Q's on ribs and speed of exercise

[rudygee2]

Hey whats up all?

I just had 2 questions for you guys.

1. Ive been working about for a few months, but Im still pretty skinny. Im slowly gaining weight, but the problem is you can still see my ribs alittle bit when in standing relaxed, and you can definitely see them when I take a deep breath in. So should I start targeting the muscle over the ribs (and if I should, what muscle is that? the obliques?), or should I just keep bulking and hope that as I gain weight all over, it will eventually cover up?

2. Second question is when you are lifting, do you use slow controlled motions, or do you use explosive motions. Ive always used slow motions, cause I never have a spotter so I want to make sure I can control it, but when I work out with my friend (hes been weight lifting for years) he always tells me to use explosive motion. So which one is better? Keep in mind my goals are to bulk

Any help would be appreciated, thanks alot.

 

[Alpine]

Read the bulking thread for starters.

For gaining mass, explosive training at this stage is not a good idea. It also could injure you if you aren't careful.

Keep a medium cadence for now, with a slightly slower lowering of the weight while under tension.

The ribs thing certainly tickled mine There are no muscles external to the ribs to cover them up. That's why the hugest body builders in the world show their ribs.

Just keep eating lots of food.

 

[rudygee2]

Hey thanks Alpine.

Thanks for explaining the speed stuff. I read the bulk thread a long time ago, sorry for not remembering anything there about speed.

There is really nothing that covers the ribs at all? I obviously cant feel any muscle on mine, haha, but I thought maybe it was just cause mine werent developed. How come somepeople you can see their ribs when relaxed and for some people you cant?

 

[Alpine]

FAT!

 

[rudygee2]

Haha, ok cool. Thanks man.

 

[naoi deag se deag]

The serratus anterior covers the ribs running at an angle roughly parallel to your fingers when you put them in your pocket. They look like ribs when they get well-developed, and many bodybuilders have huge serratus muscles. They're called the boxer's muscle too, because they develop and enable increased twisting force in punches. I'm helluva skinny, so mine look like I popped a rib or something. But you can develop them with some twisting and breathing exercises that you can find in Pavel Tsatsouline's "Bulletproof Abs". I'd go into more detail but it just started snowing in Dublin for the first time in 20 years so I'm going outside.

 

[rudygee2]

Hey naoi, thanks for the info. But doesnt that muscle cover up near armpit? When I say my ribs are still showing, I mean like the lower ribs, near my abs. Is this still the serratus anterior?

 

[naoi deag se deag]

You're right, the serratus does trail into the armpit. But I think on most people, the bottom of the serratus intersects the rectus abdominus at about the second row of the six pack. It should cover up your ribs all the way down.

I recommend buying or otherwise procuring (not stealing he he ) Pavel's book. It's the best book I've found for your entire midsection. The breathing exercise I mentioned has to be done carefully, because you can hurt your back if you do it wrong. It would be best for you to read it from him, but if you want you can drop me a message and I'll see what I can do. Cheers.

 

[rudygee2]

Originally posted by naoi deag se deag
You're right, the serratus does trail into the armpit. But I think on most people, the bottom of the serratus intersects the rectus abdominus at about the second row of the six pack. It should cover up your ribs all the way down.

I recommend buying or otherwise procuring (not stealing he he ) Pavel's book. It's the best book I've found for your entire midsection. The breathing exercise I mentioned has to be done carefully, because you can hurt your back if you do it wrong. It would be best for you to read it from him, but if you want you can drop me a message and I'll see what I can do. Cheers.

Ah, Ok.... Thanks alot man. Ummm, Id rather not buy the book cause Im cheap, haha. If you are willing to, Id appreciate it if you could put something up that summarizes what Pavel says. If not, still thanks for the info.

 

[Alpine]

I'm interested why the focus on the ribs? It's the absolute least of your worries.

Don't focus on this, forget it, it's a very, very small detail.

Focus on getting big legs, back, shoulders, everything else will follow.

Forget your Fvckin ribs.

