You NEED to Train This Overlooked Muscle: Serratus Anterior

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This is the first in (hopefully) a new series discussing overlooked and less-talked about muscle groups. Today, I’m talking about the serratus anterior.
The role of the serratus anterior is to protract the scapular (push the shoulder blades forward), to rotate the scapular upwards (for raising the hands overhead), and to stabilise the shoulders. This is extremely useful for a host of different activities. Scapular protraction, for example, is crucial when throwing a punch - which is why the serratus anterior is sometimes called the “punchers’ muscle.”
Likewise, we protract the scapula when pushing heavy objects, or when performing a number of advanced calisthenics skills.
The serratus anterior will also help you to improve overhead shoulder mobility - for holding weights or other objects overhead. Strengthening the area can also improve posture AND even aid with breathing by creating more space in the rib cage.
On top of all that, the serratus anterior looks good! Bodybuilders will appreciate the extra detail in the mid-section that creates a really shredded core.
Find out how to train your serratus anterior with a range of different movements in this video. Enjoy!

[@TheBioneer]

Go to squarespace.com/bioneer to get a free trial and 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

[@StraitjacketFitness]

🎉

[@ivoryas1696]

@TheBioneer Ayo, just wondering, you plan on making something relating to swimming? I'm a bit of a lifetime landlubber; I've only ever taken a few weekly lessons for a few months a summer or two... and that was _maybe_ a decade ago? 😅 But for some reason, the last time I went into a pool, even though I just barely swam, I found it rather appealing. Popular as it is, I feel I and many others have yet undersold it...

[@mikem3016]

Curls for the girls, thighs for the guys, Serratus Anterior to make others look inferior

[@TheBioneer]

If I wasn’t contractually obligated to pin another comment this would be pinned 😂😂

[@StraitjacketFitness]

​@@TheBioneer Quick! Everybody like and comment so it will rise to the top.

[@naturewithandy7204]

Brilliant!

[@Am_Had]

😂

[@StopTheDamnTape]

Haha that is amazing, love it

[@mckeonlaws1243]

The real overlooked muscle is... the heart

[@TheBioneer]

Beautiful

[@B..B.]

I have some issues with this one...that gal broke it badly, never worked the same😢

[@ordinarryalien]

@@B..B. The answer is deload. You need a deload week-no, a deload month.

[@casestudymtb]

The real muscle is the friends we made along the way

[@litewerx4409]

Facts. I say this all the time as a PT. No point in big muscles if your heart isn't strong enough to get blood everywhere

[@StraitjacketFitness]

01:14 through 01:32 "Learn these tricks and be a hit with the ladies." Bwaah! 😄 Adam! You crack me up.

[@Epoch-rn7ku]

that was quite the funny section...

[@sedricfetzer2769]

Please never stop posting. I always look forward to watching each of your videos!

[@juhanaberman964]

I know them as shark gills

[@dahabp]

Kudos to Bioneer for always showing unorthodox but effective ways to train our body 💪

[@brianbachmeier34]

We're all gonna make it brahs 💪

[@StraitjacketFitness]

.)•(..}•{..]•[../•\..)•(..}•{..]•[../•\. Just some more comments and a Like for the algo. *************** Stay shredded, brahs (and brahettes). *************** We're all gonna make it. *************** Peace.

[@catnipnapkin3329]

This muscle definitely has the highest "look awesome/most boring to train"-ratio. Been requesting and waiting for this video for a long while, thanks Adam!

[@silverpuppet4224]

Fun fact: I accidentally always trained it and my friends told me I was doing pushups wrong, now I can tell them they're the idiots. thanks dad ☺

[@eyalav6293]

as a part of my physical therapy i have been doing the foam roll excersize you showed in this video for around a month and it does in fact work

[@DanielHiggins-qu2ur]

Your timing seems epic mate.....had a shoulder injury years back developed winged scapula.....due to overhead pressing.......managed to realise after years of bad advice ......now due to laziness an lack of awarewness I have a similar issue on left side but have address issue 2 days ago an all of a sudden u create this masterpiece.....many thanks pal👍

[@varendra5220]

It’s frightening how only this week I was looking for a way to include some serratus work and you bring this out 👏🏾

[@TheBioneer]

I’m in your head!

