Shoulders · Bodyweight
Weighted Round Arm
How to do the weighted round arm, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Rotation
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand tall holding a light weight in each hand at your sides. Sweep your arms in slow, controlled circles, raising them out and around through a full shoulder rotation, then reverse the direction. Keep the weights light and the motion smooth to load the shoulders through their range.
- 1Feel your delts work as your arms travel through the full circle
- 2Keep your shoulders down and your core braced throughout
- 3Move slowly and stay in control at the top of each circle
Common mistakes
- Do not use momentum to fling the weights around
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders up toward your ears
- Do not go heavy; light loads keep the shoulders safe
Muscles worked
The weighted round arm mainly works the side delts and front delts, with the rear delts and upper traps assisting.
- Side DeltsPrimary
- Front DeltsPrimary
- Rear DeltsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- External RotatorsMinor
- Internal RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the weighted round arm 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.