Here are 5 of my go-to exercises for strengthening the serratus anterior muscle. The serratus, which is a key player in scapular upward rotation, protraction, and stabilization, is overlooked by many.
If you struggle with overhead mobility, a lack of strength in the serratus anterior could be the culprit!
#1) Band Resisted Serratus Wall Climbs
This exercise strengthens the serratus, and improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a tall kneeling position, and so your body is relatively close to a wall. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- While keeping your forearms in an ”11 o’clock” position, lightly press your wrists out against the band. Maintain this forearm position for the duration of the exercise, and do not allow the band to lose resistance.
- Before you perform the “climbs,” press your body away from the wall and protract your shoulder blades (spread them apart from your spine, and around your ribcage). This movement is here fairly subtle.
- Now walk your hands up the wall, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.
- Do not move your hands up the wall by hyperextending your lower back and flaring your ribcage, or excessively shrugging your shoulders (a slight amount of shrugging is ok).
- Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move and should protract and upwardly rotate (move away from your spine, around your ribcage, and away from your opposite hip) as you extend your arms and walk your hands up the wall.
- Once you hit your end range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), perform the reverse movements and return your arms to the starting position.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace) and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 3-6 reps. One rep = 3-5 climbs up and 3-5 climbs down.
#2) TRX Serratus Slides
This exercise strengthens the serratus, improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a tall kneeling stance. Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top of your head to knees.
- Place the straps of the TRX around your forearms, and bend your elbows to about 90 degrees. Your forearms should be parallel in width, on an angle, and pointing up towards the ceiling.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.
- Before you perform the “slides” and extend your arms, press your body away from the straps and protract your shoulder blades (spread them apart from your spine, and around your ribcage). This movement is here fairly subtle.
- Now, extend your arms and slide them towards the ceiling. During this component of the exercise, your shoulder blades should upwardly rotate, and protract (move away from your spine, around your ribcage, and away from your opposite hip) . Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned.
- While you want to avoid excessively shrugging your shoulders, a slight shrug is ok, particularly if you are looking to strengthen the upper traps. But do not overdo the shrug.
- Once you have hit your end range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), return to the starting position. As you are doing so, your shoulder blades should perform the reverse movements as they did when you were extending your arms.
- For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from your head to knees. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace) and squeeze your glutes.
Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.
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#3) Body Saws
This exercise strengthens the serratus, improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and lumbo-pelvic stability. You may use slider pads, towels, etc.
Coaching Tips:
- Place each foot on a slider pad/towel. Get into a plank position from your forearms and feet. Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels.
- Adopt your preferred foot width. You may place your feet so they are together, shoulder width apart, or somewhere in between. The farther apart your feet are, the more stable your base will be.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.
- Use the muscles in your shoulders and around your shoulder blades and press your body backwards. During this component of the exercise, your shoulder blades should upwardly rotate, and protract (move away from your spine, around your ribcage, and away from your opposite hip). Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned.
- Once you hit your end range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), perform the reverse movements and pull your body forward, and return to the starting position.
- For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, hips to pike or collapse, or weight to shift from foot to foot.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.
#4) Band Resisted Slides From Bear Crawl
This exercise strengthens the serratus, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, shoulder and scapular controlled mobility (and stability on the planted side). You can do this using sliders or towels.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band around your wrists, and place your hands on sliders/something that slides.
- Get into a bear crawl position. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position. Your thighs should be vertical, knees bent, and several inches above the floor.
- Place your feet so they are about hip to shoulder width apart.
- Your hands should be underneath your shoulders. Spread your fingers, and pretend you are suctioning or screwing your hand and fingers to the floor.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.
- Now slide your hand away from your body (so your arm is in an overhead position), and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. During this component of the exercise, your shoulder blade should upwardly rotate, and protract (move away from your spine, around your ribcage, and away from your opposite hip). Do not keep your shoulder blade pinned.
- Return to the starting position with control.
- For the next slide, slide your hand laterally. Alternate between vertical and lateral slides.
- Pay attention to your supporting side. Push away from the floor and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug towards your ears.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, hips to pike or collapse, or weight to shift from foot to foot.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced, and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps per side.
#5) Prone Serratus Roller Roll-Outs
This exercise strengthens the serratus muscle, improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Place your forearms on a roller (you may also use a towel).
- Get into a plank position from your forearms and feet.
- Adopt your preferred foot width. You may place your feet so they are together, shoulder width apart, or somewhere in between. The farther apart your feet are, the more stable your base will be.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.
- First of all, press your body away from the roller and protract your shoulder blades (spread them apart from your spine, and around your ribcage). This movement is here fairly subtle. Do not mindlessly hang out on your shoulders.
- Roll the roller forward. During this component of the exercise, your shoulder blades should upwardly rotate, and protract (move away from your spine, around your ribcage, and away from your opposite hip). Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned.
- Once you hit your end range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), perform the reverse movements and return to the starting position.
- For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, hips to pike or collapse, or weight to shift from foot to foot.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace) and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.
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