The serratus punch works the muscle along the side of your ribs that draws the shoulder blade forward around the chest (serratus anterior). You lie on your back with one arm pointing straight at the ceiling, then reach the hand a little higher so the shoulder lifts off the floor. In shoulder rehab it is a common way to train control of the shoulder blade.

How to do the serratus punch

Lie on your back on a mat with your legs straight and your arms by your sides. Let your shoulder blades rest flat on the floor.
Keep the elbow straight and slowly lift your weaker arm until it points straight at the ceiling. Your shoulder blade stays on the floor for now.
Reach your hand a little higher toward the ceiling, as if pushing it up. The back of your shoulder lifts slightly off the floor while the elbow stays straight.
Hold the reach briefly.
Let the shoulder blade settle back onto the floor, then lower the arm slowly to your side.

What you should feel

Work along the side of your ribs below the armpit, plus some effort at the front of the shoulder from holding the arm up.

Common mistakes

Bending the elbow and pushing with the arm instead of reaching from the shoulder blade.
Lifting your head or twisting your trunk to reach further.
Shrugging the shoulder up toward your ear instead of reaching straight up.
Letting the arm drift toward your face or your feet.

How often

Many programs start with 2 to 3 sets of 10 reaches with a short hold at the top, once a day, with no weight in the hand. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

You feel a sharp pain or a catch at the front or top of the shoulder.
The shoulder feels unstable, as if it might slip out.
Pain or tingling spreads down the arm.
Pins and needles in your arm or hand that do not go away after you stop, or part of your arm or hand goes numb. Get medical advice the same day. If one side of your face or body suddenly goes numb or weak, or your speech becomes slurred or muddled, call emergency services, even if it goes away.
A sudden pop or tearing feeling in the shoulder that brings sharp pain, new weakness or trouble lifting the arm. Stop and contact your surgical team the same day, or get medical advice the same day if you have not had surgery.
The shoulder feels as if it has slipped out of place, looks a different shape or suddenly locks so you cannot move the arm, or your hand turns cold, pale or blue. Go to an emergency department straight away, without driving yourself, and do not try to put the shoulder back in yourself.

From the clinic

The reach itself is small, often only a few centimeters. Think of lifting the shoulder blade off the floor rather than the hand. Some programs keep the arm pointing up for the whole set and repeat only the reach, and some do both arms together. Once the movement feels easy, holding a light dumbbell or a small water bottle makes it harder.

This muscle also works every time you push, which is why wall push-ups often come later in the same program. If your shoulder has dislocated before or feels loose, check with your physio before you start and ask how far to reach. After shoulder surgery, including a rotator cuff repair, or after a shoulder fracture or dislocation, follow your surgeon's or physio's plan, and do only the movements and range they have cleared. Many plans allow only passive movement at first, where the arm is moved for you and its muscles stay relaxed.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Serratus punch