10 Best Serratus Anterior Exercises For Strong And Healthy Shoulders
Updated on: January 19, 2024
Reviewed By Anita K., MSc., GCP, CSTF
Explore the best techniques to improve scapular movement and shoulder mechanics.
You may find affiliate links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Why Trust Us
Serratus anterior exercises are targeted movements that engage and strengthen the serratus anterior muscle, which helps in scapular stability and shoulder mechanics.
The exercises involve controlled motions that promote the protraction of the shoulder blades, encouraging a stable and well-aligned shoulder girdle.
Incorporating serratus anterior exercises into your fitness regimen can enhance upper body strength, support healthy posture, and contribute to improved shoulder functionality.
They are valuable for exercisers seeking to address scapular imbalances, prevent shoulder injuries, and improve upper-body wellness.
Achieving a well-rounded upper body requires more than focusing on the major muscles.
The intricate network of muscles in the shoulders and scapulae helps in strength and aesthetics. One often overlooked yet essential component is the serratus anterior muscle.
What is the serratus anterior?
The serratus anterior is a muscle located on the lateral surface of the ribcage. It originates from the upper eight or nine ribs and inserts along the medial border of the scapula or shoulder blade, specifically on its anterior surface.
The muscle gets its name from its serrated or saw-toothed appearance due to its multiple finger-like projections attachment to the ribs.
The serratus anterior helps in the movement and stability of the scapula, which in turn affects that of the shoulder joint. It plays several functions, including,
- Protraction of the scapula
The serratus anterior is responsible for moving the scapula forward and away from the body’s midline, a movement known as protraction.
The motion is crucial for reaching forward and pushing activities. - Upward rotation of the scapula
The muscle helps with the upward rotation of the scapula during arm raising.
Thre rotation is essential for maintaining the proper alignment of the shoulder joint during overhead movements. - Stabilization of the scapula
The serratus anterior helps stabilize the scapula against the ribcage, providing a firm base for arm movements.
It aids in maintaining proper scapular positioning during various upper-body activities. - Assisting in breathing
The serratus anterior also helps in breathing. It helps expand the ribcage during inhalation by aiding in the elevation of the ribs.
Injury or weakness of the serratus anterior can lead to issues with scapular movement, shoulder stability, and even altered breathing patterns.
Thus, aside from giving you a strong foundation for upper body movements, serratus anterior exercises that target and strengthen the muscle are often included in rehabilitation programs for shoulder injuries and to improve upper body function.
Best Serratus Anterior Exercises for Shoulder Strength and Aesthetics
Below are the best serratus anterior exercises that can help enhance shoulder strength, promote balanced muscle development, and contribute to an aesthetically pleasing upper body appearance.
Push-Up Plus
Push-Up Plus combines the traditional push-up movement with scapular protraction and is one of the best serratus anterior exercises.
Push-up plus actively engages and strengthens the serratus anterior muscle, making it one of the best for scapular stability and proper shoulder mechanics.
Steps to follow
- Start in a high plank position, ensuring your arms are slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your elbows as you would in a regular push-up to lower your body toward the floor.
- Continue pressing through your arms as you push yourself back to your starting position, allowing your shoulder blades to move away from each other. The motion creates a rounding of the upper back, activating the serratus anterior muscle. You should feel a stretch and engagement between your shoulder blades.
- Lower yourself back down and repeat the push-up, focusing on maintaining the protracted position of your shoulder blades.
Scapular Wall Slides
Scapular wall slides are excellent serratus anterior muscle exercises that help improve scapular mobility, stability, and control.
They are one of the best serratus anterior exercises for promoting proper scapular movement and enhancing the connection between the serratus anterior and scapular stability.
Scapular wall slides are popular exercises in rehabilitation settings to address shoulder issues and develop healthy movement patterns.
Steps to follow
- Stand with your back against a wall, ensuring your heels, hips, and shoulders are all in contact with the wall. Keep your feet a few inches away from the wall.
- Place your arms against the wall and bend your elbows at 90 degrees with your wrists and fingers touching the wall. Ensure your forearms are parallel to the floor.
- Slowly slide your arms upward along the wall while straightening your elbows, ensuring your wrists, elbows, and back stay in contact with the wall.
- Focus on allowing your shoulder blades to slide along the wall as you raise your arms. That encourages scapular upward rotation, which activates the serratus anterior.
- Continue sliding your arms upward until you can no longer maintain contact between your wrists, elbows, and the wall.
- Reverse the movement by sliding your arms back down while maintaining control and scapular engagement.
Kneeling Serratus Punch
The Kneeling Serratus Punch engages, isolates, and strengthens the serratus anterior by mimicking its protraction function.
