I first heard Coach Diaz mention Stick Mobility on the Natural Running Network podcast. It looked like the PVC pipe mobility from a CrossFit class taken to a whole new level. I was intrigued, but the price for a set was $170 at the time, which was way more than I was going to pay without being able to hold one in my hands, first. I moved on and forgot about them for a few months.
I don’t know why, but they popped back into my head around February of 2020. I still wasn’t willing to shell out that kind of cash for a pretty stick, but I wanted to give the modality a try to see if it might be worth it.
You can get away with a plain ol’ PVC pipe for many of the movements, but I found my hands slipping and quickly realized that the grips on Stick Mobility‘s product weren’t just for looks. I grabbed my knock-off VooDoo band, wrapped it around one end, and voila! Grip. I made a couple upgrades to my ghetto stick as I used it more, and ultimately ended up with something that checks all the boxes — except the polished, professional look.
Now, before I give you instructions on making your own, I must say that Stick Mobility isn’t just a product. It’s a method they’ve developed to help people relieve pain and improve range of motion. They provide a lot of free content, and it’s worth supporting their business. A single 7 foot stick is listed for $70 right now, so it’s not as intimidating as the $170 price tag I saw originally. If you benefit from their modality, buy a stick at some point. The method is very effective, and they’ve given me a toolset that has delivered on its promise. Not only do I own a full set now, I’m scheduled for their certification class in August 2020. I was going to attend one in early April, but lots of things have been move around in lieu of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Materials
1″ PVC pipe
Get something with a higher PSI. I like the gray 630 PSI. Lowes sells a 10 footer for $7 each.
Floss/Mobility bands
Originally known as Kelly’ Starrett’s VooDoo bands. If you don’t already own one, I’d highly recommend them. More on those later, but WODNation has a good option.
1.5″ Rubber Caps
You want these to be a little oversized to fit around the pipe and the rubber band. These worked for me.
Steps
- Cut a mobility band in half. You should have two 3.5″ bands.
- Measure 16″ from one end of the PVC. Start wrapping there, overlapping about 1/4″.
- Once you get to the end, wrap the band over itself, like when you’re using it for its intended purpose.
- Stick the rubber cap on.
- Repeat for the other side.