Why do you need to train the serratus anterior?

You may not know its name, “serratus anterior,” but you should pay some attention to this muscle to achieve your goals.

Here is some specific advice and an opportunity to learn how to work your serratus anterior more intelligently before starting your workouts.

There are muscles everyone knows and loves, such as the pectorals, biceps, deltoids, abdominals, obliques, quadriceps, and glutes.

And then there are the muscles everyone loves without even knowing it, such as the brachialis, vastus medialis, and perhaps the most overlooked yet aesthetically pleasing muscle of all, the serratus anterior.

Serratus anterior: where is it?

If you have ever seen a bodybuilder perform the classic “side chest” pose (standing with their chest puffed out and fists on their hips), you have seen the serratus anterior (SA) rippling just beneath the armpits.

Located on both sides of the rib cage, the muscle has a serrated appearance (hence its name), and in particularly defined bodies, it resembles a pair of fingers gripping both sides of the upper torso.

Serratus anterior: what is its function?

The primary function of the serratus anterior is to protract (that is, pull forward) the scapula, as when throwing a punch (which is why it is also known as the “boxer’s muscle”).

The muscle also plays a key role in the upward rotation of the scapula, such as when you lift a weight in front of you or perform an overhead press, and in elevating the rib cage when you breathe.

Because it helps stabilize the scapula during arm movements, strengthening it can help reduce the risk of injury, especially in the shoulders.

The most efficient exercise

Start giving the serratus anterior the attention it deserves in your workouts by performing movements such as scapular push-ups, punches, and any overhead pressing movement.

However, when you want to work the serratus anterior more effectively, you should minimize activation of the upper trapezius.

This is important because most people with a weak muscle cannot activate it properly in the first place, so they tend to overcompensate with their upper trapezius.

To further increase activation during this exercise, you can externally rotate your shoulders while performing it, turning your hands outward during the push-up.

However, there is one drawback to this exercise that we must adapt to: you have to perform it with your arm fixed at a 90-degree angle.

The serratus anterior is engaged more and activated better as your arm angle rises farther above shoulder level.

That is because doing so incorporates the other function of this muscle: upward rotation of the scapula.

Other effective exercises

The machine punch (like a punch), but assisted; similar to the scapular push-up, you simply want to reach as far as you can at the end of your punch.

Another exercise to activate the serratus anterior is to “push your shoulder blades out and around them while sliding along the wall with a roller,” which will help you keep your shoulder blades protracted even more.

At the same time, you should avoid excessively shrugging your trapezius muscles and letting them take control of the movement.