Any Weight Lifters Here?

[Jigfishn10]

I've been working out for a while now and I'm looking to strengthen my serratus anterior. I'm doing pullovers which I know hits them, but I'm looking for something that hits them a little more directly. I workout from home and have free weights if that's helps? Any suggestions?

[roadwarrior]

 

[J Francho]

You don't get a body like mine eating salads.

[BigAngus752]

Most chest exercises will work the serratus anterior to some extent.  The more important question is why you need to work that muscle directly.  Do you have shoulder issues?  Or stabilization problems while doing heavy overhead work?

[Jigfishn10]

22 minutes ago, J Francho said:

You don't get a body like mine eating salads.

I wish my metabolism was a quick as yours...

 

11 minutes ago, BigAngus752 said:

Most chest exercises will work the serratus anterior to some extent.  The more important question is why you need to work that muscle directly.  Do you have shoulder issues?  Or stabilization problems while doing heavy overhead work?

Stabilization

[A-Jay]

While I rarely perform anything that isolates them, knowing what they do makes it pretty easy to determine which movement simulate & put them to work. (see attached)

If you're looking to 'see them' - 

Then it's all about caloric deficit.

Perhaps they are good to go already. 

But you now that already.

A-Jay

 

 

[Jigfishn10]

43 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

While I rarely perform anything that isolates them, knowing what they do makes it pretty easy to determine which movement simulate & put them to work. (see attached)

If you're looking to 'see them' - 

Then it's all about caloric deficit.

Perhaps they are good to go already. 

But you now that already.

A-Jay

Unfortunately, I don't.

 

I actually don't know what you meant by that either...

[BigAngus752]

2 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

Stabilization

Are you self-diagnosing?  I've been an avid (non-competitive) bodybuilder for 27 years and my strongest suggestion is to visit a respected sports therapist and get an eval.  Even if you are correct in your diagnosis, you can greatly increase your turn-around time by getting a pros help.  Otherwise you can find some appropriate exercises online.  I generally trust some of the articles found on this website if you want to take a look here:

 

https://squatuniversity.com/2018/09/27/strengthening-the-serratus-anterior/

 

Good luck! 

[Brad Reid]

I was a competitive weightlifter in my youth, then later set some records as a master lifter up into my 50s. My brother still lifts at age 64, travels internationally to world meets, two years ago to New Zealand which made for a good trip.

 

But, that aside, it was our father, Jack Reid, who got us started down this path and he was sort of the "poster boy" for Noe Xercisers so we always did a lot of cable (rubber strands) work. One exercise in particular would work well and it is referred to as the Overhead Pulldown. But, almost all cable sets, if you get a good one, will work all of the large muscles of the torso, the more minor supportive muscles, too.

 

And, you can do them from home.

 

A photo of my father from Bob Hoffman's (of York Barbell Club fame) "Big Chest" book taken when he was 20 years old.

 

Brad

 

 

[Jigfishn10]

@Brad Reid, WOW! That was your dad? I have a friend who has a blog "Physical Culture Study", and If I'm not mistaken, he wrote about him. I'll have to try and find it.

 

EDIT:

I thought I read something about Jack Reid. Turns out you (I think that's you) were the author! Great article.

A Primer on Cable Training - Brad Reid.pdf

[soflabasser]

Been doing powerlifting and weightlifting for over 2 decades now. Also practice other sports. Never had to workout the serratus anterior muscles directly to get those muscles strong and defined. I avoid machines and instead focus on free weight exercises. Make sure to work out your rotator cuffs and stretch as well.

3 hours ago, A-Jay said:

While I rarely perform anything that isolates them, knowing what they do makes it pretty easy to determine which movement simulate & put them to work. (see attached)

If you're looking to 'see them' - 

Then it's all about caloric deficit.

Perhaps they are good to go already. 

But you now that already.

A-Jay

 

 

 

The ab wheel is one of my favorite workouts. Brutal but very effective for functional core strength if done well. I like doing the side to side version and have done them in pushup position.

[Gundog]

As the official "Troll" for this topic (there was a vote, I was elected) I would just like to tell you all the advantages of being fat.

#1. We are harder to kidnap.

#2. I ran out of energy. I'm gonna take a nap now. More about this in a few hours.

[Brad Reid]

7 hours ago, Jigfishn10 said:

@Brad Reid, WOW! That was your dad? I have a friend who has a blog "Physical Culture Study", and If I'm not mistaken, he wrote about him. I'll have to try and find it.

 

EDIT:

I thought I read something about Jack Reid. Turns out you (I think that's you) were the author! Great article.

A Primer on Cable Training - Brad Reid.pdf

Small world, huh?  Yes, my father wrote for Bob Hoffman and Joe Weider, others; then, I was asked to put that primer together years ago, wrote various articles related to cable puling, strength training, also several dozen esoteric articles on field events. 

 

Hope that exercise helps. It is one of my favorites!

 

Brad

[Jigfishn10]

6 minutes ago, Brad Reid said:

Small world, huh?  Yes, my father wrote for Bob Hoffman and Joe Weider, others; then, I was asked to put that primer together years ago, wrote various articles related to cable puling, strength training, also several dozen esoteric articles on field events. 

 

Hope that exercise helps. It is one of my favorites!