[@codywalper22]

No joke my wife was just asking me about these muscles the day he posted this. Homie got a listening device in my house I swear.

[@finnhd915]

Other good muscles for this series could be pronator teres and supinators, soleus, tibialis anterior, hip flexors (psoas, illiacus, sartorius etc.), adductors, lower traps, obliques although I’m pretty sure you made a video about them not too long ago, neck muscles (again I believe you already have a video on this), hip rotators, and tfl

[@RDS_Armwrestling]

Pronator teres works to pronate the forearm, along with the pronator quadratus, and brachioradialis. You can train it, and the other pronator, by looping a tied martial arts belt around your thumb, and the other end of the belt around a weight (dumbbell, cable, etc) and actively pronating the hand against the resistance. It's a staple of armwrestling training 💪🏼 I have videos on my channel that you can watch to see how it's done

[@finnhd915]

@@RDS_Armwrestling i actually already do that. I just think it’s an extremely overlooked muscle. I started training it after developing pronator teres syndrome which I thought was golfers elbow but it wouldn’t heal from traditional golfers elbow rehab. Focusing on the pronator teres has fixed my elbow pain. I’m interested in seeing Adam bring more attention to the muscle as neglecting it can cause pain and seriously hinder one’s training

[@decokane1019]

I do serratus push ups to specifically train my serratus. I also do push ups and inverted rows with scapular movement and stability in mind.

[@jackscully7986]

I notice pushups with a really deep range of motion, where my shoulder blades fully retract at the bottom (stretching the serratus anterior) make these really sore, at least for me

[@thunderred5263]

Yes when I used to do tons of pushups I used to get these sore never happened in gym or any other exercise I know soreness isn't an indicator but atleast I know they got targeted

[@jackscully7986]

@@thunderred5263 I would argue soreness is a good indicator in general. For example if you did 3 sets of 10 of an exercise with good form and got wicked sore, you probably targeted the muscle well. However, I think a lack of soreness is not always an indicator that you didn't target the muscle well. If that makes sense.

[@user-he4ef9br7z]

same for dips.

[@jackscully7986]

@@user-he4ef9br7z agreed

[@thunderred5263]

@@jackscully7986 yes it's a good indicator for beginners but advanced athletes don't get that much sore so after a while it isn't a good indicator

[@sebastianosleah]

I would love a video on the Rhomboids as I have hyper-mobility in the shoulders and have been advised strengthening the Rhomboids will assist with holding them in place!

[@StraitjacketFitness]

11:59 through 12:12 I was almost expecting a National Geographic narrator voice over. That little critter was pretty cool lookin'. I've never seen one like that.

[@MeoCulpa]

Thank you, I was looking for info about this a few weeks ago and it was impossible to find something quality like this ❤ I love training overlooked muscles, it makes me feel so sturdy!

[@akaegotist]

Great video! Looking forward to this series! The best compliment to bench is an explosive cable fly cross over pushing your arms out as far you can for this reason!

[@jackscully7986]

I didn't know that the incline angle hit these better. But it makes sense. When I do incline dumbbell press, with a super deep ROM, these get sore sometimes. I also don't lock my scapulae back against the bench, but just allow them to move naturally throughout the movement. I suspect the serratus gets stretched under load at the bottom of the movement

[@harisjaved994]

When I first saw visible serratus on my body, i thought they were ribs

[@greenarrow219]

Same here 😅

[@krausewitz6786]

Same here!

[@dirtybirdsf]

The info you provide is so well put together, and I love the clips of critters that say hi while you're filming.

[@greenarrow219]

Sunday morning, a bioneer video, breakfast. Great way to start my day. Greetings from New Zealand 🇳🇿

[@alex88754]

I cyaan hardly beleiv'it. De Bioneer save me day agyaan! Keep up de good work mon!

[@alex88754]

Dis be me Jamaican thankin'.

[@christopherjohnblack3526]

Hello Bioneer, Can you do a video on how lifting heavy weights and explosive weighted jumps help in increasing punching and kicking power for martial arts?

