The human body is a complex machine, and every muscle plays a role in its smooth operation. Yet, some muscles often get overlooked in our quest for strength and definition.
If you’ve never heard of the serratus anterior muscle, you’re not alone. “This small but powerful muscle is often overlooked when it comes to strength training and exercise programs“. But as we’ll explain in this blog post, the serratus anterior plays a critical role in stabilizing your torso and keeping your shoulders healthy and pain-free. We’ll also look at why it’s important to include exercises that target this often-forgotten muscle in your regular workout routine. So read on to learn why you should care about the serratus anterior.
Anatomy and Function:
Nestled beneath your shoulder blade, the Serratus Anterior resembles a fan, with fibers spreading across your ribs. This unique structure grants it multiple crucial functions:
- Shoulder stability: It acts like a powerful anchor, pulling the shoulder blade inward and against the rib cage, preventing that unsightly “winging” effect during exercises and overhead activities.
- Rotational power: It assists in rotating the shoulder blade upwards, a key movement for throwing, punching, and pushing movements.
- Improved posture: A strong Serratus Anterior helps maintain optimal alignment of your shoulder girdle, contributing to good posture and reducing strain on the upper back.
- Breathing assistance: It plays a subtle role in supporting ribcage expansion during deep breathing, enhancing respiratory function.
What is the serratus anterior?
The serratus anterior is a muscle located on the side of your ribcage, extending from the first eight or nine ribs to your shoulder blade. “It’s responsible for stabilizing the shoulder blade against your ribcage and allowing it to move away from your body in certain motions”. It plays a role in shoulder stability, posture and breathing.
The serratus anterior is often referred to as the “boxer’s muscle” because it’s important in the punching motion. When you punch, it’s the serratus anterior that lifts your shoulder blade off your ribcage, which helps you generate power for your punch.
Because of its location, the serratus anterior is often an overlooked muscle group. However, it’s a critical component of shoulder health and can be easily strengthened with a few exercises.
What does it do?
The serratus anterior is a muscle located on the lateral side of the ribcage. It has several important roles in human movement.
First, it plays an important role in stabilizing the shoulder joint and allowing for more movement. By keeping the scapula pressed against the rib cage, it helps create a stable base for shoulder movement. This is particularly important when performing activities like reaching or lifting objects overhead, throwing a ball, or pushing away from a wall.
Second, the serratus anterior assists in rib elevation during deep breathing and is also involved in aiding inhalation. As you take a deep breath, the serratus anterior pulls the ribs up and out which helps with airflow into the lungs.
Finally, the serratus anterior helps to keep the shoulder blade against the ribcage when you are pushing or pulling heavy objects. This helps to prevent the shoulder from being pulled too far forward and puts less strain on your back muscles.
Why is it Forgotten?
Despite its importance, the Serratus Anterior often gets neglected for several reasons:
- Hidden location: Tucked away under the shoulder blade, it’s not visible like biceps or triceps, making it less glamorous.
- Compound movements: Most upper body exercises indirectly engage the Serratus Anterior, but dedicated isolation exercises are less common.
- Focus on aesthetics: Training programs often prioritize building large, visible muscles, leaving the Serratus Anterior in the shadows.
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The Consequences of Neglect:
A weak Serratus Anterior can lead to various issues:
- Shoulder pain and instability: This can manifest as discomfort during overhead activities, weakness in pushing and pulling movements, and increased risk of injuries.
- Poor posture: A winging scapula can contribute to rounded shoulders, neck pain, and headaches.
- Limited athletic performance: Reduced shoulder stability and rotational power can hinder throwing, punching, and swimming performance.
How do I strengthen it?
Strengthening your serratus anterior muscle can be done through a variety of different exercises. Here are a few of the most popular exercises for strengthening this muscle:
- Push-Ups: Start in a push-up position and then tilt your arms outwards as you lower your body. This will put more emphasis on your serratus anterior.
- Wall Slides: Stand with your back against a wall, with your arms in a “W” position. Slowly lower your arms down, while keeping them close to the wall, and then raise them back up. This exercise is particularly good for strengthening your serratus anterior.
- Serratus Punch: Start in an upright position and press your arms into your rib cage. Your elbows should be bent and pointed outwards. Now, punch outward and then pull your arms back into the starting position. This exercise targets the serratus anterior directly.
- Resistance Band Pull-Aparts: Loop a resistance band around both hands and stand with your arms outstretched in front of you. Pull the bands apart, keeping your arms straight, and then return to the starting position. This exercise works your serratus anterior and your upper back muscles.
These are just a few of the exercises you can do to strengthen your serratus anterior muscle. Make sure to talk to a doctor or physical therapist before attempting any new exercise regimen. With a proper exercise routine and regular stretching, you can make sure that you keep your serratus anterior strong and healthy!
Why should I care?
The serratus anterior is often overlooked when it comes to strengthening your body, yet it is an essential muscle for everyday movement and activities. When you strengthen your serratus anterior, you can improve your ability to perform more advanced athletic moves, such as push-ups, pull-ups, and planks. Strengthening the serratus anterior can also help protect your shoulder joint and decrease shoulder impingement symptoms.
“In addition, strengthening the serratus anterior helps to maintain good posture, allowing your chest to stay lifted and your shoulders back”. This helps alleviate neck and shoulder tension, as well as back pain. The serratus anterior plays an important role in stabilizing your rib cage and keeping it from sagging down or pulling forward during activities like running or swimming.
Overall, strengthening the serratus anterior is important for daily movements and physical activities. It can help you increase your strength and performance, protect your shoulder joint, improve your posture, and reduce pain and tension in the neck and shoulders.
Reviving the Forgotten Muscle:
The good news is, you can easily integrate Serratus Anterior exercises into your routine to reap the benefits:
- Push-ups with scapular protraction: Perform regular push-ups, but focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of each rep.
- Wall angels: Stand facing a wall with your arms bent at 90 degrees and elbows pressed against the wall. Slowly raise your arms overhead, maintaining contact with the wall, and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top.
- Serratus slide: Lie on your side with a resistance band around your chest and arms extended out to the side. Slide your top arm forward while keeping the bottom arm stable, mimicking the pulling action of the Serratus Anterior.
- Face pulls: Using a cable machine or resistance band, pull your hands toward your face while focusing on squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Additional Tips:
- Listen to your body: Start with light weights and gradually increase intensity as your strength improves.
- Maintain proper form: Focus on controlled movements and avoid sacrificing form for heavier weights.
- Incorporate into your routine: Aim for 2-3 Serratus Anterior exercises per week, integrated into your existing upper body workouts.
- Seek professional guidance: If you experience pain or have specific needs, consult a physical therapist or trainer for personalized advice.
Wrapping Up
The Serratus Anterior, though often forgotten, is a vital muscle deserving of your attention. By incorporating targeted exercises and recognizing its importance, you can unlock improved shoulder stability, posture, and athletic performance. Remember, strength comes in all shapes and sizes, and sometimes, the most impactful muscles are the ones we tend to overlook. So, give your Serratus Anterior the love it deserves and experience the difference a strong and stable shoulder can make.
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