Stick Lying Shoulder Flexion
What Is the Stick Lying Shoulder Flexion?
Stick Lying Shoulder Flexion is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, mainly the front of the deltoid, and also engages the upper chest and the serratus anterior along the side of the ribs. It is a beginner-level movement: you lie on your back on a flat bench, hold a light stick in both hands and raise it from your hips to a point straight above your chest, then lower it again under control.
The drill is a staple of shoulder rehabilitation and of mobility work for anyone who has lost the ability to raise their arms comfortably. Lying down supports the head, spine and pelvis, so the shoulders have to produce the motion instead of the trunk leaning back to fake it. Because the stick links both hands, a stronger or pain-free arm can guide a stiff or sore one through the same arc, which is why physical therapists often prescribe it as an active-assisted range-of-motion exercise after shoulder pain, frozen shoulder or surgery.
The version shown here stops when the arms point straight at the ceiling, a range sometimes described as flexion to 90 degrees. In this lying position the arms work hardest as they first lift off the hips, and the effort fades to almost nothing as the stick arrives above the chest. Carrying the stick past vertical toward the head is the full-range version: gravity starts to help the arms travel overhead, and the end of that range turns into a gentle stretch for the lats and the underside of the shoulder.
It suits older and low-mobility clients, people easing back into training after shoulder pain, and beginners who cannot yet raise their arms overhead standing without arching the back. It can be done on a bed or the floor just as well as on a bench. If even this range is uncomfortable, Shoulder Pendulum moves the shoulder with less muscle work. Once the full range feels easy, Wall Shoulder Flexion and the standing stick drills such as Stick Standing Shoulder Abduction take the work upright, and a light Dumbbell Front Raise adds load to the same flexion pattern.
Muscles Worked
- Deltoid
- Primary
- Pectoralis Major
- Medium
- Serratus Anterior
- Medium
- Rectus Abdominis
- Minimal
- Triceps Brachii (Long Head)
- Minimal
Instructions
- Lie on your back on a flat bench with your head, upper back and hips supported, knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Hold a light stick with both hands in an overhand grip, hands about shoulder width apart.
- Rest the stick across the top of your thighs near your hips with your elbows straight.
- Relax your neck and let your shoulders settle onto the bench, away from your ears.
- Breathe out and slowly raise the stick in an arc up and over your chest, keeping your elbows straight.
- Stop when your arms point straight at the ceiling with the stick above your shoulders, and pause for a breath.
- Lower the stick slowly along the same arc back to your thighs.
- Keep your lower back resting on the bench and the stick level throughout every repetition.
- If one shoulder is stiff or sore, let the other arm do most of the lifting and let the stiff arm be carried along by the stick.
Common Mistakes
Arching the lower back
Letting the ribs flare and the lower back lift off the bench, especially when going past vertical, moves the trunk instead of the shoulders, so keep the ribs down and the back resting on the bench.
Shrugging toward the ears
Hiking the shoulders up as the stick rises loads the neck and the top of the shoulder, so keep the shoulders relaxed and away from the ears.
Bending the elbows
Bending the arms turns the drill into a press and shortens the arc the shoulder travels, so keep the elbows straight from start to finish.
Rushing the repetitions
Swinging the stick up and letting it drop uses momentum instead of controlled shoulder motion, so take about two to three seconds each way.
Forcing range through pain
Pushing into a sharp or pinching pain at the top irritates the shoulder rather than freeing it, so stop just short of pain and let the range improve over sessions.
Injuries
Stick Lying Shoulder Flexion is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The load is little more than the weight of the arms and a light stick, and the bench supports the spine throughout. The places that complain are the front and top of the shoulder, usually when someone pushes through a pinch at the end of the range, and the lower back if it arches as the arms travel overhead.
Move slowly, keep the elbows straight and the lower back resting on the bench, and only go as far as the shoulder moves without pain. A gentle stretch at the end of the range is fine for a stiff shoulder; a sharp or pinching pain is not. Older clients should check that the bench is stable and sit down onto it before lying back, or do the drill on a bed or the floor instead.
To make it easier, shorten the arc, let the stronger arm do most of the lifting, or start with Shoulder Pendulum. To progress, continue past vertical toward the head, pause for a breath at the end of the range, then move to standing work such as Wall Shoulder Flexion. After shoulder surgery, follow the timeline and range limits your surgeon and physical therapist set, since rehabilitation protocols differ on when assisted motion may start and how far it may go.
Stop if you feel sharp pain, catching or clicking with pain, numbness or tingling down the arm, or pain that lingers for hours after the session, and have the shoulder checked before continuing.
- Primary Focus
- Shoulders
- Modality
- Stretching
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Alternative Exercises
Other Names for the Stick Lying Shoulder Flexion
The Stick Lying Shoulder Flexion is also known as:
- Supine Wand Flexion
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Why do this lying down instead of standing?
Lying down supports the spine, so the back cannot lean or arch to fake extra range, and the bench gives you instant feedback when it does. The arms also get lighter as they approach vertical, which makes it easier to keep a sore shoulder relaxed than when you raise the arms standing.
- Q: Should I take the stick past vertical toward my head?
The version shown stops with the arms pointing at the ceiling. If your shoulder allows it, continue toward your head only as far as is comfortable with your lower back still flat; after surgery, keep to the range your surgeon or physical therapist has cleared.
- Q: Can I do it in bed or on the floor?
Yes. A bed or the floor works the same way and is often easier for older clients than getting on and off a bench.
- Q: What can I use as a stick?
A broom handle with the head removed, a length of PVC pipe, a wooden dowel or a light mobility bar all work. Choose one about a foot wider than your shoulders so your hands sit comfortably apart.
- Q: How many reps should I do?
Rehab handouts commonly use 2 sets of 5 to 15 slow repetitions, once or twice a day. Your trainer or therapist may adjust this to match how irritable the shoulder is.
- Q: Will this build shoulder strength?
Only a little, because a stick weighs almost nothing. Its job is to restore and maintain range and control; strength comes later from loaded work such as a Dumbbell Front Raise.