Serratus anterior strengthening exercise

What is the Serratus anterior strengthening exercise?

• Serratus anterior strengthening exercise is the best option to increase the function of the shoulder girdle & also helps to up the fitness level and stamina as well.
• The serratus anterior muscle originated from the shoulder blade (scapula) to the rib cage. These muscles are known as “the boxer’s muscle & big swing muscle. This muscle aids with shoulder motion. This is situated in the upper back below the shoulder blades, along the thoracic wall, & on the surface of the middle border of the scapula. Serratus anterior primary function is to help with the upward rotation of the scapula.
• Dysfunction of this muscle can cause scapular winging, a rare condition in which the shoulder blade is pulled away from the thoracic line, making upper-limb movements difficult. Serratus anterior strengthening exercises are designed to fortify weak serratus anterior muscles & can assist to prevent winged scapula.

Health Benefits of performing Serratus Anterior Exercises

• These exercises may help to increase overhead mobility. Reaching above the head is necessary for a variety of athletic movements as well as daily activities.
• This muscle activation improves protraction & flexion of the shoulder muscles for improved scapular stabilization as well as thoracic spine mobility.
• Serratus anterior exercises may help to increase shoulder health. A weak serratus anterior may lead to back pain & shoulder pain, especially in the rotator cuff tendons. Regular activation of the serratus anterior may help to build strong shoulder muscles & healthy shoulder joints.
• These exercises can help the patient to prevent injury. A strong serratus anterior can assist to prevent shoulder impingement & rotator cuff tear.
• Helps to decrease the Serratus anterior pain-related condition.

There are some different types of serratus anterior muscles strengthening exercise

Bear crawls

• How to do this serratus anterior strengthing exercise:
• This is a body-weight mobility exercise that may increase the heart rate, burn calories, as well as build core muscle strength.
• To do the bear crawl, put the hands & feet on the floor shoulder-width apart with the body face down.
• Crawl forward with the alternating movement pattern, moving the left leg as you move the right arm as well as the right leg as you move the left arm.
• With proper form as well as regular practice, bear crawls may build our upper- and lower-limb strength.

Scapular push-ups

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• This exercise is also known as the push-up plus or even scapular push-ups. It may be used as a small range of movement to strengthen the scapular muscles.
• To practice this exercise, the patient has to start with the standard push-up position or even the high plank position.
• The back should be in a straight line & without flexing the elbows, slowly squeeze the shoulder blades together as well as apart to move the upper limb up as well as down slightly.

Scapular pull-up

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• This exercise includes the upper-body workout that uses a smaller range of movement than a regular pull-up to activate the shoulder muscles & back muscles.
• When the patient does it properly, scapular pull-ups lead to increased upper-limb strength. The primary muscle groups targeted by scapular pull-ups are the lattisimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, & serratus anterior muscles.
• To perform the scapular pull-up, embark with the dead hang position with the elbows slightly flexed.
• Do a reverse shrug to contract the shoulder blades together as well as slightly lift the body upwards.
• Hold at the top position before you lower back to the starting position. Do ten repetitons in a session. Do three sessions per day.

Dumbbell Pullover

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• It is a weightlifting exercise that targets the pectoralis as well as the lattisimus muscles.
• Do this exercise by holding a single dumbbell & lying back on the flat bench. The lower back should be in contact with the bench & engage the core.
• To extend the arms, extend the dumbbell above the chest.
• Carefully lower the dumbbell behind the head before coming back to the starting position above you. Repeat this for 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions in one session. Do two sessions per day.

Wall slides

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• To do wall slides, a patient has to stand upright with the feet shoulder-width apart & the back flat against the wall. Elevate the arms against a wall as well as flex the elbows at a ninety-degree angle.
• The line from the armpit to the elbow should be parallel to the floor. The posterior aspect of the hands should be touching a wall. Slowly flex the knees, maintaining contact with a wall, until the knees are flexed at a forty-five-degree angle.
• While flexing the knees, straighten the arms so that they are completely straight above the head. Hold for 5 seconds at the bottom of the motion.
• Return to the embark position & repeat for the desired amount of repetitions per session. Do two sessions per day.

Band pull-apart

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• This exercise is an isolation exercise that is designed to target the shoulder muscle groups & upper back.
• By building upper limb strength as well as stability, band pull-apart may prepare the patient for more challenging compound exercises such as bench presses, pull-ups, and deadlifts as well.
• Do band pull-apart by holding the resistance band with a shoulder-width grip. Next, keep the arms straight as you pull the resistance band laterally, extending both arms to either side.

Clockwise Arm Swings

• How to do this exercise:
• If the patient wants to strengthen the serratus anterior muscle then start with doing arm swings.
• This will stimulate the muscles of the chest, including the pectoral, clavicular, & deltoid muscles as well.
• To perform this exercise, elevate the arms up to shoulder height as well as swing them back & forth as high as possible, going from one side to the other. Repeat 20 to 30 times. Make sure the arms are extended & shoulder blades are retracted.
• When the patient is doing this exercise, make sure to keep the shoulders back.

Rhomboid Pull

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• There are the best exercises to improve the serratus anterior strength.
• Firstly, stand with the feet shoulder-width apart. Raise the arms to shoulder height & parallel to the floor.
• Then, Flexed the elbows, pull the elbows back, & contract the shoulder blades.
• Return & repeat. Breathe out when pulling back, & breathe in when you return. Make sure the arms are parallel to the floor. Keep the triceps contracted. Perform three sets of 15-20 repetitions in one session. Do three sessions per day.

