Mobility
Stick Shoulder Pass-Through
The Stick Shoulder Pass-Through is a gentle mobility exercise that moves your arms overhead and behind you to practice controlled shoulder range of motion.
- Beginner
- Low injury risk
- No rest timer
How to do it
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the stick in front of your thighs with a wide, palms-down grip.
- Raise the stick overhead with your elbows straight.
- Continue the arc behind you as far as your shoulders comfortably allow.
- Reverse the arc overhead to return the stick to the front of your thighs.
Form cues
- Keep your ribs over your hips.
- Keep your neck relaxed.
- Move slowly in both directions.
- Breathe freely throughout the movement.
Common mistakes
- Starting with a narrow gripMove your hands farther apart to make the overhead passage easier.
- Bending your elbows to get throughShorten the arc to the range you can reach without bending your arms.
- Chasing contact behind your hipsTreat your controlled range as the endpoint rather than trying to touch the stick to your body.
Safety
Forcing the stick through a restricted range can strain or irritate your shoulders. Using one arm to lever the other backward increases that risk.
- Use a lightweight, unweighted stick.
- Let both arms guide the movement without pushing against resistance.
- Stop if you feel pain, pinching, or a sense that your shoulder is slipping.
If you have a history of shoulder dislocation, recent shoulder surgery, or ongoing shoulder pain, get guidance from a physiotherapist or doctor before trying pass-throughs.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Mobility Stick
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 1–2
- Target
- 6–10 reps
- Rest
- No rest timer
One trip backward and back to the starting position counts as one rep.