Oh and you sort of guess you won't understand someones post when even their username is unintelligable.

Forget all the fancy muscle names, insertion points stuff, it won't help you in any way at the moment.

Also, Mr Pavel is a fantastic example of Russian marketing talent. I wouldn't spend your money on his stuff, although I'm not saying it's rubbish.

The bulking thread is free, but people don't attach value to it if something's free, do they?

 

[rudygee2]

Im just interested in it cause everything else has grown, but nothing has happened in the ribs area at all. Granted, Ive only been working out for alittle over 3 months, but even if i didnt work out a specific area, like the biceps, they still grew. I was just getting kinda worried that I was missing something. I didnt want to find out like a year down the road that I didnt train a certain area, and have to play catch up, slowing down my overall progress

Haha, about his name thing.... I wasnt saying that he wouldnt be able to summarize it intelligibley, I just didnt want to make it sound like I was expecting him to sit down for hours and write the book down here. If its relatively easy for him, then Id like him to do it. But if its gonna take him hours or something, of course Id appreciate it, but its completely up to him if wants to spend that time helping a complete stranger.

Why would you think that I dont value the bulk thread? This board and the bulk thread are the things that got me started on working out, and I appreciate it alot. But I dont believe there was anything specifically about ribs area in the bulk thread, so naturally I went elsewhere to look for the info.

 

[Alpine]

OK your username is a bit weird rudy, but I was refering to the other one. Probably Welsh or he's a Satanist or something

If you really want to expand your rib cage do pullovers, but they probably will be a waste of time but do what you will.

Read the bulk thread and others AGAIN cos you really ain't getting it yet. Bloody ribs indeed.

Happy bulking.

 

[rudygee2]

Ummm, correct me if im wrong but wouldnt doing ribcage expansions make my ribs even more promient? If they do, then you dont understand what my problem is, haha. I want something to cover up my ribs so you cant see the bones sticking out when im standing relaxed.

I looked over the bulk thread again, but I still dont understand what Im missing. Just because DIESEL doesnt say anything about the ribs doesnt mean i cant incorporate them into my work out. I understand that he says stick with big heavy compounds, and everything should grow, but thats just the thing... nothing has been happeneing to cover up my ribs at all, while everythign else HAS been growing. So I was wondering if I was supposed to be doing some specific exercises to cover them up or something cause it seems kinda weird to have one specific part of the body not to grow while everything is.

 

[naoi deag se deag]

Alpine,

I agree that Pavel overprices his stuff, and it's definitely a lot of fluff. However, his Bulletproof Abs routines are the only ones I would use after 10 years of doing hundreds of crunches and situps every day on a swim team. Whatever rudygee's goals are, he should make sure he works his entire core, because all the core muscles work together. The exercise takes maybe a minute or two of solid concentration a couple times daily, and so it wouldn't conflict with his lifting schedule. If you want to review it before making a recommendation, I can write it up this weekend when I get back to my house in London where the book is and PM it to you. And my name is Irish, a chara. Tá sé go bréa, buddy

rudygee,

I'll PM you the exercise this weekend. And good on you for looking to round out your workout.

 

[rudygee2]

Cool, thanks alot man.

 

[Create Reality]

Here is a website about the Serratus

http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/SerratusAnterior.html

 

[Alpine]

Apart from 'Bear' training, Pavel's stuff is geared towards althetes who want explosive strength, strength endurance and not mass.

In fact, I really like his (Bear) bulking routine, but no one here would do it because it consists of just two exercises and no bloody arm curls.

I'm a big fan of abbreviated routines, but have not personally tried the volume/2reps below failure approach.

Rudy basically wants to cover his ribs up with lard, that's it.

Core work whilst important for athletes, the average guy bulking will get a good core doing deadlifts, squats and OHP and no machines. Throw in a few crunches and save your energy.

 

[rudygee2]

Originally posted by Alpine


Rudy basically wants to cover his ribs up with lard, that's it.

