Scapular Push-Up

The Scapular Push-Up is a small-range bodyweight exercise where your arms stay straight and only your shoulder blades move. It mainly trains the serratus anterior - the muscle along your ribs that controls shoulder-blade motion - with help from your chest, shoulders, and core. It is also useful as prerequisite control work for planche progressions.

Set up in a high plank or push-up position. Place your hands directly under your shoulders, spread your fingers, and lock your elbows. Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, feet about hip-width apart or together, and brace your core lightly.

Without bending your elbows, slowly let your chest sink a little as your shoulder blades pinch together toward your spine. Then push the floor away and round your upper back so your shoulder blades spread apart. Hold the top position for a moment, then reverse the motion. The movement should come only from protraction and retraction of your shoulder blades.

Breathe normally throughout and keep your midsection braced, as if getting ready for a light push. To make it easier, perform the exercise from your knees or with your hands on a bench. To make it harder, elevate your feet or hold the fully protracted top position longer.

Fault: Bending the elbows and turning the movement into a tiny push-up. Fix: Keep your elbows locked from start to finish and focus on moving the shoulder blades only.

Fault: Letting the hips sag or stick up into a pike. Fix: Squeeze your glutes and brace your core so your body stays in one straight line from head to heels.

Fault: Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears. Fix: Keep your neck long and let your shoulder blades slide across your ribs rather than lifting them.