Wall Push-up

• How to do it:
• For this exercise, the patient has to Stand about two feet away from the wall, then put the palms on a wall as well as walk the fingers up until they reach eye level.
• Flexed the elbows & lean forward from the trunk until the patient feels a good stretch in the chest & shoulders, but not so much that it becomes painful.
• Now, push yourself away from the wall to complete one repetition of the exercise.
• This exercise is the same as standard pushups, except the hands are placed on top of the wall or other elevated surfaces. This extra leverage will place more emphasis on the serratus anterior muscles, which lie just beneath the pectorals.

Russian Twist

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• It is a great exercise for the serratus anterior muscles
• For this exercise, a patient has to Sit with the feet slightly lifted & back tilted backward
• now, Hold the hands together as well as a twist from side to side. Breathe out as the twist. Keep the legs still when twisting. The neck should be neutral. Tighten the abdominals. Do this for 40 seconds. Make sure the patient is not moving the legs.
• If he can not hold the legs steady, put them on exercise balls.

Long Arm Crunches

• How to do this exercise:
• This exercise will help to tone the abdominal muscles & the serratus anterior, which elevate the shoulders. For this exercise, the patient has to Lie on the back with the feet flat on the floor.
• Then, Stretch the arms over the top of the head. Put one hand on top of the other. Lift the shoulders off the floor, then slowly go back down. Use the abdominal muscles. Breathe out as you lift the shoulder, & breathe in when he lower them.
• Do this for 30 to 40 seconds. The patient can also perform this on the exercise ball.

Serratus Punch

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• This exercise strengthens the serratus anterior, it is also known as a chest wall muscle, which in turn helps to shape the pectoral muscles in a way that can increase the upper-limb muscle’s strength.
• For this exercise the patient has to stand with the back towards the pulley or even elastic band device, knees slightly flexed, & feet apart in a split stance.
• The handle of the pulley or even resistance band is then held at shoulder height with the elbow fully extended, the humerus internally rotated forty-five degrees, & the scapula in the retracted position.
• Then a protracted & retracted scapula motion is made in the direction of 120 degrees due to Serratus Anterior activity tending to increase in a somewhat linear fashion with arm elevation. Lastly, repeat with the other hand.

Band Chest Presses

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• This exercise targets the serratus anterior, which is located at the side torso.
• Serratus anterior is responsible for stabilizing the scapula & also assists to push up the arms while a push-up.
• The patient has to take the supine lying position with holding the resistance band at the bottom of the chest.
• Next, slowly raise the arms until they are fully extended. The elbows should stay close to the sides.
• Hold for 5-7 seconds before slowly lowering back to the starting position. Do 2 to 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions for this exercise in one session. Do three sessions per day.

Side Plank

• How to do it:
• This exercise will help to strengthen the serratus anterior & helps the patient to improve endurance in the core.
• For this exercise the patient has to Lie on the left side, keeping the elbow slightly flexed on the edge of the floor with the palm of the hands on top of each other. Keep sure the patient is stacked towards one shoulder so that toes are facing down on one side & upon the other.
• Raise the hips off the floor and hold for 30-40 seconds, making sure to keep the body in a straight line.
• Do 2 sets of 10-15 repetitions for this exercise in a session. Do two sessions of this exercise in a day.
• So, now the patient knows what are serratus anterior exercises. Always consult the doctor before performing any exercise. There are many more exercises that can be performed to strengthen the serratus anterior.
• The important thing is that the patient keeps working out the muscles in this area with these 8 specific movements. He will be amazed at how the body will develop after a few weeks of performing these simple moves.

Scapular Plane Lateral Raises

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• This variation of exercise will work in the scapular plane about twenty to thirty degrees in front of the trunk.
• Angle the arms out this way & also open up the shoulder blades a bit more so that the serratus are under a bit more tension.
• The arms are at a slight angle when he is raising the dumbbells, which will still work the lateral deltoid and serratus anterior while slightly decreasing the strain on the rotator cuff tendons.
• If the patient has beat-up shoulders, this is the exercise for you to strengthen the serratus anterior.

Dumbbell Rotational Punches

• How to do this strengthening exercise:
• Mostly Fighters have typically well-developed serratus (and abs in general) due to they are consistently extending their arms (and so protracting & retracting their shoulder blades) & rotating to punch.
• The good news for the patient is that he does not need to step into the cage to achieve the same results.
• But Just pick up the pair of light dumbbells, & with control, rotate and punch as well.
• The patient will improve the conditioning & activate the abdominals & serratus.

How to Work Out Safely and Avoid Injury?

• If the patient has a previous or even pre-existing health condition, then consult the doctor before embarking on an exercise program. Proper form is important to ensure the safety & effectiveness of an exercise program, but he may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on individual needs. Always select the lightweight that allows the patient to have full control of the motion.
• When doing any exercise, pay close attention to the body, & stop immediately if he feels pain or discomfort.
• To see continual progress as well as build body strength, do proper warm-ups, rest, & nutrition in the exercise program. The results will ultimately be based on the ability to adequately recover from the workouts. Rest for 20 to 40 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.
• First of all, follows the instructions of the physical therapist

When did the patient not do these exercises?

• If the arm bone & scapula are recently fractured.
• If the patient feels any pain while these exercises.
• If the doctor advised the patient to take rest.

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