Band Pass-Through

Setup

Hold a light resistance band or dowel with a wide overhand grip, arms extended in front of the body.

Execution

1. 1Keeping arms straight and shoulders down, raise the band overhead
2. 2Continue the arc until the band passes behind the body
3. 3Reverse the motion back to the front with control
4. 4Adjust grip width — wider is easier, narrower is more demanding

Key cues

• Keep elbows locked straight throughout
• Don't arch the low back to fake more range
• Keep shoulders pulled down away from the ears
• Move slow and controlled, not a fast swing

Common faults

• Bending the elbows to cheat the range
• Arching the back to compensate for tight shoulders
• Grip too narrow for current mobility, forcing compensation
• Rushing through the pass instead of controlling it

Tweaks

• Perform seated to remove any lumbar compensation
• Pause at the overhead position for a few seconds each rep
• Gradually narrow the grip as mobility improves

Muscles

Notes

One of the best bang-for-buck warmup drills before any overhead pressing session.

Sources

• Demo: Band Pass Through
• Improve Your Shoulder Mobility In Seconds with the Band Pass Through

Attribution: Standard S&C warmup staple, used broadly across CrossFit, weightlifting, and PT settings