Shoulders · Bodyweight
Standing Single Arm Circle on a Wall
How to do the standing single arm circle on a wall, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- time
- Movement
- Rotation
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand facing a wall and place one hand flat against it. Keeping light contact, trace large circles with that hand along the wall surface, moving through a full shoulder range in both directions. Complete the set on one arm, keeping the motion smooth.
- 1Shoulder and upper back working through a full circle
- 2Shoulder blade gliding as the arm travels overhead
- 3Light steady contact between the hand and the wall
Common mistakes
- Shrugging the shoulder up toward the ear
- Leaning the whole body to make the circle
- Rushing through the top of the range
Muscles worked
The standing single arm circle on a wall works the front delts, side delts, lats, upper traps, mid traps, lower traps, rear delts, and external rotators.
- Front DeltsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- LatsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- External RotatorsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- Internal RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the standing single arm circle on a wall 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.