Bad Posture or Large Ribs?

[William2018]

When I see guys wearing T-shirts they always show a well defined chest indicated by that clear horizontal crease on their T-shirts directly under their pecs which pretty much says they have built up a pretty good upper chest. Yet I can never get that look when I wear T-shirts as my lower ribs always stick out and make me look pregnant with the crease appearing much lower down.
I can't get into the habit of wearing T-shirts because of it. Is it my posture that is wrong due to years working in an office, which is causing my ribs to protrude out more than my pecs above? Could the muscles somewhere in my body be inactive or overactive and forcing my ribcage to stick out forwards at a slant? See Photo attached. Anyone know how I can correct it and if it can be corrected? Work on posture? Back muscles? Something that can't be fixed? Just wish I could wear a T-shirt once with a clear definition of my pecs, and not look pregnant.

Cheers for any advice you may have, and would be interested to learn if this is a common occurrence.

[rtpmarine]

Google “rib flare”. It’s my understanding that it has to do with breathing and can be corrected over time.

[William2018]

Google “rib flare”. It’s my understanding that it has to do with breathing and can be corrected over time.

I was thinking it might be that, but there seems to be different causes and techniques to correct it e.g. control breathing (can't imagine how that would fix it) or sleeping with a tower under my legs (another bizarre one). Athlean-X recommends various strengthening exercises, while others recommend relaxing techniques. Don't know which one is most effective. My first thought was to get a lumbar back brace and force my spine to keep my lower ribs down.

[air2fakie]

I don't know if I'm seeing it wrong or if you were flexing funny or not at all, but it kind of looks like the top "2-pack" section of your abs are really tall/long and maybe swollen - which I assume would lead to the pregnant look you're describing. You know your body better, so I may be way off as to the issue.

[andy0w]

When I see guys wearing T-shirts they always show a well defined chest indicated by that clear horizontal crease on their T-shirts directly under their pecs which pretty much says they have built up a pretty good upper chest. Yet I can never get that look when I wear T-shirts as my lower ribs always stick out and make me look pregnant with the crease appearing much lower down.
I can't get into the habit of wearing T-shirts because of it. Is it my posture that is wrong due to years working in an office, which is causing my ribs to protrude out more than my pecs above? Could the muscles somewhere in my body be inactive or overactive and forcing my ribcage to stick out forwards at a slant? See Photo attached. Anyone know how I can correct it and if it can be corrected? Work on posture? Back muscles? Something that can't be fixed? Just wish I could wear a T-shirt once with a clear definition of my pecs, and not look pregnant.

Cheers for any advice you may have, and would be interested to learn if this is a common occurrence.

Rib flare. It runs in the family. My grand dad had it, my dad had it. My lowest ribs stick out, and those above them are caved it. I always look pregnant.

It is said some can be corrected by exercise.
http://posturedirect.com/flared-ribs/

[William2018]

I don't know if I'm seeing it wrong or if you were flexing funny or not at all, but it kind of looks like the top "2-pack" section of your abs are really tall/long and maybe swollen - which I assume would lead to the pregnant look you're describing. You know your body better, so I may be way off as to the issue.

My external obliques are almost non-existent which makes the upper abs stick out more as the sides are sunken in. Oddly enough, when I watched Athlean-X's tutorial for rib flare he recommended that sufferers are likely to have weak external obliques that result in rib flare. He recommended that sufferers should strengthen their external obliques to correct their spine and rib imbalances along with other various muscles. Looks like that is next on my list. Can you recommend the best way to strengthen external obliques?

[air2fakie]

Can you recommend the best way to strengthen external obliques?

Any of those side-bendy or side-twisty type exercises you see ppl doing should be good for your ext obliques.

Side bends w/ dbs, bicycle crunches, hanging knee raises where you come up to each side, sitting w/ legs off ground and twisting side-to-side w/ plate or medicine ball, etc.

Some plank variations will work your obliques pretty well, and you can do things w/ a cable like those woodchopper twists, etc.

[William2018]

Any of those side-bendy or side-twisty type exercises you see ppl doing should be good for your ext obliques.

Side bends w/ dbs, bicycle crunches, hanging knee raises where you come up to each side, sitting w/ legs off ground and twisting side-to-side w/ plate or medicine ball, etc.

Some plank variations will work your obliques pretty well, and you can do things w/ a cable like those woodchopper twists, etc.

Cheers. Will add them to my New Year's resolution.