Lying Arms Slide
Lying Arms Slide Exercise Description
The Lying Arms Slide is a floor-based shoulder control drill that guides overhead motion with minimal load. Working supine helps you maintain a neutral spine and a stable rib cage, so the shoulder blades and upper arms can move with better coordination. As you slide from a 90/90 “goalpost” position toward overhead, you practice external rotation at the shoulder with scapular upward rotation and posterior tilt. Primary muscles involved include the deltoids for arm elevation; the serratus anterior with the upper and lower trapezius for scapular upward rotation; and the rotator cuff for glenohumeral stability. The slow, precise movement emphasizes smooth motion without shrugging or arching the low back, reinforcing quality overhead mechanics within a comfortable range.
- Muscle Groups: Chest, Delts, Shoulders
- Target Muscles: Deltoid - Lateral, Serratus Anterior
- Assisting Muscles: Deltoid - Anterior, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Upper Fibers
- Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Infraspinatus, Subscapularis, Supraspinatus, Teres Minor
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Chest, Shoulders
- Body Surface: Side
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Scapular Protractors, Scapular Upward Rotators, Shoulder Abductors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Rib Cage Muscle, Side Shoulder
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Lateral
- Gender: Female
How To Do The Lying Arms Slide Exercise
‘- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat; head and spine neutral.
– Lightly brace your midsection to keep ribs down; avoid excessive lumbar arching.
– Place arms in “goalpost”: shoulders abducted ~90°, elbows bent 90°.
– Keep the backs of hands, wrists, and elbows in light contact with the floor; palms face up.
– Set the shoulder blades gently “down” and around the rib cage; keep the neck long.
– Exhale as you slide the arms upward toward overhead, maintaining floor contact and palms-up (external rotation).
– Move only as far as you can without rib flare or shoulder shrug; brief pause.
– Slide back to the start under control, keeping contact and alignment.
– Keep the motion slow and smooth; breathe naturally throughout.
– If you lose contact or feel discomfort, reduce the range and continue within a comfortable path.
Lying Arms Slide Tips
‘- Keep your head, neck, and spine neutral as you lie on your back.
– Lightly brace your midsection to keep your ribs down and avoid excessive low-back arching.
– Maintain your knees bent and feet flat to help keep your position stable.
– Keep the backs of your hands, wrists, and elbows in light contact with the floor throughout the slide.
– Maintain palms-up to reinforce shoulder external rotation as you move toward overhead.
– Gently set your shoulder blades “down” and around your rib cage, keeping your neck long.
– Slide your arms only as far as you can without rib flare or shoulder shrug, then briefly pause.
– Move slowly and smoothly in both directions, keeping control as you return to the start.
– If you lose floor contact or feel discomfort, reduce your range and stay within a comfortable path.
– Breathe naturally throughout, using an exhale as you slide the arms upward.
Lying Arms Slide Beginner Introduction
The Lying Arms Slide is a gentle ground-based shoulder control exercise done on the back. With the body supported by the floor, attention shifts to how the shoulder blades and upper arms travel overhead while the middle of the body stays steady. The pattern emphasizes coordination between the shoulders, chest-side muscles, and traps, while the small stabilizing muscles around the shoulder joint contribute to smooth, supported motion. Because the movement happens with very little load, it suits careful practice of overhead mechanics in a comfortable range.
In this drill, the legs rest with bent knees, while the arms start bent out to the sides in a “goalpost” shape and glide along the floor toward a more overhead position. The backs of the hands and arms remain in light contact with the ground, with the palms turned upward to encourage an outward arm rotation. Throughout the motion, the neck stays relaxed, the ribcage stays settled, and the lower back resists excessive arching, highlighting controlled shoulder motion rather than strain in the neck or spine.