Here is short video with a couple of shoulder mobility exercises that I have found particularly helpful as part of a shoulder mobility program.
These exercises make use of a stick. The nice thing about using this tool is that if one of your shoulders is more restricted than the other, you can use the stronger arm to lead the movement while keeping the restricted arm relatively passive.
Often with pain during overhead extension of the arm, the pain is only present when actively trying to raise the arm. If the only muscles that are active are those holding the stick, while every other muscle in the arm is relaxed like a ragdoll, the arm can be moved quite a lot without pain. Of course, there are cases where this does not apply.
If you have been recovering from shoulder issues and are stuck in that stubborn last 10% of the healing process, these are probably going to be great exercises for you, along with hanging from a bar.
Click the image below to watch the YT Shorts video demonstrating the movements:
You don't need a bo staff, jo, or hanbo or any special equipment to do this functional training exercise. You can use any stick or broom handle. Even a resistance band can have a similar effect, so get creative and you'll find your range of motion expanding in no time!
We'll cover more exercises and natural movement methodologies behind shoulder mobility in my upcoming workshops. For in-person and online workshops, check the link in my bio, or send me a message.