[@marso70]

Only recently found this channel, very informative and interesting and the thing that got my attention is someone who actually refers to the S. A. I. D principle and actually knows what they are talking about 👍

[@baylorhill7238]

Overlooked muscles is actually a good series cause people have no idea how many smaller muscles are used to help and create great athleticism like hip flexors for front kicking and hip abduction (I think that’s what it’s called) for side kicking and keeping the leg up

[@winandcallebaut4541]

This is great information ! Thanks, Bioneer. Yes, definitely looking forward to your rhomboids explanation if you make one. What else is overlooked, obliques, neck, hip muscles ? And probably every muscle in the back that isn't lats or traps.

[@wtfgeis]

Rhomboids would be a really interesting video for sure. Thanks for always making such interesting stuff!

[@maxrepin6491]

Could you please make a brand-new video on internal rotation (hips, femur, tibia). It would be amazing to see your take on this topic!

[@ummalucoqualquer5771]

In my opinion, dumbbell breathing pullovers are op for the serratus, the ribcage expansion super functional !

[@NoMoTheUFO]

Underrated information. Great video and keep up the great work champ. 💪💪

[@Corvus_albus]

Rhomboids and QL would be amazing, I have some issues with both and always look for some ways to strengthen / mobilize them :) Thanks for this video, I already do scapula push-ups, will try some of the advanced ones in training tomorrow.

[@MichaelWalshTraining]

3:58 Shots fired! The competition set up for the bench shall be avenged! lol.

[@baljeetsingh9174]

You keep motivating us 😊😊

[@peetos-chan2835]

This will be a fun series.

[@joshuascott5814]

I’ve been spending a lot of time on my serratus anterior lately to deal with some shoulder impingement. One thing I’ve done that’s similar to a wall slide is like a modified pike push up. Take a regular push up position, but instead of just pushing up, you push up and back so you end up in sort of a pike position. Less stress on the shoulder itself but gets a nice rotation on the scapula.

[@Davlavi]

Informative as always

[@MorioAlexandra]

The Bioneer posts, I watch. I’m a simple woman.

[@TheBioneer]

😁

[@chrisesserry548]

Pull-overs are amazing for developing the serratus anterior. Been doing them for about 7 months and my serratus has never been so visible.

[@user-lc2wo3fq7d]

I always like watching and learning your videos. Cheers from Finland!

[@Bmoon8907]

Oooo I think the QL a highly over looked muscle and is very important for injury prevention of the low back.

[@lowflyingdonut]

This was gnarlyl to watch... because I was laying on a psoas release tool.. and i got a prediction about the next video

[@SE7ENTH3RTY]

Definitely appreciate this one 👌 could you possibly do a think piece on finger strengthening?

[@drewperry2994]

Love your videos man!

[@ThisIsKetchu]

04:57 Nobody ever taught me how to do these push-ups, but after some boxing, I figured I'd incorporate the scapula movement to strengthen that part of my boxing, just like you said. Earlier in life, when I was doing karate, we weren't supposed to extend the arm like that because of the fear of getting grabbed and thrown, if I recall correctly. It's been a while lol. Loving the content! 💪 Keep 'em coming!

[@RetroRanter]

Youve helped me not only build strength and muscle..but recover from injuries too! Love when you drop a new series. Now...to try those smooth moves on the ladies. 😂😢

[@robert4965]

Really enjoy your videos mate. The detail you go into is excellent and your attitude towards realistic training and keeping things fun is inspiring. Thank you for the content

[@dominicgiglio-tos5982]

Your boxing has come a long way! Nice clips of heavy bag work.

[@kemsolid]

Excellent description and information! How about exercises for the obliques?

[@majorphenom1]

Thanks for sharing 🙏🏿 As you mentioned, a person with a winged scapula can benefit from these exercises✅ I have personally experienced the benefits of some of these exercises✅ Looking forward to completing this recovery process regarding my scapula ✅

[@Martyn_Wolf]

One of the first exercises using the kettlebells I came across was your video on Halos. 3 sets of 20 reps Halo kettlebells for the last 3 months, I've noticed a difference. Especially with throwing axes lol I am all up for hearing more of this type of information.

[@rigel3389]

What weight of kettlebell are you using?

[@Martyn_Wolf]

@@rigel3389 Currently just a single 8kg kettlebell. If you are like me and are shoulder dominant (use your shoulders when doing a kettlebell swing) then you'd need a heavier kettlebell to allow you to do that actually proper motion 8kg maybe too light for you.

