When it comes to performing at a high level and feeling good, one of the most influential yet overlooked muscles is the serratus anterior! If you struggle with overhead mobility, and possibly cranky shoulders and/or elbows, a lack of strength in the serratus anterior could be the culprit!
A highly functioning serratus anterior muscle can also be a game-changer for your pull-ups, push-ups, muscle-ups, and countless other exercises and daily activities!
Here are 5 of my go-to strengthening exercises for the serratus anterior muscle.
#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 a vertical/parallel 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/level position.
- 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 (think core).
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 flex/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.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace) and flex/squeeze your glutes.
Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.
Do you want to get your first muscle-up ever? If so, check out my Ultimate Muscle-Up Program. A world class training program for excelling at muscle-ups. Do your first rep ever! Improve your PR for reps! Dramatically improve your form! And learn a LOT in the process! For trainees AND coaches! Home workout friendly, and for gym workouts.
#3) Push-Ups + Press-Back
This exercise strengthens the serratus, improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and lumbo-pelvic stability (think core).
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a plank position from your hands and feet. Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels, tuck your chin, and keep your neck in a neutral position.
- Position your hands so they are shoulder width apart or slightly wider. Figure out what hand width and position works and feels best for you.
- At the top of the push-up, your shoulders, elbows and wrists should be in a relatively stacked position (I prefer to have my shoulders more ahead of my hands).
- Your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your full hands and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your full hands 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), lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug, and flex/squeeze your glutes.
- Descend into the push-up and retract your shoulder blades. Think about lightly drawing your shoulder blades together and towards your spine as you are performing the lowering component, but do not overdo this movement. Imagine you are pulling or “rowing” your body down to the floor. Do not just drop down.
- In the bottom position, your elbows should be positioned over your wrists, and forearms in a vertical position.
- Do not allow your elbows to flare out. In the bottom position, your body and upper arms should resemble an “arrow,” not a “T”.
- Once your upper arms are approximately parallel to the floor (or elevated surface if you are modifying), press your body diagonally/back, and get your arms into an overhead position. Your hips should also pike.
- When you are pressing your body diagonally/back and are getting your arms into an overhead position, really think about spreading your shoulder blades apart and moving them away from your spine, around your ribcage, and away from your opposite hip. Do not keep them pinned.
- Then return your body to the top/starting position of the push-up, and do a proper reset (breath in, brace, etc) before performing the next rep.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps.
#4) Band Resisted Slides From Bear Crawl
This exercise strengthens the serratus, improves lumbo-pelvic stability (think core), 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 flex/queeze 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/level position.
- 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 (think core).
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 flex/squeeze your glutes.
- First of all, press your body away from the roller/towards the ceiling 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.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.
SAVE $37 – Learn Pull-Ups AND Build A Strong Core + Strong Mobile Hips! Get a package of The Ultimate Pull-Up Program and The Ultimate Hip Flexor And Core Guide for $157. Both programs regularly cost $97 each, so you save $37.
Join THOUSANDS Of People From 86 Countries Worldwide And Get The Ultimate Pull-Up Program Now
