How to do the Shoulder CARs
Step by step
- Stand tall with one arm straight down at your side, thumb pointing forward (CARs just means slow, controlled circles).
- Slowly raise the straight arm in front of you and up overhead.
- Continue tracing the circle back and down behind you, rotating the palm as you go.
- Move at a slow, controlled pace with the arm fully straight the entire time.
- Complete the circle, reverse the direction, then switch arms.
The thing people get wrong
Keep the arm long and the motion slow and deliberate - shrugging the shoulder up or bending the elbow shortcuts the movement.
Coaching cue
Keep your ribs down so your back does not arch as the arm passes overhead.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier: Make a smaller circle and stop wherever the shoulder feels tight.
- Harder: Slow it down so one full circle takes about ten seconds.
Muscles worked
- Primary: Side delts
- Secondary: Upper Back
Daily Coach builds this into a real weekly plan. It picks the exercises for your equipment and experience, swaps around injuries you tell it about, and tracks what you actually lifted.