[@ertugyesilyurt5106]

First of all sorry if my english is bad aint my native language hope its readable and sorry for my comment to be so long. 2nd lately I have been trying to get into calisthenics again, a few days ago I achieved kind of a new skill going from the tucked planch while on paralletes to the handstand position, I am able to go slowly into that position but because I have no balance and no core strength I can hold it just for a few seconds. I did it once a day for the last 5 days but since a few days, the muscles on my side started to hurt and i coudnt lift myself at all. I researched the name of the muscle so I could find excersices on youtube for it and found your video that has been out since 4 days. I was really happy about that because your videos are really informative and helpful so thanks. I aint ignorant I know that some skills consist many muscles but for the planche or handstand I thought shoulder and core strength would be enough. Well I am kind of new in this game so I was a little bit naive. Thanks man keep it up

[@uncarvedwarrior]

Bro! So excited to watch!!! Serratus anterior and sub scap are ones I always need to release on massage clients. Far too shortened in most people these days.

[@wilbergonzalez6401]

Great content, and passion for the topic!

[@technic1285]

I've been looking for this for a few months. Saw a Jojo's episode where The Vessel of Hermes has these totally shredded, and I've wanted that since. Thanks for the video.

[@levicarty1268]

I will use this 10/10 and probably watch it several more times until I understand whats happening.

[@knightshousegames]

It's funny that it's called the Boxer's Muscle, because I used to associate it with wrestlers When me and my brother were young, we used to call it "The Kurt Angle Muscle" because we didn't know what it was actually called, and at some point on a poster with a bunch of wrestlers on it we noticed that Kurt's sides were HUGE, and we just generally noticed that a lot of particularly strong wrestlers like John Cena had huge sides like that, so we just assumed it was something that came from wrestling training somehow

[@hyper_fn_al1459]

Looking forward to this series

[@Kknewkles]

It's also one of the sexiest muscles, both for guys and girls. And I only relatively recently found out its physiological function, as well as anatomical structure. Boy oh boy, there's so much stuff going on connection-wise with scapulas 😆

[@danielikhal8547]

Equally important as the serratus posterior superior and inferior. Thinking about it...almost every profound muscle is neglected. 🤔

[@matthewpaulden9604]

Awesome timing …was thinking about this muscle in the gym this morning Great video as usual Thx

[@Lu_90]

I find CAR's a very effective way for me to learn moving the scapula separately. The variation on all fours is very nice too as you are a bit more guided 👌 So I would generally tell everybody to try out a full body CAR's Routine! I love doing it in the morning - it makes me feel smoother! Would really like to know other peoples opinion on that.

[@davidfillary]

I just want to show some appreciation for the caterpillar - my wife points out how I take more pictures of insects than her!

[@StraitjacketFitness]

I was almost expecting a National Geographic narrator voiceover. That little critter was pretty cool lookin'. I've never seen one like that.

[@TheBioneer]

Haha thank you! Got to make use of that macro lens somehow! 😂

[@SteveK-ys2nl]

This is great and I look forward to more of this series!

[@user-he4ef9br7z]

Do one for hip flexors.

[@NikiforosDim]

Curious to see the Bioneer approach to training the feet. They are a super sophisticated sensory organ as well as limb

[@asharabalamgir2980]

Make one for obliques please! ❤

[@ashe1317]

i actually strained my serratus anterior doing ring dips back in December, and whenever i had to explain the injury to anyone, they'd be like, "you strained WHAT now?" definitely an underrated muscle! 😂

[@PW060284]

Hi. Big fan of your channel. Is there any merit to hanging upside down exercises/stretches? Like the inverted crunches

[@slushyslushy7777]

I know it's weird, but this is legitimately my favorite muscle. I can control them willingly, and despite having a good amount of body fat, I can still see them.

[@julioaurelio]

It's an awesome muscle.

[@user-he4ef9br7z]

There are techniques to improve mind muscle connection. Example: touching a muscle with one hand and performing its movement, doing compound isolation supersets and many other old school tricks.

[@ron6625]

1:28 He's really the urban legend Fable!

[@jamoR72]

Wow, thanks for this. I'm feeling pain in muscles I never knew I had

[@BI10000]

Talk more about back muscles please like QL, multifidus and the other deep muscle u train with back extensions (cant remember the name). I want a stronger back. Thanks.

