Other Exercises for Expanding
the Rib Cage
Muscle, tendon, cartilage, and other connective tissues are more easily stretched and expanded during the developmental years. Thus, a teenager can more readily enlarge his rib cage than can an adult. This is not to say that rib-cage expansion can’t be done after maturity. It just takes more concentrated work.
Here are four other exercises that can help you in your quest for a bigger rib cage. Either of the first two may be substituted for the breathing pullover. The last two are auxiliary movements. Practice them when your workout is completed.
Lat Machine Pullover While Standing
Attach a straight bar on a high lat machine. Grasp the bar with your hands close together and your palms down. Turn and face away from the bar. Your hands should be behind your head. Keep your arms relatively straight and lean away from the machine. With the chest expanded, the torso stretched, and the body on a 45-degree angle to the floor, you are now in the starting position.
Pull the bar over your head and in front of your chest. Keep your elbows locked throughout. Let the bar smoothly return behind your head to the starting position. Stretch for a few seconds by leaning into the bar. Repeat for the required repetitions.
Nautilus Pullover Machine
Here’s a terrific exercise that requires the Nautilus pullover machine, which used to be a basic piece of equipment in most fitness centers. Because of machine’s rotary resistance, you have a much greater range of motion than is possible with a dumbbell pullover. If you’re lucky enough to have access to one, be sure and apply it.
Sit in the machine. Make sure the top of your shoulder lines up with the axis of the movement arm. Adjust the seat bottom appropriately until it does. Fasten the seat belt across your hips. Leg press the footpedal until the pads on the movement arm are about chin level. Place your elbows on the pads and you’re ready to begin.
Remove your feet from the foot pedal and slowly rotate your elbows back into a comfortable shoulder and upper-back stretch. Pause for a few seconds and stretch even more. Rotate your elbows forward and downward smoothly until the bar touches your midsection. Return slowly to the stretched position. Repeat for the required repetitions.
Backbend on Floor
This exercise will help to stretch the torso and to contract the muscles of the lower and middle back. It will also assist you in projecting your rib cage during a side chest pose. Important: Attempt this movement very cautiously at first — and if you experience any unusual pain, discontinue it immediately.
Lie face down on the floor. Look toward the ceiling and begin to arch your neck and middle back. With your hands in a push-up position under your shoulders, gradually straighten your elbows as you extend and arch your middle and lower back more and more.
When you reach the highest-possible position, bend your knees and try to touch your feet to your head. At the same time, push your head back further by extending your arms. Ease out of the top position and return smoothly to the floor. Repeat several times. Few people initially will be able to touch their feet to their head, but many can work up to it in several months.
Stomach Vacuum
Here’s a movement that will help you control your breathing, as well as some of the smaller muscles that surround your rig cage. It was a favorite of Frank Zane, a former Mr. Olympia. And it contributed greatly to my ability to project my rib cage during my chest poses.
Lie on your back on the floor. Make sure your stomach is relatively empty. Place your hands across the bottom of your rib cage and the top of your abdominals. Take a normal breath and forcibly blow out as much air as possible. This should require about 10 seconds. Now here’s the challenging part: Suck in your stomach to the maximum degree — while not taking in any air during the process. If you’re doing it properly, you’ll feel a concave formation — which is called a stomach vacuum — under your lower ribs.
You won’t be able to hold the vacuum very long. Try it several times while lying down. If you feel a little light-headed, that’s normal. Rest a little longer between repetitions.
Stand now and try the vacuum in front of a mirror. Remove your shirt so you can see what’s happening. At first, the vacuum is more difficult to do standing than lying, but with a little practice you should be able to master it in a standing position. Then, you’ll want to apply it while contracting your arms and chest, as well as other muscle groups. That’s not easy to do initially, so you’ll have to practice it repeated for several months.
But it’ll be worth it when you’re able to expand your rib cage and chest and ease into a stomach vacuum — while walking on the beach this spring and summer.
