The serratus anterior muscle is an essential muscle for upper body movement and stability. It allows protraction of shoulder blades toward front of ribcage for improved protraction of shoulder blades for more stable movement and positioning of shoulders inwards towards ribcage for protraction of shoulders blades forward.
To strengthen this muscle group, try performing some of the following workouts: push-ups, side plank with reach, dumbbell pullovers and seated shoulder punches.
Push-ups
The serratus anterior muscle is often overlooked when it comes to strengthening. Yet its strengthening can play an integral role in overhead movements and shoulder stability as well as reduce rotator cuff dysfunction.
The classic push-up is an effective exercise to strengthen the serratus anterior muscle group. Simply perform it in standard push-up position on forearms and toes with feet shoulder width apart; to maximize effectiveness perform it while protracting shoulders as well. Also try performing serratus punches or wall angels for added benefits.
Push-ups may work to activate the serratus anterior, but they’re not as effective as adding an element called the “push-up plus.” This variation involves lifting your upper back toward the ceiling at the end of each pushup movement – research conducted at the University of Minnesota showed this variation activated the serratus anterior 38 percent more than regular pushups! However, including it every workout isn’t necessary – instead focus on targeting protraction exercises instead to target its main function of protraction.
Side plank with reach
This exercise is an effective way to activate the serratus anterior muscle while strengthening shoulder strength and back stability, and helping prevent any potential shoulder sagging that occurs with age.
To perform this exercise, begin in a side plank position with your hips stacked and elbow below shoulder. From there, lift one leg into the air and reach underneath your body until touching either the floor (depending on your range of motion) or as close as possible (based on your range). Finally, lower back down. While this exercise may prove challenging for many individuals, it provides an effective workout for your serratus anterior muscle.
This variation on a side plank targets serratus anterior while also engaging core muscles and strengthening hips, making it suitable for most people (including pregnant women). As always, listen to your body and modify as necessary – for example using less weight may prevent injury.
Dumbbell pullovers
The dumbbell pullover is an effective exercise for strengthening chest and back muscles and improving core stability, as well as engaging the serratus anterior muscle through a greater range of motion to increase hypertrophy and shoulder mobility. To perform it, lay on a bench holding one dumbbell in each hand overhead; lower and lift back up over your chest when necessary.
Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S, Men’s Health fitness director advises that for the best dumbbell pullover results it’s essential to maintain a stable position without arching your back during exercise. If this proves challenging for you then it may be wise to decrease weight or find another upper-body exercise for now.
Prior to training, activating the serratus anterior can help increase shoulder mobility and help prevent injuries. Consider adding bodyweight exercises such as the scapular push-ups or wall slides as bodyweight exercises which engage this muscle – they will strengthen shoulders as well as increase range of motion in movements such as deadlifting and rows.
Seated shoulder punches
Seated shoulder punches are an effective at-home workout exercise to work the serratus anterior muscle. Although difficult to target with traditional exercises, this movement engages these muscles from different angles while being less taxing on the joints than exercises like bench presses. Seated shoulder punches may also be performed in addition to other movements such as stability/Swiss ball knee tuck to chest, Bosu ball plank to push-ups, or walking plank up-downs for maximum benefits.
The serratus anterior is a fan-shaped muscle located along the lateral wall of the thorax. Commonly referred to as the boxer’s muscle, strengthening this fan aids everyone regardless of sport chosen. A strong serratus anterior helps avoid forward rounding of shoulders which can lead to rotator cuff injuries and back pain as well as allow full range arm motion which allows punching or swinging movements without risk of injuries; additionally it prevents scapular winging which causes shoulder and neck pain as well.
Wall angels
Time spent texting and emailing can do more than make you look like Audrey Hepburn; it also weakens back muscles, leading to poorer mood, digestion, memory issues, headaches fatigue and possibly spinal problems. Dallas physical therapists suggest adding wall angels into your routine in order to strengthen and align spinal alignment more effectively.
Wall Angels can help mitigate the negative postural effects of sitting at a desk for hours by strengthening middle and upper-back muscles such as serratus anterior (sides of your ribcage) and rotator cuff muscles, according to Garcia. Furthermore, this exercise also builds core strength which plays an integral part in good posture.
Stand with your head, shoulders and upper back pressed against a wall with knees slightly bent; slide your arms out from both sides like cacti while keeping elbows pressed against wall for as far overhead as comfortable before returning them back into starting position. Repeat daily or as often as desired; if experiencing shoulder discomfort limit range of motion by reaching only as far as is comfortable.
Farmer’s carries
If you want to build strength and improve balance, the farmer’s carry is an excellent exercise for that purpose. It strengthens gluteus medius – essential for hip stability – making everyday activities like walking, jumping and sprinting simpler; strengthens core and shoulder stabilizers which may prevent lower back pain while improving performance in many sports; as well as increasing grip strength for an overall healthy lifestyle.
Though a farmer’s walk is an effective full-body strength-endurance exercise, you can increase its intensity by increasing time or distance walked. Furthermore, different variations of this exercise may provide added variety to your workouts.
One of the best variations of this movement is an offset farmer’s carry. This variation targets both biceps and forearms simultaneously by having you hold weights in front of yourself which prevents rest for each rep. Furthermore, this exercise tests your balance as it challenges your shoulders back and down.
Prone arm lifts
Prone arm lifts are an effective way to strengthen the serratus anterior muscle while improving core stability and posture. To perform them, begin in a regular push-up position with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart while engaging your core. Lower yourself toward the floor while maintaining this protraction before pushing back up to start position. Prone arm lifts can be done instead of regular push-ups or used as an add-on exercise like wall slides or planks for extra core strengthening benefits.
Strengthening the serratus anterior muscles is crucial to upper-body movements such as punching and swinging, yet many athletes neglect this muscle during training, leading to poor shoulder mechanics and potential injuries. Here are three workouts designed to increase serratus anterior strength while simultaneously building chest, shoulders, triceps and lats.
Rollouts
Many athletes are aware of the major muscle groups and exercises designed to strengthen them, but the serratus anterior is one of the lesser-known muscles. Athletes who frequently perform overhead movements or lift heavy weights should include exercises targeting this muscle in their training programs. Exercise such as scapular upward rotation and posterior tilt are especially useful in activating this muscle; additionally these movements can improve scapular control as well as shoulder and elbow mobility. Wall slides and bear crawl variations will also target this muscle effectively.
The serratus anterior muscle is an integral component of shoulder girdle health and should be trained regularly for maximum benefit. A weak serratus anterior can lead to injuries and poor posture in shoulders; exercises like push-ups, side plank with reach, and dumbbell pullovers are great exercises for activating it; however, rollouts offer the most efficient serratus anterior workout from kneeling position using either barbell with plates loaded onto it or ab roller.
