The fabled, long-lost rib cage expasion techniques

[ManVsIron]

I believe there's at least 1 or 2 guys in this forum that know a good deal about it. I'm starting this thread because I want their input. Though if anyone has any contributions, by all means.

The reason I bring it up is because I think I may be getting a result, without actually trying to. I started doing deep-stretch DB pullovers near the end of my chest routine, after I watched a few vids of Cutler saying that he uses them to stretch out his pecs (from a different angle), towards the end of the session. Basically just another FST technique.

I thought, "well, screw it. I'll give it a shot". I'd heard about the rib cage expansion theories/exercises before, but that always seemed like a bunch of malarkey, didn't it? The only reason I was doing this, was to stretch the pec muscles.

But after a while, I've started to experience some significant (what I have to describe as) 'growing pains' coming from my rib cage. It's gotten to the point now, where as I'm getting ready to sneeze, suddenly the force/power generated by my diaphragm puts pressure on the rib cage, and the pain (though like I said, it's more of a growing pain -- not injury pain) becomes so intense, that my body totally aborts the sneeze right before it would normally exhale with force. Never experienced this before. It's almost like my body senses that it may be about to injure itself, so it instantly 'cancels' the sneeze.

Most of the time, the sensation is around the sternum area. But when I sneeze (sometimes I can actually handle it, and the body completes the action), it feels like the whole rib cage is sore. It's become real easy for me to lean back a little, and get my sternum (or something in that area) to pop. Sometimes when I'm laying in bed, and I want to sit up (hit snooze for ex.), as I try to sit up, I feel an aching in my sternum area that's so intense, I can't sit up. I actually yell out, it's so intense. It's not really 'pain'... it's more of a soreness / growing pain kinda thing.

I don't really know what to say other than, "I think this must be working". Now the only question is, "what the h3ll did I get myself into??"

Last time I worked chest, I just worked the pecs like most people do, and skipped the techniques at the end. Why? "Because I felt like my rib cage was so sore, I needed to give it a rest this time". -I never imagined I would ever be saying something like that. Sure enough, I can sneeze now (hey, allergies) and the rib cage is feeling much more normal... just because I skipped that session. So there is a direct correlation.

I've also read that this is really supposed to be intended for younger lifters, before their cartilage 'ossifies', or whatever. Well, I'm in my early 30s. But I've never really fallen into the 'normal' category, so that figures.

I guess I need to start tracking my chest measurement now? I don't know what else to say. Hopefully some of the well-read people on this subject can... I dunno... comment??

It's MORE than just 'noticeable' with me. My rib cage is frickin'... feeling it, man. Surely I can't be the only one in the history of bodybuilding to experience this. And now, if I keep doing it... what results should I expect from it??

[freshgymrat]

i do db pullovers after my chest/back routine i ss the 2. i dont get the feeling you get though, but my chest pops really easy when i lean back i noticed, i havent had any problems though i noticed a big diffrence in my rib cage expantion though.

[BigBoLuke93]

Arnold used to do them for ribcage expansion - that's what he said atleast

I've never done them, but I used to get that sternum "soreness" you speak of when I started doing weighted dips. I think it has something to do with the cartilage in that area getting stretched more than it's used to, or in a different way than what it is used to.