Scapular Push-Up

How to do it

Hold a high plank with arms locked straight and, without bending the elbows at all, let the chest sink between the shoulder blades then push the upper back toward the ceiling.

Muscles worked

Primary: shoulders · Also works: serratus anterior, traps

Equipment

No equipment

Common mistakes

• Bending the elbows, which makes it a shallow push-up and removes the scapular work
• Letting the hips pike up or sag as the shoulder blades move
• Moving only an inch — the reps should show a visible dip and dome in the upper back

Variations

• Scapular push-up against a wall
• Scapular push-up on the knees

Can't do this one? Swap it for

• Wall Slide
• Band Shoulder Pass-Through
• Prone Rear Delt Raise

Take care: ABROFIT automatically removes this movement for anyone who has flagged a wrist problem. If that's you, use one of the swaps above and speak to a physio before loading it.

Related exercises

• Standing Overhead Pressshoulders
• Pike Push-Upshoulders
• Dumbbell Lateral Raiseshoulders
• Shoulder Controlled Rotationsshoulders
• Face Pullshoulders
• Cable Lateral Raiseshoulders