The movement encourages scapular protraction, making it one of the most effective exercises for the serratus anterior.
Steps to follow
You will need a weight bench or an elevated surface for the serratus anterior exercises.
- Kneel on the floor, facing the weight bench or elevated surface, with your knees at hip-width and your toes tucked under for stability.
- Place your hands on the weight bench, box, or elevated surface. Keep your palms at slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Keep your arms straight and your body in a neutral spine position.
- Protract your shoulder blades by imagining you’re pushing the bench away from you and allow your upper back to round slightly.
- Your body will move forward slightly as you protract your shoulder blades, mimicking the motion of a punch.
- Hold the protracted position for a moment to feel the engagement in your serratus anterior.
- Retract your shoulder blades, push your hands onto the bench, and slowly return to your starting position.
- Repeat
Serratus Anterior Wall Press
The Serratus Anterior Wall Press involves actively pushing your hands against a wall, mimicking the protraction action of the serratus anterior.
The movement isolates and activates the serratus anterior muscle, making it valuable for improving scapular stability and shoulder function and one of the best serratus anterior exercises
Steps to follow
- Stand facing a wall with your arms extended at shoulder height and palms flat against the wall.
- Keep your arms straight and engage your core.
- Push your hands into the wall, focusing on protracting your shoulder blades. Imagine trying to push the wall away from you.
- Your shoulder blades will move away from each other as you press into the wall, engaging the serratus anterior.
- Hold the protracted position for a few seconds while maintaining tension in your shoulder blades.
- Slowly release the pressure and retract your shoulder blades to return to your starting position.
- Repeat.
Serratus Anterior Push with Resistance Band
The Serratus Anterior Push with a Resistance Band is a good exercise that allows you to actively engage the Serratus anterior by creating resistance against its protraction function.
Incorporating resistance allows you to challenge the muscle and promote its strengthening, making it one of the best serratus anterior exercises with a resistance band.
Steps to follow
- Attach a resistance band to a sturdy anchor point at shoulder height.
- Hold the resistance band with both hands and arms extended in front of you at shoulder height. Keep your arms at shoulder-width.
- Step away from the anchor point to create tension in the resistance band.
- Keep your arms straight and engage your core.
- Push your hands against the band’s resistance, focusing on protracting your shoulder blades.
- Your shoulder blades will move away from each other as you push your hands forward, engaging the serratus anterior.
- Hold the protracted position for a few seconds, feeling the activation in your serratus anterior.
- Slowly release the tension in the band and retract your shoulder blades to return to the starting position.
- Repeat.
Dips with Scapular Protraction
Dips with scapular protraction can help engage and target the serratus anterior muscle.
Dips are compound exercises that target the triceps and chest muscles, and incorporating scapular protraction can make them excellent serratus anterior exercises at home.
Incorporating scapular protraction during dips can involve the serratus anterior by encouraging proper scapular movement and stabilization. The variation adds a different dimension to the exercise and can help target the serratus anterior more directly than regular dips.
Steps to follow
You will need parallel bars or dip bars for the serratus anterior exercises.
- Position yourself between the dip bars.
- Grasp the bars firmly and lift yourself off the floor, supporting your body weight on your arms.
- Retract your shoulders by pulling your shoulder blades together.
- Focus on protracting your shoulder blades by pushing through the bars as you lower your body into the dip.
- Your shoulder blades protract at the bottom of the dip.
- Push through your hands to lift your body back up while retracting your shoulder blades.
- Repeat.
Quadruped Serratus Punch
The Quadruped Serratus Punch involves a tabletop position and mimics the action of protraction, which is a principal function of the serratus anterior.
The movement can help improve scapular stability and shoulder function. It can help improve scapular stability and shoulder function.
The quadruped serratus punch also encourages proper protraction and retraction of the shoulder blades, contributing to shoulder health and making it one of the best exercises for the serratus anterior muscle.
Steps to follow for the serratus anterior exercises
- Position your hands and knees in a tabletop position with your wrists aligned under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
- Extend one arm straight out in front of you at shoulder height, palm facing down.
- Press your extended arm into the floor while keeping a stable core and a flat back, and allow your shoulder blade to protract or move away from your spine.
- Your body will move forward slightly as you protract the shoulder blade.
- Hold the protracted position briefly to feel the engagement in your serratus anterior.
- Slowly release the pressure and retract your shoulder blade to return to your starting position.
- Repeat 8-10 reps on one side before switching to the other side.
- Aim to complete 2-4 sets in a session.
Downward Dog
The downward dog pose is a yoga pose and a good exercise for engaging and stretching the serratus anterior muscle.
It is a foundational yoga pose and one of the best serratus anterior strengthening exercises that provide several benefits for the whole body, including the shoulders and upper back.
