not from rocking your trunk. 5. Keeping your elbows straight, begin tracing medium-sized circles with both hands, sweeping outward and across in front of your chest. 6. Keep the palms turned up for the entire set and hold the circles at a steady, even size throughout. 7. After about half of your repetitions, reverse the direction of the circles so you draw in the opposite way. 8. Breathe steadily the whole time, inhaling and exhaling without holding your breath as the arms pass across the midline. 9. When you finish, lower your arms slowly to your sides, shake out the shoulders briefly, and reset your posture before the next set. ## Tips & Tricks - If your shoulders creep up toward your ears mid-set, pause, exhale, and draw the shoulder blades down before continuing the circles. - Keep the circles at chest height; letting the arms drift down turns the drill into a front raise and changes which muscles are working. - A common mistake is bending and straightening the elbows so the hands wobble instead of the shoulder rotating. Check your elbow stays soft but straight through the full circle. - Start with smaller circles than feel necessary. Oversized circles at full speed are the usual cause of pinching or strain at the front of the shoulder. - If the underhand palm position fatigues your wrists quickly, slow the tempo down before giving up on it; the forearm effort is part of the exercise. - Do the drill in front of a mirror occasionally to confirm both hands are tracing the same size circle and staying level with each other. - Avoid leaning back as the arms sweep inward across the body. Ribs stacked over the pelvis keeps the chest and shoulders doing the work. - Match the circle size to the tighter of your two shoulders, not the looser one, so both sides move through the same controlled range. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Which muscles does the Underhand Circle Draw work? The front of the shoulders does most of the driving, with the chest assisting as the arms sweep across the body. The muscles around the shoulder blades and the forearms work isometrically to keep the palms up and the path controlled. ### Why are the palms facing up instead of down in this exercise? The underhand position adds forearm rotation, which changes the demand at the shoulder joint compared to a standard arm circle. It also keeps the wrists and forearms actively engaged for the whole set. ### Is the Underhand Circle Draw suitable for beginners? Yes, it is bodyweight and unloaded, so most people can learn it in a minute or two. Beginners should start with small, slow circles and only widen them once the movement feels smooth. ### How big should the circles be? Start with circles roughly the size of a dinner plate and expand gradually as long as the shoulders stay comfortable. The size should stay constant for the entire set rather than growing and shrinking. ### Should I do the circles forward and backward? Yes, reversing direction halfway through your repetitions ensures the shoulder moves through both halves of the arc. Many people only train one direction without realizing it. ### I feel a pinch at the front of my shoulder during Underhand Circle Draw. What should I change? Shrink the circle, slow the tempo, and make sure your shoulders are not shrugging. If pinching continues even with small circles, skip the drill and consult a qualified professional before continuing. ### When is the best time to use this exercise in a workout? It works best as a warm-up before bench pressing, overhead pressing, or pulling sessions, and it also fits well into recovery-day mobility routines. Doing it cold is fine, but it is most useful right before shoulder loading. ### What can I use if I cannot keep my palms turned up for a full set? Alternate a few reps in the underhand position with a few in the neutral, thumbs-up position while your forearm strength builds. The path of the circles stays the same; only the forearm rotation changes. ### How many reps and sets should I do? About 8 to 12 circles in each direction for one or two sets is plenty, since the drill is about movement quality rather than fatigue. More volume rarely adds value and tends to degrade the path.