I'm not buying it!

[W8isGR8]

The whole concept of pullovers "expanding" the ribcage. This just seems like an old wives tale from the early days of bodybuilding that refuses to die. Are there exercises to make me taller too? Or the recently popular "how can I make my wrists bigger" exercises. Prove me right, prove me wrong, just prove it!

[jando]

i-agree-with-you

[porcupinetree]

It-worked-for-me

cartilege can stretch. Cartilege connects the sternum to the ribs. If that cartilege stretches, you have a wider rib cage.

My rib cage is wider than when I started. That's proof enough for me.

[chad12121]

I've thought about this to and came to the conclusion that there is only one way to find out and that was start adding DB pullovers to my chest routine. Pullovers are a good torso exercise anyway so why not?

[W8isGR8]

It-worked-for-me

cartilege can stretch. Cartilege connects the sternum to the ribs. If that cartilege stretches, you have a wider rib cage.

My rib cage is wider than when I started. That's proof enough for me.

That's true, but how much stretch are we talking about? A couple cm's? Not enough to notice a difference.

[chad12121]

At the peak of my bodybuilding career, my chest measured 57", and one of the prime movements that made that sort of dimension possible was the dumbbell pullover. Some authorities disagree, but I firmly believe that doing pullovers for a number of years increased the size of my rib cage and kicked me toward that 57" mark. I further believe that the younger you are when you start training, the more effective this exercise is. For a teenager, I would recommend it as an absolute must for expanding the rib cage.

It also, of course, works the pecs, particularly the outer and lower areas, and it gives the lats and serratus a bit of a workout. So what are you waiting for? Roll that dumbbell to the bench and begin a set of pullovers.

A nice little quote from Arnold. I think it is true that pullovers will expand your rib cage, I don't know by how much, but I think it has to be done ALOT for several years for a noticeable difference. Meaning don't expect to add them to your routine and have a bigger rib cage by next month.

I have also read that it helps to do pullovers right after heavy breathing sets of squats if you are looking to expand the rib cage.

[tiny.t]

Do as you please,no-ones making you do pullovers.My rib cage has got bigger since i have been doing them,that may be natural growth or it might not be.As for the old wives tale/old times thing,funny stuff.Nothings changed in bbing for the past 50 years except 'help' so i going to go with the tried and tested methods thankyou.

[bellisima]

It-worked-for-me

cartilege can stretch. Cartilege connects the sternum to the ribs. If that cartilege stretches, you have a wider rib cage.

My rib cage is wider than when I started. That's proof enough for me.

cartilage stretches?

[tiny.t]

cartilage stretches?

Hang weights off your ear for a month and see.

[Boridi]

I did that once..

[Sh0t`]

Bathtub pushes

[devil_s haircut]

that may be natural growth or it might not be

Well, considering you're only 3 years old...

[aqua-beowulf]

Copy and pasted from one of my posts from a thread a while ago:

Unfortunately, you're the one who may have been misinformed. Expanding your ribcage is indeed possible, books have been written on the subject, and the great athletes have been doing exercises such as heavy breathing squats, dumbell and barbell pullovers, as well as Rader chest pulls, to accomplish that very goal for years. Check out "Super Squats" by Randall J. Strossen on page 54 to see an in depth explanation as to how this can be accomplished as well as the theory behind it. Also check out Arnold Schwarzenegger's, "The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding", on page 378. It explains bent-arm pullovers as well as the purpose of the exercise, "stretches the pectorals and helps widen the rib cage". I myself have used dumbell pullovers through my 15 years of training and can attest to the ribcage widening effects. Stretching your ribcage will allow you to increase your upper body muscle mass significantly. By the way, very good question Bosshogg.

[W8isGR8]

cartilage stretches?

Yeah, like those african ladies that put those rings around their necks and to stretch them out.

I know Arnold swears by them, but even when he was 16 he still had a bigger chest than most. That man was gifted with a naturally large rib cage to begin with. I want to see some before and after pics so you guys can show me how much your rib cage has "expanded".

[aqua-beowulf]

I want to see some before and after pics so you guys can show me how much your rib cage has "expanded".

Good luck! I don't think too many guys took before and after pictures with intent of stretching their ribcage. But I'm telling you, it can happen, and it worked for me. Where's DD when I need him.

[W8isGR8]

Good luck! I don't think too many guys took before and after pictures with intent of stretching their ribcage. But I'm telling you, it can happen, and it worked for me. Where's DD when I need him.

Of course nobody takes pics with that in mind, but SOMEBODY took some damn pics when they started working out. I want to see measurements, not pecs either! Measurements right below the pecs, around the sternum. I think most people think that pull-overs expanded their ribcage, when all that happened was their pecs and lats grew. You can't change the basic structure of your skeleton with a few reps of a DB.

[tiny.t]

Of course nobody takes pics with that in mind, but SOMEBODY took some damn pics when they started working out. I want to see measurements, not pecs either! Measurements right below the pecs, around the sternum. I think most people think that pull-overs expanded their ribcage, when all that happened was their pecs and lats grew. You can't change the basic structure of your skeleton with a few reps of a DB.

Its not a few reps...only a fool would expect that to happen.Lets try another example,has your lat spread got bigger since you have been training?I shall answer for you,yes it has,what has stretched?Cartlidge.I do however believe the rib cage(bone) can be made bigger with pullovers,purely because its happened to myself.Then again it may be natural growth.Don't you grow at the highest rate as a child???

