Scap Pushups (How To, Benefits & Alternatives)

Scap Push-Ups (short for scapular push-ups) isolate the movement of the shoulder blades, helping to build strength and control in the scapular stabilizers. Unlike a traditional push-up, your arms stay straight while you protract and retract your shoulder blades.

This drill is perfect for warming up the shoulders, improving posture, and building a strong foundation for pressing and pulling movements.

Primary Muscles Worked: Serratus Anterior, Trapezius, Rhomboids
Secondary Muscles Worked: Core, Rotator Cuff
Equipment Needed: None

How To Do Scap Push-ups

Step-by-Step Instructions

Set-Up:
- Begin in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders, arms fully extended, and feet hip-width apart.
- Engage your core and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
Execution:
- Without bending your elbows, squeeze your shoulder blades together (retraction) so your chest lowers slightly.
- Then, push the floor away to spread your shoulder blades apart (protraction), rounding slightly through your upper back.
- Repeat this motion slowly and with control.
Tips for Proper Form:
- Keep your arms straight the entire time—this is all about shoulder blade movement.
- Maintain a tight core so your hips and spine don’t sag or arch.
- Move smoothly through the full range of scapular motion.

Key Benefits

Builds shoulder stability and control.
Activates the serratus anterior—crucial for healthy shoulder function.
Preps the upper body for push-ups, presses, or overhead movements.

Modifications and Variations

Easier Option:
- Perform from your knees to reduce load.
- Do them standing against a wall to learn the motion.
Harder Option:
- Add a pause at the end range of protraction and retraction.
- Perform slower reps with full control for time-under-tension.

Common Mistakes

Bending the Elbows: Keep the arms locked—let the shoulder blades do the work.
Sagging Through the Core: Keep your body tight and flat like a plank.
Shrugging Shoulders: Don’t let your shoulders creep up toward your ears—stay packed.

Reps and Sets Recommendations

For Warm-Up or Activation: 2–3 sets of 10–15 controlled reps.
In Shoulder Stability Work: 3 sets of 12–20 reps or tempo-based sets (e.g. 30 seconds of slow, strict reps).
As Rehab/Prehab: Focus on perfect form, 2–3 sets daily or pre-session.

Scap Pushup Alternatives

Looking for other shoulder stabilization movements? Here are a few alternatives you can try out:

Shoulder Taps

Shoulder Taps are another easy-to-do shoulder stabilization movement that you can incorporate into your warm-up routine – either as an alternative to Scap Pushups or even in addition to.

Just like with Scap Pushups, start in a pushup position. Keep the core engaged and the body in a straight line. Then, simply reach up and tap the opposite shoulder and continue alternating sides until all reps are complete.

A, Y, T

A, Y, T are a shoulder series done with a very light weight (often 2.5 lb or 5 lb plates), laying on your stomach on a bench angled at 30 degrees. This series focuses on the posterior shoulder, doing raises making a letter A with the arms, then a Y and finally a T.

What makes A, Y, T great as an alternative here is that they can be done with one arm if necessary. So, if you are limited by an injury that doesn’t allow you to get into a pushup position, A, Y, T can be a perfect sub.