The pose elongates the spine, creating space between the vertebrae and relieving tension in the upper back.
The downward dog is one of the most effective serratus anterior stretching exercises. Practicing the pose can help improve posture by elongating the spine and encouraging alignment of the shoulders and scapulae.
Steps to follow
- Position your hands and knees in a tabletop position, with your wrists aligned under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
- Spread your fingers wide and press firmly through your palms for a stable foundation.
- Keep your hands at shoulder-width and your fingers pointing forward or slightly outward.
- Press through your hands and lift your hips toward the ceiling to create an inverted “V” shape with your body.
- Keep your arms and legs straight or with a slight bend in your knees if needed. Press your heels toward the floor. They don’t need to touch the floor but aim for a gentle stretch in your calf muscles and hamstrings.
- Engage your core muscles to support your lower back and maintain a straight line from your wrists to your hips.
- Focus on protracting your shoulder blades as you press through your hands to encourage engagement of the serratus anterior.
- Push your chest gently toward your thighs and relax your neck to create a lengthening and stretching sensation through the upper back.
- Breathe deeply and hold the pose for several breaths, allowing your body to stretch and settle into the position.
- Gently lower your knees to the floor to come out of the pose. Then rest in Child’s Pose or transition to another yoga pose.
Dynamic Hug with Resistance Band
The Dynamic Hug with a resistance band can help engage the serratus anterior and other upper body muscles. Using a resistance band for the exercise can increase its intensity and help build strength and stability.
Steps to follow
- Attach a resistance band to a stationary object at chest height.
- Hold the resistance band with both hands, palms facing inwards.
- Step away from the anchor point to create tension in the band.
- Stand upright with your feet at hip-width.
- Bring your arms forward and cross them over each other at chest height as if you’re hugging yourself.
- Focus on protracting your shoulder blades and feeling the engagement in your serratus anterior as you cross your arms.
- Hold the hugging position briefly while maintaining tension in the resistance band.
- Slowly release the hug and return your arms to your starting position while resisting the band’s pull.
- Repeat
Benefits of serratus anterior exercises
Serratus anterior exercises offer several benefits for upper body strength, posture, and shoulder health.
- Improved scapular stability
The serratus anterior helps in stabilizing the shoulder blade.
Incorporating serratus anterior exercises into your workout to help strengthen the muscle helps maintain proper scapular positioning during various upper-body movements.
That can help reduce the risk of shoulder injuries and imbalances. - Enhanced shoulder function
Strong serratus anterior muscles contribute to optimal shoulder mechanics.
That can help improve your ability to perform various upper body exercises and activities. - Reduced risk of shoulder impingement
A well-functioning serratus anterior can help prevent scapular winging or protruding shoulder blades, helping to promote healthy movement patterns that reduce the risk of shoulder impingement. - Better posture
Adding serratus anterior exercises to your workout can help improve your posture by stabilizing the scapula and contributing to proper upper-body alignment. - Increased upper body strength
Engaging the serratus anterior during exercises adds to the strength of your upper body muscles, including the chest, shoulders, and back. - Enhanced athletic performance
The serratus anterior contributes to efficient shoulder movement in various sports and activities.
Thus, serratus anterior strengthening exercises can help improve athletic performance. - Injury Prevention
Strengthening the serratus anterior through exercises can help create balanced muscle activation around the shoulder joint. That can help reduce the risk of overuse injuries and strains. - Functional movement
The serratus anterior plays a role in many functional movements, such as reaching, pushing, and lifting.
Serratus anterior exercises that help improve strength in the muscle can enhance your ability to perform those movements effectively. - Better breathing mechanics
The muscle assists in expanding the ribcage during inhalation, contributing to efficient breathing patterns. - Rehabilitation
Serratus anterior exercises are often included in rehabilitation programs for shoulder injuries or post-surgery recovery to regain strength and stability. - Muscle balance
Strengthening the serratus anterior can help maintain a balance between the shoulder and muscles. That can help promote joint health.
Final words from LiveLIfe
Many exercisers ignore non-prominent muscles like the serratus anterior, forgetting they play prominent roles in ensuring optimal performance.
Paying attention to such muscles will ensure a more comprehensive development, helping you to build a more balanced body. That is where serratus anterior exercises come in.
Serratus anterior exercises can ensure optimal scapular stability and movement, helping you lay the foundation for your shoulders to perform at their best.
Incorporate the carefully selected serratus anterior exercises outlined in this article into your training regimen to help improve your posture and for well-rounded shoulder strength and aesthetics.
References
- Lung K., St Lucia K., Lui F. 2022. Anatomy, Thorax, Serratus Anterior Muscles. StatPearls [Internet]