Our five favorite Stick Mobility exercises are the Bow and Arrow, the Rotational Bow Hinge, the Wrist and Elbow series, the Split Stance series, and the Shoulder Mobility series. Each one is below with the video, the setup cue, and the mistake almost everyone makes.
The stick is not there to push you deeper. It is there to give you something to push against.
Most people buy a training stick and use it as a stretching prop. They hang on it and wait. That is the mistake, and it is why a lot of people decide the sticks did not work for them.
Stretching gets you into a position. It does not teach you to own it. The stick lets you create tension against something rigid, which means you build strength at the end of your range instead of just visiting it. That is the whole idea, and it is why these blend so well with Kinstretch and FRC.
Why we use Stick Mobility
Train longer lines of tissue across the body
The stick connects the hand all the way to the ground. That can be as simple as hanging from it with focused breathing, or rotating away from it and capturing the entire side of your body in one position.
They challenge your grip
New people notice this on day one. When you create force it drives through the hands and loads the elbow in a way nothing else in the session does. You get that stimulus for free while you are training something else.
They let you produce force in open positions
Open chain work is where people get loose and lose stability. Drive the stick into the floor and large chains of muscle switch on at once. As a coach you can pull on the stick and the client locks in without being told to.
You can train opposing forces
We cue push with one hand and pull with the other. Traditional training mostly skips this. A bench press is both sides pushing the same direction. Walking is not. Reciprocal loading is closer to how the body actually works.
They are built for isometrics
You can hold a position and load it without adding weight. That is the safest way to build strength in a range you have only just found.
Anyone can benefit from adding them
This is the part younger coaches underestimate. The same stick makes an exercise easier for a deconditioned 70 year old and harder for an athlete. One tool, both ends of the population.
Markow at checkout for a discount. Not sure which size you need? Read which stick you should get first.Our 5 favorite Stick Mobility exercises
1. Bow and Arrow
This trains the lateral line of the body in a way almost nothing else does. You push with the bottom hand and pull with the top, and the stick bends. That bend is the load. Your side body, shoulder and hip all get stretched and strengthened at the same time.
Set it up: Set the bottom end of the stick just outside your foot. Push it into the ground before you pull. If you pull first you are just stretching.
The mistake: Letting the ribs flare as you reach. Exhale fully at the top of the reach and the position changes completely.
2. Rotational Bow Hinge
A hinge with rotation built in. One hand pushes, one hand pulls, and the thoracic spine has to rotate under load rather than just being stretched into rotation. Golfers feel this one immediately.
Set it up: Hinge first. Rotate second. Most people rotate from the lumbar spine because they never got into the hinge.
The mistake: Turning the feet. Keep the back foot quiet so the rotation has to come from the mid back.
3. Wrist and Elbow Strengthening
The most skipped joint in most training programs. The stick gives you a long lever so you can load the wrist and elbow in end range without needing a rack or a cable.
Set it up: Slow. Three seconds in, three seconds out. Speed hides the range you do not have.
The mistake: Gripping with the fingers only. Drive through the whole palm.
4. Split Stance Series
This is where the sticks stop being a mobility tool and start being a strength tool. Split stance takes away the second leg, so the hip has to stabilize while you load the upper body against the stick.
Set it up: Front shin vertical, back heel up. Push the stick down hard enough that you feel the back hip fire.
The mistake: Drifting into the front foot. You should be able to lift the front toes and still hold the position.
5. Shoulder Mobility
Overhead is where most people are stiff and most people compensate. The stick lets you find the honest overhead position and then apply tension there instead of hanging in it.
Set it up: Ribs down before the arms go up. Every time.
The mistake: Chasing range. If the low back extends to get the arms up, the shoulder did not move. Stop where the ribs stay down.
Stick Mobility FAQ
Which stick size do I need for these exercises?
All five work with the Long Training Stick, which is 76 inches. That is the one to buy if you are buying one. Stick Mobility retired the old 4, 5, 6 and 7 foot sticks, so height is no longer how you choose. The Split Stance and the Wrist and Elbow series are the two that the 56 inch Short handles fine.
Can I do these with a broomstick or PVC pipe?
You can do the positions. You cannot do the loading. A rigid stick will not flex, so the Bow and Arrow and the Rotational Bow Hinge lose the resistance that makes them work. Use what you have to learn the shapes, then decide.
How often should I do these?
Three to five times a week is plenty. These are low fatigue and high skill, so frequency beats duration. Ten focused minutes will do more than one long session a week.
Should I do them before or after lifting?
Before, as part of the warm up, if you are using them to open a position you are about to load. After, or on their own day, if you are using them to build end range strength. Both are correct. They are answering different questions.
Do I need to be certified to use these?
No. The certification is for coaches who want to program them for other people. For your own training the videos are enough.
Markow at checkout for a discount. We are a Stick Mobility affiliate, which means we earn a commission if you buy through that link. It costs you nothing extra and the code saves you money.We program these into our Kinstretch classes and into individual programming. If you want help building them into an actual plan rather than collecting drills, book a strategy call.
