Stronger Serratus, Core, And Better Overhead Mobility With This Exercise

This exercise provides a BIG bang for your buck as it strengthens the serratus, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder/scapular controlled mobility.

Unlike during regular roller serratus slides, there is a ball roll-out component here which also makes this a ‘’core’’ exercise.

Serratus slides should be treated as an exercise for improving activation and awareness. Most people cannot feel their serratus muscle working (or shoulder blades moving properly), and make the mistake of treating serratus exercises as strengthening exercises and use too much resistance. As a result, they compensate and do not achieve good results. Most people should start off using bodyweight only. If you use a band, you will not need to use much resistance.

Coaching Tips:

Elevate a ball on a wall so it’s about chest height. ⁣ ⁣

Place your forearms on the ball, and a band around your wrists. ⁣ ⁣

Your body should be in a straight line from your head to knees.⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

While keeping your forearms parallel and vertical, and while pressing into the ball, 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, or your elbows to flare out. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

At the beginning of each rep, press your body away from the ball. When you do you should feel your shoulder blades spread apart from your spine and move around your ribcage (protract).⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

Now slide the ball up the wall, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣This is also the ‘’ab rollout’’ component.⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Do not move the ball 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 as you extend your arms and slide the ball up the wall (spread apart and move away from the spine, and away from the opposite hip).⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

Once you hit your end range, perform the reverse movements and return the ball to the starting position.⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

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. ⁣⁣ ⁣