Alec Titan
The serratus anterior is a large muscle that wraps around the outside of the rib cage, originating on the superolateral surfaces of the first to eighth or ninth ribs and inserting along the superior angle of the scapula. It is responsible for scapular (shoulder blade) protraction and helps your shoulders maintain the proper position during movements like punching. This muscle is often referred to as the boxer's muscle or the big swing muscle. Training the serratus anterior can be achieved through exercises such as push-ups, planks, rhomboid pulls, and oblique punches.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Closed chain exercises
One example of a closed chain exercise is the modified push-up plus, where you can dictate how much load to place on your shoulders. To do this, twist your triceps in towards your armpit to minimise the assistance from your pec muscles, and push your body away from the floor by pushing your shoulder blades out and around your body.
Another example of a closed chain exercise is the wall slide, which is designed to target the serratus anterior by maximising scapular upward rotation. However, performing the wall slide with scapular elevation will target the scapular elevators instead, such as the upper trapezius and levator scapula.
A study comparing serratus anterior muscle activity during protraction in open chain and closed chain exercises found that muscle activity was significantly higher in the open chain exercises. Thus, the study concluded that the open chain exercise in supine posture is better for selective activation of the serratus anterior muscle than the closed chain exercise in quadruped posture.
Muscle Cramps: Understanding the Uncontrollable Framp and How to Prevent It
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Push-ups
The serratus anterior is a broad, flattened muscle that runs from the lateral surface of the ribs, around the thoracic wall, and inserts on the costal surface of the medial border of the scapula. It is also known as the "Big Swing Muscle" or the "Boxer's Muscle". This muscle is essential for shoulder positioning and stabilization, helping to prevent scapular winging, a condition where the shoulder blade sticks out and makes performing everyday movements difficult.
One of the best exercises to strengthen the serratus anterior is the push-up, specifically the scapular push-up or push-up plus. This exercise isolates the serratus anterior and strengthens the arms, chest, shoulders, and scapular area.
To perform a scapular push-up, begin in a high plank position with your legs hip-width apart and your wrists stacked under your shoulders. Keep your elbows tucked into your body and slowly lower your body until your chest touches the floor. As you lower your body, focus on protracting your scapula, or wrapping your shoulder blades forward around your ribcage. This will help activate the serratus anterior and improve shoulder mobility.
For a more challenging variation, try the push-up plus. Start in a standard push-up position and push your body away from the floor by pushing your shoulder blades out and around your body. To increase the difficulty, shift your body weight forward onto your hands and elevate your knees off the floor. This will increase the load on your shoulders and engage the serratus anterior more effectively.
In addition to strengthening the serratus anterior, push-ups also have the benefit of training asymmetrical scapular motion. By keeping one hand on the ground and lowering the other, you can focus on protracting and retracting the scapula on one side, improving the stability and range of motion in your shoulders.
Relaxing Jaw Muscles: Simple Techniques for a Softer Jaw
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Planks
The serratus anterior is a muscle that runs from the lateral surface of the ribs, passing posteriorly around the thoracic wall, and inserting on the costal surface of the medial border of the scapula. It is often referred to as the "Big Swing Muscle" or the "Boxer's Muscle". This is because it is essential for shoulder girdle performance and health, allowing for the forward elevation of the arm and pulling the scapula forward and around the rib cage.
The serratus anterior is a key scapular stabilizer, keeping the shoulder blades against the rib cage at rest and during movement. It is important to train this muscle to prevent scapular winging, which is when the shoulder blade abnormally moves away from the thorax during arm movements.
- Start by lying flat on your stomach with your legs extended straight behind you and your toes tucked under.
- Place your hands on the floor directly under your shoulders, with your fingers facing forward.
- Push your body away from the floor by pushing the shoulder blades out and around your body. Keep your back straight and your neck neutral, looking slightly in front of your hands.
