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Exercises / Shoulder & scapula

3D athlete for the wall slide

Wall slide

  • Strength
  • Shoulder & scapula
  • Wall, Optional towel or foam roller

Forearms slide up a wall in the scapular plane. Activates serratus anterior at and above 90° elevation.

Also called wall slides, serratus wall slide.

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Where you stand

No published distribution for this exercise yet. We add one only from a peer-reviewed study.

Muscles worked

Filled: primary. Outlined: secondary.

How much

2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Start: Standing facing a wall

Steps

  1. Stand facing a wall with the ulnar borders of the forearms on the wall, elbows at shoulder height.
  2. Lean in slightly and slide the forearms up the wall in a "V" while keeping gentle pressure.
  3. Slide back down with control.

Cues

  • Keep the forearms pressing into the wall
  • Let the shoulder blades rotate up around the ribs

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging toward the ears
  • Arching the low back

Used for

Evidence (2)

Easier

Harder

References (2)
  1. Hardwick DH, Beebe JA, McDonnell MK, Lang CE. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2006;36(12):903-910. A comparison of serratus anterior muscle activation during a wall slide exercise and other traditional exercises
  2. Ekstrom RA, Donatelli RA, Soderberg GL. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2003;33(5):247-258. Surface electromyographic analysis of exercises for the trapezius and serratus anterior muscles