Serratus Anterior
Notice how the muscles attach the medial border of the scapula to the ribs. Courtesy: breakingmuscle.com/yoga
The Serratus Anterior
RED BULL MIGHT GIVE YOU WINGS, BUT SCAPULAR WINGING IS NOT SOMETHING YOU WANT WHEN YOU'RE WORKING OUT.
What is scapular winging? The scapula are two triangle shaped bones on your upper back often referred to as the shoulder blades. Your shoulder blades help form your shoulder joint by joining the upper arm bone, the humerus, to the scapula at the glunohumoral joint. The scapula also attach by a non moving joint call the AC joint to the clavicle. Aside from these two attachments however the scapula do not attached to any other bone. Essentially the scapula are floating bones attached to your upper back only by muscles. One of the most important muscles that attaches the shoulder blade to your torso is the serratus anterior.
This curious muscle the serratus anterior attaches the underside of the scapula to your ribs underneath your armpits as pictured above. Check out the picture below to see a well-defined serratus anterior. When the serrated anterior contracts it pulls the shoulder blade forward pulling your entire shoulder joint forward it to hunched over position or a boxer throwing a punch in full extesion. If this muscle is not functioning right, during a normal push up the shoulder blades will push out away from your back causing scapular winging as pictured above. This is not healthy and not a properly functioning shoulder joint. There are nerve injuries that can cause this but addressed here is that lack of training and attention can lead to shoulder dysfunction and sometimes pain.
Boxer Manny Pacquiao works his serratus anterior with every punch.
Of all the muscles that act on the shoulder of the serrated anterior is probably the least popular. The much glorified pectoral muscles, well-defined deltoid muscles, and bulging latissimus muscles are much more desired than a cut serratus anterior. Even the rotator cuff muscle get more press. When properly trained however, you can you can see where the muscle gets its name from the sawtooth pattern of the muscle when it is well defined. More important than its appearance however is its proper functioning for fluid, healthy shoulder movement.
How do I know if my serratus anterior is functioning properly? Have a friend look for scapular winging while doing a push-up on the floor or against the wall. The medial border of the scapula should not lift off the thoracic wall while pushing against gravity. If this happens you need a stronger serrated anterior.
How do I exercise my serratus anterior? As just this muscle ask primarily as a stabilizer during push-ups and pushing exercises. Focus on keeping your shoulder blade stable while performing these pushing exercises and even better than that, when you reach lockout of your push-ups with your elbows fully extended pull your shoulder blades forward separating them lifting your body a few more inches off of the ground. Hold it in this fully flexed position until you feel the serratus anterior muscle contracting next to your ribs (or try the exercise to the left). This may take some practice but you'll find your benchpress getting stronger and you will be able to do more push-ups when this little muscle doesn't get so easily fatigued.
Good luck and keep pushing for a serrated sharp physique.
For more exercises check out:
and for more information on pathologic sacpular winging (from muscle paralysis for example) check out: www.shoulderdoc.co.uk
