How To Build A Shredded Serratus Anterior With 2 Exercises

As a follow-up from my previous post on how to actually get six pack abs I’ve had a number of queries regarding specific portions of the abdominals, specifically the serratus anterior.

“SJ, how do I build a shredded serratus?”

This post will address that.

Now, as the serratus is a relatively small and obscure muscle group it’s uncommon to tailor a specific workout or day during your workout routine for it, I’d recommend If you do want to place more emphasis on the serratus to include the following 2 exercises in your workout regime when you’re training abs (and if possible perform them first before fatigue sets in on later exercises).

The serratus anterior is targeted by:

utilizing a pulling motion with a weight overhead Moving/lowering the arms in front of your torso in an arcing motion.

What’s the purpose of the serratus anterior?

To stabilize the shoulder blades and when flexed will spread the ribs for an inhale.

Exercises to specifically target the serratus

The 2 exercises I perform to hone in on my serratus anterior are as follows:

Cable crunches

1. Secure the rope attachment to the cable machine with the pin set high.
2. Grab both handles of the rope extension and lower the body down to a kneeling position (place a towel on the floor for added comfort).
3. Position the rope behind the head.
4. Pull the torso down with the forehead going towards the floor.
5. Once the body is parallel with the floor (a slight curve in the spine is recommended), hold this position for 1-2 seconds.
6. Slowly allow the torso to come back to the starting position.

Dumbbell pullovers

1. Lie on a bench and position a dumbbell above your forehead with your arms nearly fully extended. (If the weight is heavy, this may be tricky. It is recommended, at least at first, that this exercise is done only with weight than can be very comfortably managed.) Note: Your palms will be positioned flat on the inside of one of the bells of the dumbbell. To best secure the dumbbell into a locked position, you may find it useful to cross your fingers and thumbs around the dumbbell handle in a spade shape, but, regardless, your thumbs should wrap around the handle.
2. From the aforementioned starting position, lower the dumbbell behind your head in a smooth arc, inhaling throughout the movement.
3. Raise the dumbbell, once again in a smooth arc, until it is above your face, exhaling throughout the movement.

And once again, the #1 key to revealing your shredded serratus

Body fat

I can’t stress this enough, if your body fat range is not nearing or within the single digit range then you can perform as many of these exercises as you like, your serratus will still remain hidden.. Reducing body fat can easily be achieved through a caloric deficit comprised of some changes to your diet and some cardio here and there to burn additional calories.

Want to know more about tailoring your diet to reveal that shredded serratus? Click here