Kneeling Scapular Push Up

The scapular push up trains the serratus anterior, a muscle almost nobody works directly and the one responsible for keeping the shoulder blade gliding properly across the rib cage. What defines the exercise is what it does not do: the arms stay completely straight throughout and the elbows never bend. The entire range comes from the shoulder blades, which draw together as the chest sinks and spread apart as you push the floor away. It is a small range and the exercise looks easy, but a weak serratus shows up immediately as the shoulder blade lifting off the ribs. Performing it from the knees reduces the load and lets you focus on the movement itself. It makes an excellent warm-up before any pressing or overhead work. The range is small enough that most people underdo it: push until the upper back visibly rounds at the top and let the chest sink fully at the bottom, rather than settling for a few centimetres in between.