Skip to main content

Serratus Anterior Exercises

Exercises for this muscle group

Nipunsharma
Nipunsharma g Nipun Sharma
70 Post(s)
70 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: July 7, 2014
Posted

Hi everyone

 

 

Actually i have question about how to target serratus anterior, serratus anterior also known as "boxers muscles" as you use the serratus to throw a punch, these are the muscles that originates of the front of the ribs and attaches to the scapula (it pulls the scapula forward), it kind of gives cool cobra look to your mid section and makes you look more shredded and ripped, so i was wondering if you guys know some exercises that targets this muscle group (and ofcourse i know you need a low bodyfat for them to appear), the exercises i know are (correct me if i am wrong)

 

old school Ab wheel

1 arm cable crunch

hanging windshield wiper exercise

wood chopper/cutter exercise

 

PS i dont think so that dumbbell pullover targets serratus that much

 

Thanks in advance

Veni Vidi Vici : I came, I saw, and I conquered. Started Lifting December 2012, almost 2 years of lifting experience. Age 19, Pursuing Computer Science engineering.
Daniel_Meyer
Daniel_Meyer g Daniel Meyer
518 Post(s)
518 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Nipunsharma

Hi everyone

 

 

Actually i have question about how to target serratus anterior, serratus anterior also known as "boxers muscles" as you use the serratus to throw a punch, these are the muscles that originates of the front of the ribs and attaches to the scapula (it pulls the scapula forward), it kind of gives cool cobra look to your mid section and makes you look more shredded and ripped, so i was wondering if you guys know some exercises that targets this muscle group (and ofcourse i know you need a low bodyfat for them to appear), the exercises i know are (correct me if i am wrong)

 

old school Ab wheel

1 arm cable crunch

hanging windshield wiper exercise

wood chopper/cutter exercise

 

PS i dont think so that dumbbell pullover targets serratus that much

 

Thanks in advance

No crunches or abdominal exercises will directly target the serratus anterior. If you really want to target the serratus anterior you need to do what's called a push up plus. This video ,Push up plus, is the best I could find to explain how to do it. Another exercise you can try is what I call the twist press. Its performed using a cable machine which is set up just below shoulder height. You hold the handle on the cable then twist your torso and punch but allow your shoulder to protract as you would when punching.

Sport Rehabilitation BSc GSR Sport Rehabilitator and S&C coach at Boston United FC Super Hermanite Twitter: Daniel_Meyer99
Nipunsharma
Nipunsharma g Nipun Sharma
70 Post(s)
70 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: July 7, 2014
Posted
Posted By: Daniel_Meyer

No crunches or abdominal exercises will directly target the serratus anterior. If you really want to target the serratus anterior you need to do what's called a push up plus. This video ,Push up plus, is the best I could find to explain how to do it. Another exercise you can try is what I call the twist press. Its performed using a cable machine which is set up just below shoulder height. You hold the handle on the cable then twist your torso and punch but allow your shoulder to protract as you would when punching.

i have seen this video before, push up plus or scap pushups do help in serratus muscle development and i actually forgot to mention it thanks, and twist press is actually kind of or we can say a little bit different version wood cutter/chopper exercise and windshield wiper is also an advanced abdominal exercise which somewhat targets serratus anterior, you need to see some videos of those exercises i mentioned above, although i found some interesting stuff about serratus workout, take a look

 

Movement of scapula

 

Abduction
Upward Rotation
Elevation (Weak)

 

http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/SerratusAnterior.html

 

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/SerratusAnterior/BBInclineShoulderRaise.html

 

 

Veni Vidi Vici : I came, I saw, and I conquered. Started Lifting December 2012, almost 2 years of lifting experience. Age 19, Pursuing Computer Science engineering.
Daniel_Meyer
Daniel_Meyer g Daniel Meyer
518 Post(s)
518 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Nipunsharma

i have seen this video before, push up plus or scap pushups do help in serratus muscle development and i actually forgot to mention it thanks, and twist press is actually kind of or we can say a little bit different version wood cutter/chopper exercise and windshield wiper is also an advanced abdominal exercise which somewhat targets serratus anterior, you need to see some videos of those exercises i mentioned above, although i found some interesting stuff about serratus workout, take a look

 

Movement of scapula

 

Abduction
Upward Rotation
Elevation (Weak)

 

http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/SerratusAnterior.html

 

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/SerratusAnterior/BBInclineShoulderRaise.html

 

 

The reason why I stated the twist press is because of the shoulder protraction element which will target the serratus anterior. Woodchoppers require a fixed shoulder girldle therefore offer no stimulation of serratus anterior through a range of motion.

The main function of serratus anterior is protraction of the shoulder girdle from a physique development point of view. I would only look of the effects on the scapula from an injury rehab/prehab point of view as you can never isolate a muscle through its function on the scapula.

Sport Rehabilitation BSc GSR Sport Rehabilitator and S&C coach at Boston United FC Super Hermanite Twitter: Daniel_Meyer99
jmboiardi
jmboiardi p John M Boiardi
2.6K Post(s)
2.6K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Daniel_Meyer

No crunches or abdominal exercises will directly target the serratus anterior. If you really want to target the serratus anterior you need to do what's called a push up plus. This video ,Push up plus, is the best I could find to explain how to do it. Another exercise you can try is what I call the twist press. Its performed using a cable machine which is set up just below shoulder height. You hold the handle on the cable then twist your torso and punch but allow your shoulder to protract as you would when punching.

I would also add that dumbell pullovers target the serratus group as well as the chest and lats when done properly.

 

John

34 years of lifting and nutritional experience and resident "old man" :-) MS Athlete and past Super Hermanite since 2013.
Nipunsharma
Nipunsharma g Nipun Sharma
70 Post(s)
70 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: July 7, 2014
Posted
Posted By: jmboiardi

I would also add that dumbell pullovers target the serratus group as well as the chest and lats when done properly.

 

John

i doubt that a bit, the controversy about dumbbell pullovers hit serratus or not is because the functions that the serratus performs (scapular elevation, upward rotation, abduction/protraction, preventing winging) is involved in pullovers or pulldown movements, which involve performing depression and downward rotation.

I could actually understand an argument for the prevention of winging being involved in some kinds of pullover movements, like if you were free-hanging and the weight of the arms and scapulae would have them fall off.

But the way people do pullovers, the weight is placed on a bench, supporting the scapulae from winging away, so that theory is out the window.

 

But since the serratus is responsible for scapular extension. Many lifters will unwittingly bring their arms up and extend their scapula/shoulder blades at the top of this lift. If someone's goal is to isolate the serratus, get a bigger, heavier weight, and just do scapular extension. This isn't part of the 'compound' of the lift as it doesn't actually help bring the weight through the range of motion, you can perform the full pullover without using your serratus at all, and that's clue enough that they aren't a primary mover.
So yes, maybe you can activate them a bit during the lift, but if someone is that concerned with hitting them, choose an independent exercise, but really they should get plenty of stimulation from pressing exercises.

 

There are other exercise to choose over dumbbell pullover to hit the serratus anterior in a better way but still there is lot of stuff to learn and im still learning.

Veni Vidi Vici : I came, I saw, and I conquered. Started Lifting December 2012, almost 2 years of lifting experience. Age 19, Pursuing Computer Science engineering.
muscular strength
 You must be a Member to view or reply this tread. Please Log In or become a Member .