- Hold this position for a set period, such as 30 seconds, and then release by lowering your knees to the floor.
It is important to note that the effectiveness of this exercise in training the serratus anterior is due to the closed chain nature of the movement. This means that your body is stabilized or fixed onto the floor, creating a resistance cue for the serratus anterior to work against.
Healing Your Adductor Muscle: A Comprehensive Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Rhomboid pulls
The serratus anterior, or the "Big Swing Muscle", plays an important role in shoulder movement and stability. It is a broad, flattened muscle that runs from the lateral surface of the ribs, passes posteriorly around the thoracic wall, and inserts on the costal surface of the medial border of the scapula.
Now, here is an exercise regimen focused on rhomboid pulls to train the serratus muscles:
The rhomboids are an important muscle group that works around the shoulder complex. They are split into the rhomboid minor and the rhomboid major, and they work together to elevate and retract the scapula. The rhomboids are located underneath the trapezius muscle and contribute to pulling exercises, making it beneficial to strengthen them if you want to improve your pulling strength and grow a defined back.
- Adjust an incline bench to a 30-45 degree angle.
- Grab a dumbbell in each hand and lay face down on the bench with your chest against the padding.
- Let the dumbbells hang straight down towards the floor.
- Initiate the rowing motion by retracting your shoulder blades and pulling the dumbbells towards your hips.
- Feel the contraction in your upper back and hold this position briefly.
- Slowly return the dumbbells to the starting position.
- Repeat this exercise 15 times to complete one set.
For an advanced version of this exercise, you can increase the weight of the dumbbells or try using a Smith machine or assisted pull-up machine. Additionally, you can incorporate other exercises such as scaption, or scapular plane elevation, which involves raising your arms from the sides of your body and slightly forward to strengthen your scapular further.
By including rhomboid pulls in your workout routine, you can effectively target the serratus anterior muscle group and improve your shoulder health, stability, and overall functional strength.
Mastering Muscle Memory: Effective Strategies to Remember Muscles
You may want to see also
Oblique punches
The serratus anterior, or "boxer's muscle", is an important muscle for shoulder health and movement. It is a broad, flattened muscle that runs from the lateral surface of the ribs, around the thoracic wall, and inserts on the scapula. The serratus anterior is essential for scapular protraction and upward rotation, keeping the shoulder blade close to the thorax during arm movements.
Now, onto oblique punches. The obliques are an important muscle group for boxers, as they provide rotational force to the torso during punches, especially hooks and uppercuts. They also help with defensive movements such as slipping, ducking, and rolling, allowing boxers to quickly recoil and counter-punch.
To develop the obliques for punching, focus on exercises that target anti-rotation and anti-lateral flexion. These movements help to resist rotation of the lumbar spine and buffer lateral flexion forces. Additionally, work on developing stability, strength, and explosiveness in the lateral stabilisers to improve the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) function of the core.
One example of an oblique exercise is the banded GHD oblique punch, which is an ab accessory movement that addresses rotation. Other exercises that strengthen the obliques include:
- Side bending and rotation of the trunk
- Comprehensive core development, particularly focusing on anti-rotation, anti-lateral flexion, anti-extension, and hip flexion with a neutral spine
- Strengthening the posterior chain and improving muscle sequencing during trunk rotation
Buccinator Muscle: Location and Function Explained
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The serratus anterior is a large muscle that wraps around the outside of the rib cage and is responsible for scapular (shoulder blade) protraction. It helps your shoulders maintain the proper position during movements like punching, pushing, and pulling. It is also important for preventing scapular winging, which is when the shoulder blade abnormally moves away from the thorax during arm movements.
If you can do a simple wall push-up without any scapular winging, your serratus muscle is strong enough.
The serratus anterior is trained directly in exercises like push-ups, planks, rhomboid pulls, and oblique punches. It is also trained indirectly in closed chain exercises where your body is stabilized or fixed to the floor, such as modified push-up plus.
