All exercisesStrength·Shoulders 

Supine Dumbbell Serratus Punch


Art style
Step 1 / 2
At a glance
- Equipment
- Pair of light dumbbells
- Suggested reps
- 3 sets of 12–20 reps
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Common mistakes
You bend and re-straighten the elbows, which turns the punch into a mini press and skips the shoulder blades.
You shrug the shoulders toward the ears as you punch instead of reaching the blades forward off the floor.
You rush through with a bigger weight and the reach shrinks to nothing.
What to focus on
Lock the elbows out first and keep them locked; the only thing that moves is the shoulder blade sliding forward.
Reach the dumbbells straight up toward the ceiling as if trying to touch it, then let the blades settle back down slowly.
Keep the weight light enough that you can feel the muscle along the side of your ribs doing the work.
Related strength moves
Sources & further reading
- 1.Serratus punches are among the exercises verified by EMG to target the serratus anterior — the muscle whose favorable moment arm drives scapular upward rotation during overhead work — Int. J. Sports Physical Therapy (2019), kinesiologic review