Stick Pass Around Stretch
- Target muscle
- Deltoid Anterior, Deltoid Lateral, Deltoid Posterior
- Synergist muscles
- Infraspinatus, Latissimus Dorsi, Pectoralis Major Clavicular Head, Pectoralis Major Sternal Head, Serratus Anterior, Teres Major, Teres Minor, Trapezius Lower Fibers, Trapezius Middle Fibers
- Equipment
- Stick
- Body part
- Shoulders
- Type
- Stretching
The Stick Pass Around Stretch targets all three deltoid heads — anterior, lateral, and posterior — while engaging a broad range of shoulder-girdle synergists including the infraspinatus, teres major, teres minor, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior, and the middle and lower trapezius fibers. By guiding a stick through a continuous arc from in front of your body to behind it, the exercise develops shoulder mobility and range of motion across multiple planes of rotation.
How to do the Stick Pass Around Stretch
- 1Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a stick horizontally in front of your hips with both hands using an overhand grip wider than shoulder-width.
- 2Keep your arms straight and begin raising the stick upward in a smooth arc in front of your body.
- 3Continue lifting the stick overhead, maintaining straight elbows and a neutral spine throughout.
- 4Slowly lower the stick behind your head and pass it down toward your lower back, rotating at the shoulder joint to complete the arc.
- 5Pause briefly at the end range with the stick held behind your hips, feeling the stretch across your anterior deltoid and chest.
- 6Reverse the movement by raising the stick back up behind you, over your head, and returning it to the starting position in front of your hips.
- 7Complete the desired number of repetitions, widening your grip if you feel shoulder strain, or narrowing it gradually over weeks as flexibility improves.
Form tips
- Start with a grip wide enough to complete the full arc without pain — narrowing the grip too soon is the most common cause of shoulder impingement with this exercise.
- Keep both arms straight throughout the movement; bending the elbows shortens the lever and reduces the stretch on the deltoids and surrounding muscles.
- Move at a slow, deliberate pace and pause at the end of each arc to allow the stretch to develop rather than relying on momentum.
- Maintain a neutral spine and avoid arching your lower back as the stick passes overhead, which would shift the compensation to the lumbar spine rather than opening the shoulder.
- Keep your chin tucked and gaze forward — avoid letting the head jut forward as the stick clears over the top.
Common mistakes
- Gripping too narrow before adequate shoulder flexibility exists, which forces the joint into end-range rotation prematurely and can cause impingement or strain the infraspinatus and teres minor.
- Bending the elbows during the pass, which reduces the lever arm and allows the stretch to bypass the deltoid and the surrounding shoulder-girdle muscles.
- Rushing through the arc without pausing at end range, which relies on momentum rather than actively lengthening the target muscles and limits mobility gains.
- Hyperextending the lower back when the stick passes overhead, which compensates for limited shoulder range of motion and loads the lumbar spine instead of improving shoulder flexibility.
- Shrugging the shoulders upward throughout the movement, which holds the trapezius in a shortened position and prevents the deltoid from being effectively lengthened.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Stick Pass Around Stretch work?
It targets all three deltoid heads — anterior, lateral, and posterior. Synergists include the infraspinatus, teres major, teres minor, pectoralis major (clavicular and sternal heads), latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior, and the middle and lower trapezius fibers.
How wide should my grip be on the stick?
Start with a grip wide enough to complete the full arc pain-free with straight arms. As shoulder mobility improves over weeks of consistent practice, you can gradually narrow your grip to increase the stretch demand.
Is this stretch better done before or after a workout?
It works well in both contexts. Before training it warms up the shoulder girdle and improves range of motion for pressing and pulling exercises. After training it helps restore length to muscles that have been working under load.
Can I do the Stick Pass Around Stretch every day?
Yes. It is a low-load stretching exercise, so daily practice is appropriate. Consistent daily use tends to produce more noticeable mobility gains than less frequent sessions.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Two to three sets of 10–15 slow, controlled repetitions is a common starting point for mobility work. As a warm-up, 1–2 sets of 8–10 reps at a gentle pace is usually sufficient.
