What exercise uses the serratus anterior?

Answer 1

The serratus anterior is involved in more shoulder movements than most think. It is a protractor of the shoulder. When this muscle is healthy, it helps stabilize the shoulder position when resistance is applied in front of you. When contracted, it keeps the shoulder from drifting backward. An exercise to activate this muscle is easily done with an elastic exercise device using either one arm or both. For more information, check out Synergyrehab.com where COMPLETE HOME EXERCISE/REHAB KITS are available.

Instructions of exercise: With the cord mounted at shoulder height. Stand with back to the wall and hold onto the resistance cords. Now go ahead and put the arm(s) straight out in front of you. With arm(s) straight, slowly push your shoulders forward a few inches (called protraction) and SLOWLY return.

TIPS & & GET IN SYNERGY: When pushing through the shoulders, your chest should hollow. The serratus anteriormuscle fans out in many different angles to make its connections on different ribs. This creates a lot of fiber angles and excellent shoulder stability when this muscle is healthy. If you think about it, one exercise in one direction cannot optimally reach this muscle completely. To get in Synergy, the angle of the muscle fiber must be perfectly aligned with the applied force. This is the only way to gain optimal firing power of any muscle. Unlike many muscles, the serratus anterior has many connections (along the ribs), so by changing up the angle of pushing you can activate more serratus muscle fiber. So, instead of pushing your arms directly in front of you, incrementally move the arms either upward or downward changing up your arm and repeat the same exercise. Remember to keep changing up the arm angles before starting the pushing motion and gain fatigue at the end of each angle exercised. Remember to keep the arms straight before doing the protraction motion. Remember to push the whole arm out and slowly return. This helps recruit and activate fresh serratus anterior muscle fiber into action and gain optimal Serratus Anterior involvement. Allen Woodruff CEO Synergy Therapeutic Systems www.synergyrehab.com Get in Synergy!