[@chrishansen9379]

I feel like yoga push-ups work the serratus a quite a bit. I had shoulder problems for years and yoga push-ups were the thing that finally helped.

[@nicorepetto5781]

Y-raises performed face down on an incline bench has been by far the best serratus anterior exercise

[@francescoser8783]

Hey Adam, nice work as always! I am really into fictional character workouts and been following your nightwing program for a while. I was wondering if you could do a "Building Moon Knight" video. The character has almost the same skillset as batman but has a more agility/acrobatic build.

[@bigpicturegains]

Yeah for the longest time I did push movements keeping the shoulders back because it’s the general advice. Pretty sure doing that lead to some right shoulder issues.

[@BrokenKrayon]

@thebioneer any chance theres a steel club/mace video in the works ? Would like to hear ypur thoughts on one of the most ancient training tools. Plus....Great Gamma reasons...and think of the cosplay potential as Conan....

[@williamwallace3780]

Muscles of the hand might be a fun one. There's a lot of ways to train the hand that almost no one does - probably because only arm-wrestlers want big swollen blob hands.

[@RDS_Armwrestling]

You're damn right

[@shinobi339]

thank you for info

[@drip369]

The muscle that keeps the shoulder blade against the rib cage

[@maxyogi]

It's a hard area to target well outside floor situps.

[@Rissen_]

Loved this video, trouble is atm i cant workout as well as i want to :( im resting due to a back injury(no days off from lugging crates of drinks at work in over a year so i reckon overworked my lumber, wasnt a single lift it was death by a thousand cuts) Do you know any workouts stretches or tips that can reduce/minimise or even reverse spinal disc buldging(and/or sciatica by proxy)? Again im so grateful for your videos youre the reason I was able to achieve handstand pushups and gave me fundementals to the mentality of functional training.

[@andre-px8rv]

Pronation/supination muscles, neck, tibia, foot muscles, hand muscles, n this one is niche af but tongue muscle lol there’s a whole therapy called myofunctional therapy that deals with that very fascinating. Hope this gave some ideas

[@gingerwhale871]

David grey rehab or MTMT bastis basics if youre german, teaches you all you need to know

[@timephire]

1:25 I love the movie Gorgeous Starring Jackie Chan. 😁

[@NeoArmstrongJetArmstrongCannon]

No wonder the serratus anterior helps you breathe, you literally get gills on top of your lungs. On a serious note, the real serratus anterior killer exercise is the full back bridge and all its variations. The static bridge alone is an excellent exercise, but the back bridge push-up is the real deal here. And for the fans of animal movement training, try the back bridge crawl and your serratus will be sore for days (alongside your glutes, hams, traps, shoulders, lower back, triceps, etc.).

[@Heintz_H]

Oh yeah ? I usually feel tired in the shoulders first so I never noticed that it was also working the serratus

[@lifeinru]

You thought about doing research into heavy sandbag lifting? Seems to be blowing up as of late!

[@TheBioneer]

I actually really want to do this! But it’s hard to get one and train with it

[@TheSwayzeTrain]

Have you tried getting a big bag and filling it with sand?.... Maybe reach out to BLK Box fitness to see if they will send you one? They sell the bags for weights to 100kgs. You must supply your own sand but you could fill it at any building providers.

[@PcCAvioN]

​@@TheBioneer I went to a hardware store and got bags of pebbles and tied them up in canvas

[@tank2003]

Any scapular pushing you do wont do anything if you dont keep the shoulders tucked down. Its really easy to involve the upper traps, but this pulls the serratus ant into into a disadvantaged position, Its REALLY hard to train a muscle when its in a dysfunctional position

[@shinobi339]

amazing!!

[@insight1239]

I started doing planche push-ups and I just realized that this muscle exists I’ve been sore for a week now

[@mack7207]

Would an Overhead Press be a good movement to train it?

[@Twisteddrax01]

give me a heart. _cuz why not?_

[@alanESV2]

Man, my bench press is going to look weird

[@L33622]

make a video on the benefits of zercher lifts

[@infiniteawareness69]

Doesn’t scapula external rotation also work on the serratus aswell ?

[@lihchong2267]

Huh so that's what it's called. My tango teacher used to say to lead using this muscle. We just called it the tango muscle.

[@zapp2123]

Why isn't the pullover mentioned? ( The old school version )