Scapula Push-Up
Strengthen your shoulder stabilizers with the Scapula Push-Up. This variation targets your scapular muscles, enhancing shoulder stability and upper body
Description
A push-up variation exercise that specifically targets the scapular muscles to improve shoulder stability and upper body strength.
How to Do Scapula Push-Up
- 1Setup
Begin in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body forming a straight line from head to heels.
- 2Setup
Lock your elbows completely straight and engage your core, ensuring that only your shoulder blades will move throughout the exercise.
- 3
Inhale as you slowly allow your chest to sink towards the floor by retracting your shoulder blades, keeping your arms fully extended.
- 4
Exhale as you push the floor away, protracting your shoulder blades to lift your torso back to the starting high plank position.
- 5
Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the bottom of the movement and actively spreading them wide apart at the top.
Tips
- Maintain a rigid plank position throughout the exercise; avoid sagging your hips or piking them up to keep tension solely on the scapular muscles.
- Perform each repetition slowly and with control, emphasizing the mind-muscle connection to effectively engage your serratus anterior and rhomboids.
- Ensure your elbows remain completely straight and do not bend at any point, as bending shifts the focus away from the intended scapular movement.
- Aim for a full range of motion by achieving maximal protraction (pushing up) and retraction (sinking down) of your shoulder blades with each rep.
Common Mistakes
- ×Bending your elbows during the movement turns it into a partial push-up; keep your arms completely straight to isolate the scapular motion.
- ×Allowing your hips to drop or arch your lower back indicates a lack of core engagement; maintain a rigid plank position throughout the exercise.
- ×Rushing repetitions reduces muscle activation and control; execute each rep slowly and with intention, focusing on the mind-muscle connection.
Variations
Push-up Pull
Build upper-body pushing and pulling strength in one move with this challenging push-up and row combo.
Archer Push-up
Master the archer push-up, an advanced bodyweight exercise to build incredible chest, triceps, and shoulder strength with a challenging unilateral push.
Knuckle Push-Up
Elevate your push-up game with knuckle push-ups. Strengthen your chest, triceps, and shoulders while building robust wrists and forearms.
Incline Scapula Push-up
Master scapular control with the Incline Scapula Push-up. This exercise targets your serratus anterior and chest, enhancing shoulder stability and posture.
Related Exercises
Negative Push-up
Strengthen your chest, shoulders, and triceps with negative push-ups. Master the controlled eccentric phase to build strength for full push-ups.
Push-up Jack
A combination of a push-up and a jumping jack that targets the chest and shoulder muscles, while also working the core and increasing heart rate.
Push up (With push up handles)
Perform push-ups with handles to deepen your chest engagement and protect your wrists.
Pike Push-up (on Bench)
Master the pike push-up on a bench to build strong shoulders and triceps. This bodyweight exercise effectively targets your deltoids, preparing you for
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
The ultimate full-body dumbbell complex combining a push-up, row, clean, and overhead press in one flow.
Bodyweight Kneeling Push-up Row
Build chest and back strength with this kneeling push-up variation that adds a rowing pull at the top.
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