Mobility · Baseline Mobility
Shoulder CARs
Shoulder joint health, full range of motion maintenance
Minimum Effective Dose
1 min
The shortest time that still creates real, measurable change. Hit the dose and the benefit starts. Everything after is bonus.
Why it works
Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs) are the gold standard for joint health. Moving the shoulder through its complete range under tension sends a signal to the nervous system that this range is safe and should be maintained. Use it or lose it: CARs are how you keep it.
How to do it
Smooth arcs, no corners.
Make the circle smaller before you make it faster. Slow down through stiff spots. Painless clicking is normal. Pain or catching is a signal to reduce the range.
- Stand tall with one arm at your side
- Slowly trace the biggest circle you can with your arm: forward, up, behind, and down
- Reverse direction. Keep it slow and controlled. If you hit a sticky spot, move smaller through that range rather than forcing it
- Move through every degree of the range
Variants
Easier
Smaller circles.
Keep it pain-free. Speed doesn't matter. Smoothness does.
Harder
Biggest circle you own.
Tension through the full arc. Pause at the hard spots.
Related exercises
Pair with breathwork
Wind down after your session with a Shift breathwork protocol.
Baseline builds this into your session automatically.
The system decides what you need, sequences the exercises, and runs the timers. All you do is press start.
Launching May 2026 · Free to try
