Shoulders · Bodyweight
Lying Around the World
How to do the lying around the world, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- VerticalPull
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie face down with your arms extended overhead. Keeping your chest lifted slightly, sweep your straight arms out and around in a wide arc down to your hips, then reverse the path back to the start.
- 1Feel your upper back and rear shoulders pull your arms through the arc
- 2Keep your shoulder blades drawing together as your arms travel
- 3Hold your chest off the floor throughout
Common mistakes
- Avoid using momentum to fling your arms around
- Don't shrug your shoulders up toward your ears
- Don't let your chest drop to the floor between reps
Muscles worked
The lying around the world mainly works the rear delts and mid traps, with the lower traps, lats, lower back, upper traps, side delts, and external rotators assisting.
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- Lower TrapsSupport
- LatsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- External RotatorsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the lying around the world for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.