You may know the serratus anterior muscle of the chest as the serratus magnus or the boxer's muscle. The serratus anterior raises, upwardly rotates and abducts the shoulder blade. Abduction is moving away from the midline of the body. Like any muscle, when the serratus anterior is tight it cannot move through its full range of motion. Stretching keeps the serratus anterior flexible so the shoulder blade moves freely.
Ab Ball Stretch
One way to stretch the serratus anterior is to do while using a stability ball to also stretch the abdominals. This exercise requires some coordination to lie on the ball and get up safely. You can have someone hold the ball or use a wall to help you balance. To begin, drape your back over the ball with your feet on the floor and the knees bent slightly. Reach your arms over your head and toward the floor. This exercise is contraindicated if you have back problems.
Abdominal Lat Stretch
Another way to stretch the serratus anterior is to stretch the lats on a stability ball. The lats are the large V-shaped muscle on the upper and middle back. To perform this exercise, lie with your right side on the ball, your right palm on the floor in line with your shoulder and both legs straight. Bring the left leg forward and right leg back to balance easier. Then, reach overhead with your left arm until you feel a stretch in your left side. Stretch both sides. This exercise also stretches the obliques. The obliques are on the sides of the abdomen.
Partner Stretch
A final way to stretch the serratus anterior is with the assistance of a partner. You need a massage table with a face cradle to do this exercise comfortably. To begin, lie prone on the table with your face in the cradle and rest your arms straight at your sides. Your partner places her fingertips against the outside of your right shoulder blade while standing near the top of your head. As you pull your shoulder blades together, she helps move the shoulder blade toward your spine. This ensures that the right serratus anterior stretches as far as it can. Repeat on the left.
Other Serratus Exercises
Stretching the serratus anterior is effective for flexibility training, but strength training is sometimes necessary too. When the serratus anterior is weak, it may cause a winged scapula postural distortion. A winged scapula is when the insides of the shoulder blades stick out of the back like wings. Strengthening exercises such as the pushup plus, dynamic hug and shoulder scaption increase strength in the serratus anterior. A pushup plus is just a modification of the pushup whereby you continue to lift up past the point of a normal pushup and abduct the shoulder blades. You can also do these on your knees.
References
- MyFit.ca; Abdominal on Ab Ball Stretch; Rod Ferris, CPT
- MyFit.ca; Abdominal Lat Stretch; Rod Ferris, CPT
- "Facilitated Stretching;" Robert E. McAtee and Jeff Charland; 2007
- ExRx.net: Serratus Anterior
- ExRx.net: Common Postural Deficiencies
- "The American Journal of Sports Medicine"; Serratus Anterior...; Michael J. Decker, et al.; 1999