 

Brad

Yes it certainly is s small world. I ended up reading that article again before I went home from work. 

 

I went home and worked out and did 3 sets of 20 of the OHP’s as suggested at the end. I can understand why they are a favorite of yours. I’ll keep that move in my routine.

 

Again, thanks a million. I never would have looked in that direction had you not posted. 

 

John

[soflabasser]

The overhead press will definitely workout the serratus anterior just don't go too heavy on it since you might mess up your shoulders like so many people do. Also stay away from PED's they have nasty side effects that can effect your health decades after you take them. Better to be a lifetime natural athlete and know all your achievements where done by you than take PED's and know that you needed illegal help to achieve something you could not do naturally.

[Bankbeater]

If you're having problems with it I would definitely go see a specialist.  A winged scapula is nothing to fool with, and it can be very painful, because like others have said those muscle groups all work together.

[Jigfishn10]

Thanks for the help and advice fellas, I know what I’m gonna do.

 

9 hours ago, soflabasser said:

The overhead press will definitely workout the serratus anterior just don't go too heavy on it since you might mess up your shoulders like so many people do. Also stay away from PED's they have nasty side effects that can effect your health decades after you take them. Better to be a lifetime natural athlete and know all your achievements where done by you than take PED's and know that you needed illegal help to achieve something you could not do naturally.

Thanks for the fair warning here, point well takened. No need to worry about PED’s and affecting my health for decades. I have no intentions of taking PED’s nor do I have many decades left on this earth. ?

[gim]

This is an interesting thread.  It reminds me of the huge dudes in the weight area that look like they're on roids and always grunting loudly when they lifting.

 

I've always been turned off by ladies with muscles.  In other words, if they're ripped, YUCK.

[CrankFate]

On 2/1/2019 at 10:54 AM, BigAngus752 said:

Are you self-diagnosing?  I've been an avid (non-competitive) bodybuilder for 27 years and my strongest suggestion is to visit a respected sports therapist and get an eval.  Even if you are correct in your diagnosis, you can greatly increase your turn-around time by getting a pros help.  Otherwise you can find some appropriate exercises online.  I generally trust some of the articles found on this website if you want to take a look here:

 

https://squatuniversity.com/2018/09/27/strengthening-the-serratus-anterior/

 

Good luck! 

I’m just going to add this about stabilization problems, without a damaging injury, it usually means one thing. Lifting too heavy. If it’s not that, then it’s overly isolating movements and machines. Free dumbbells get you stabilization, but it takes way longer to get stabilization than it does to get strength. I could bench 100lb dumbbells for over 5 reps for about 2 years before I could roll back and keep them steady in the up position. That’s normal the heavier you go. The muscle strength comes first. The small stabilizers take much longer to grow.

 

 

There is no way to work the serratus. Compound lifts will all hit it. I am waaay fat by any type of bodybuilding standards, but my serratus are visible because I do almost only big compound movements (bench, dB bench, OHP, pull overs, flys, lateral flys/raises, dB rows, pull ups,pull downs, dips, etc).

 

 

[Glaucus]

Me. I lift everything from 1/16oz to 3/4oz.

[Dirtyeggroll]

On 2/14/2019 at 7:53 PM, CrankFate said:

There is no good way to isolate the serratus. 

 

I made a small edit for you since the rest the paragraph contradicted the original statement

 

Motions if pushing your arms in front of your body or “punching” actions activate the serratus. Heavy (punching) bag work will have your serratus good and sore in no time.

[CrankFate]

4 minutes ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

I made a small edit for you since the rest the paragraph contradicted the original statement

 

Motions if pushing your arms in front of your body or “punching” actions activate the serratus. Heavy (punching) bag work will have your serratus good and sore in no time.

Mohammed Ali is not a freakish ripped beast by today’s standards, but his serratus is his most defined and developed muscle. He supposedly never trained with weights and only used the heavy bag. So you must be on to something.

[soflabasser]

Build your upper body until you are able to do 4 sets with pair of 120 pound dumbbells (240 pounds total weight being pressed) for dumbbell bench presses and I am sure you will have well developed serratus anterior muscles. One hand pushups work well if you prefer doing calisthenics for functional strength. Hanging leg raises and abdominal wheel also hit the serratus anterior muscles and these exercises are very good for functional core strength. Worked well for me.

[A-Jay]

8 hours ago, soflabasser said:

 Hanging leg raises and abdominal wheel also hit the serratus anterior muscles and these exercises are very good for functional core strength. Worked well for me.

 Most any hanging action works for me too ~ even though I am Old Guy.

Did someone say serratus ? 

This was Friday

 

A-Jay

[soflabasser]

55 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

 Most any hanging action works for me too ~ even though I am Old Guy.

Did someone say serratus ? 

This was Friday

 

A-Jay

Pull ups will do a good job as well working out the serratus anterior. How much do you weigh? At one point in my life I was doing pull ups with a 120 pound dumbbell tied to my waist for sets while weighing 225-228 pounds. I do not lift as heavy now but can still do pull ups with 50-70 pounds tied to my waist. I weigh over 200 pounds at this moment in time so doing pull ups at my size is much harder than a guy that weighs 130-170 pounds. I can lift 315 pounds in the bent over barbell row for several reps on heavy days so I still got some decent strength even though I focus more on cardiovascular fitness.