Lots of tutorials on YT show you how to add a bones to a character in just a few moments. Usually using the automatic Rigify addon. None, however, mentions that its great disadvantage is the inability to move the arms through rotation. Without this option, making even the usual walking animation is a nightmare. Since I cannot build my own skeleton myself, the question is; how to add this option? Several Layers show a detailed skeleton but moving them only breaks the mesh.
Moving by rotation is referred as FK animation, while moving by grabbing is referred as IK animation.
Rigify lets you choose which one to use for every limb, including the options to switch from one to another through the IK/FK switches and snapping options.
So, simply select one hand controller and move the IK/FK slider toward FK in order to animate with rotations.
In my model, the Arms Layers were empty, but I found the bones responsible for the movement of the hands through rotation in one of the Layers, they look like in the picture (a straight line passing through the ring). To smoothly switch between grabbing (IK) and rotation (FK) way of moving arm, move the cursor over the IK_FK bar and save its current setting as a frame in the animation by pressing the "i" key.
As others have already explained, you're looking for the FK controls. Here it is in video format if you prefer :)