[MrSinister]

Its not a few reps...only a fool would expect that to happen.Lets try another example,has your lat spread got bigger since you have been training?I shall answer for you,yes it has,what has stretched?Cartlidge.I do however believe the rib cage(bone) can be made bigger with pullovers,purely because its happened to myself.Then again it may be natural growth.Don't you grow at the highest rate as a child???

huh?? whats cartilage got to do with a lat spread??

[porcupinetree]

huh?? whats cartilage got to do with a lat spread??

Doing pullups will spread the scapula.


Hey, if you don't believe that you can widen the ribcage, feel free to not do any pullovers. None of us will mind.

[Defiant1]

Yeah, like those african ladies that put those rings around their necks and to stretch them out.

I know Arnold swears by them, but even when he was 16 he still had a bigger chest than most. That man was gifted with a naturally large rib cage to begin with. I want to see some before and after pics so you guys can show me how much your rib cage has "expanded".

They work.

The key is to do them LIGHT for STRETCH, not heavy. Breathe deep at the bottom. Heavy pullovers work the lats/pecs/serratus, and actually PREVENT rib-cage stretching.

Flyes work too.

I don't have before pictures, but check out some of these old schoolers:

http://www.classicbodybuilders.com/b...egoldberg2.jpg

http://www.classicbodybuilders.com/b...ohngrimek2.jpg

http://www.classicbodybuilders.com/b...eddyortiz9.jpg

Not proof, but evidence.

Vince Gironda didn't believe in them....because he thought a big rib cage made you look fat in clothes.

Cartiledge stretching is accepted by most strength scientists as a possibility.

[DiamondDelts]

Good luck! I don't think too many guys took before and after pictures with intent of stretching their ribcage. But I'm telling you, it can happen, and it worked for me. Where's DD when I need him.

I'm right here big man. And I too can attest that heavy db and bb pullovers did expand my rib cage over a period of 3 years. I believe Defiant1 had a good scienitific comeback for why pullovers can work. But things like this you have to try for yourself. Lifters that want to qoute science all day before they try anything will NEVER get it. It's called lifting instincts. People used to always tell me that I had a small frame, and I could not get any wider. They said you cannot stretch your skeletal frame, and you are just stuck with what you got.

That was at age 22. And at age 22, my shoulder girth was a shade under 49". Now it is almost 57". I KNOW that is due to heavy behind the neck exercises and pullovers. People argue all day here about how pullovers and behind the neck exercises are not useful or unsafe. But I prefer to go out and do ****, not sit and debate about it. Now I have the body width I have always wanted. I still have a LONG way to go physiquewise, but I have the WIDTH **** down. Yet people are steady trying to tell me it was genetics. Ha, genetics my ass. If I were an armchair expert sitting around and debating all day about what I can't do, I would still have my old no. 2 pencil, gumby shape.

[ShreddedShruggin]

I'm right here big man. And I too can attest that heavy db and bb pullovers did expand my rib cage over a period of 3 years.

I cant do pullovers. For some reason when i bring the weight down, it feels like my arms are gonna crack off

-Shruggin

[DiamondDelts]

I cant do pullovers. For some reason when i bring the weight down, it feels like my arms are gonna crack off

-Shruggin

Well just like any exercise, they are not for everyone. But I do believe they can be effective if a person sticks with them long enough.

[ShreddedShruggin]

Well just like any exercise, they are not for everyone. But I do believe they can be effective if a person sticks with them long enough.

They definitely aint for me. but one exercise that is for me is the zercher shrug, haha....

-Shruggin

[DiamondDelts]

They definitely aint for me. but one exercise that is for me is the zercher shrug, haha....

-Shruggin

You REALLY like those don't you.

[ShreddedShruggin]

You REALLY like those don't you.

yep, well u know i like my shrugs...

-Shruggin

[Saviour]

I cant do pullovers. For some reason when i bring the weight down, it feels like my arms are gonna crack off

-Shruggin

no one gets it right on their first try, this is a movement you have to learn to get used to, and it CAN be very awkward at first.
and most importantly start light (no matter how strong your other lifts are), you don't wanna **** up your shoulders.

[speekergeek]

WHen i breathed in some fibreglass while in the Navy, i had my chest xray'd. The doctor commented to the nurse about my long rib-cage, then asked me if i had breathing troubles when i was a kid. "Yes ma'am I did have trouble breathing at night because of a cat allergy." doctor said breathing problems as a kid can elongate your rib-cage. Dont be so quick to dismiss the idea of exercises to widen it.

Mike

pee hole

[KopyKat]

I think that ANY chest excersise done with the shoulder blades retracted should slightly affect rib cage size. Pullovers might hit it a little more but it would be a small difference.

[porcupinetree]

no one gets it right on their first try, this is a movement you have to learn to get used to, and it CAN be very awkward at first.
and most importantly start light (no matter how strong your other lifts are), you don't wanna **** up your shoulders.

very important. I tweaked my front delt doing pullovers back in November last year. I had to stop doing flat bench presses for a while and start every workout with light front dumbell raises to warm up the delt area. I'm 100% now, but it took a few months and I haven't gone back to doing pullovers yet.
I got hurt because I did pullovers with too much weight. It's a stetching exercise, not a power one...although, it did always give me a great pump.