Core work whilst important for athletes, the average guy bulking will get a good core doing deadlifts, squats and OHP and no machines. Throw in a few crunches and save your energy.

Obviously, I dont want to cover it up with fat. Naoi says there is a muscle there that can be developed, and I believe him. What I dont understand though is if what you say is true, and there is absolutely no muscle at all there, how do ripped body builders cover up their ribs? I mean if they were to do like a rib expansion, yeah, you could see their ribs, but when they are standing relaxed, you dont see it. Obviously its not fat cause they are ripped. But on me, when im just standing relaxed, you can still kinda see them.

I mean, theres gotta be something there between the abs and the lats, right? I know this isnt a real person, but what are the muscles connected to the abs on this guy?
http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/PectoralisSternal.html

Oh yeah, thanks for the link Create Reality.

 

[Alpine]

Look Mate,

Feel your ribs that stick out and look in a mirror. You will find that there are ribs you can feel to either sied of your upper abs and feel them round to where the obliques start.

Depending on how 'your' constructed and cannot change, there may be more or less of a section of ribs showing.

Feel them then tense up, if there was ANY muscle there you would feel it, but no just boney isn't it.

So, if you want to cover that bit up your only option is to get a bit fatter. Personally I would just build muscle where you can and except you have ribs poking out as well.

I also think your fixation on this point is unhealthy in itself, just drop it, forget it, you've got to ask yourself 'How is banging on about my ribs going to get me laid?'

It's like saying what muscles can I build to hide my cheekbones 'cos they stick out? You need to get a life.

Do yourself a favour, drop the thread and start eating and lifting more.

 

[rudygee2]

Originally posted by Alpine
Look Mate,

Feel your ribs that stick out and look in a mirror. You will find that there are ribs you can feel to either sied of your upper abs and feel them round to where the obliques start.

Depending on how 'your' constructed and cannot change, there may be more or less of a section of ribs showing.

Feel them then tense up, if there was ANY muscle there you would feel it, but no just boney isn't it.

So, if you want to cover that bit up your only option is to get a bit fatter. Personally I would just build muscle where you can and except you have ribs poking out as well.

Hmmm, you might be right about this. Maybe my problem is also that Im asian. Typically, asians have larger ribcages... at least in proportion to their bodies.

Originally posted by Alpine
I also think your fixation on this point is unhealthy in itself, just drop it, forget it, you've got to ask yourself 'How is banging on about my ribs going to get me laid?'

It's like saying what muscles can I build to hide my cheekbones 'cos they stick out? You need to get a life.

Wtf man, why are you getting all hostile. If you look at the whole thread, you answer some of my questions, which I appreciated. Then Naoi and I were talking, and you come in here telling me what I should and should not do (of course, your opinions are valued). But then you tell me that I dont know Im doing. You tell me what I value and what I dont value. You tell me what I want and what I dont want. You tell me im obessed with this stuff. Youre not fuking me, so shut up about it. Im not obsessed with this. I didnt drop my normal routine. I didnt make a whole routine based on ONLY my ribs. I want to expand my routine if I think it can help. I need to get a life? I dont even understand how this even applies. I dont sit in front of a mirror looking at my ribs thinking to myself "covering up my ribs will get me laid". The only reason I keep replying to the thread is to thank certain people (even you, while you are kinda acting like an ass now, you have been helpful) and to reply to you, cause you keep asking why I am concerned about it. If there is absolutely no muscle there, then I should just just drop it, yes...but if what naoi said is true, then I can change some of it, maybe not all of it, but maybe some, and Im willing to try it.

Originally posted by Alpine

Do yourself a favour, drop the thread and start eating and lifting more.

It takes 5 minutes to reply to this thread. I wouldnt have to reply to this thread if you would stop writing me messages. I dont know how long it take you to write a message, but making messages in this board defininetly does not take time away from eating or lifting. Im willing to let this thread die cause naoi has already PMed me (thanks alot man). Also, I eat every 3 hours. I lift 3 times a week for an hour. Maybe you shouldnt say sh*t about what you dont know.