Can you expand your Ribcage with pullovers?
Question:
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| Freddy Ortiz was known for his impressive ribcage |
From Bodybuilding Mauritius member Ludovic Chanson (France)
Q: What do you think about expanding your rib cage ?
It seems like Arnold and Vince believe you can, while
Arnold himself said that other people believe you cannot.
What's your point of view ?
Answer by Veeraj Goyaram:
Ribcage expansion is indeed a big
debate. The current belief is that at a young age the ribcage can grow not
because of an extension of the cartilage which attaches the costal bones (ribs) to the
sternum (breast bone). From my current understanding, this expansion stops by
the early 20s when these cartilage becomes fixed. Someone older can still
expect to expand his ribcage, although to a lesser degree. Pullovers are
believed to be useful in that regard, especially when done following squats
(superset fashion or after squat sets). I don't know if this is true. As I said, it is a still a debatable topic.
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| Arnold performing cross-bench dumbbell pullovers |
Another element in
creating the illusion of a bigger ribcage is the ability to hold a stomach
vacuum. In the picture below, in spite of my current high bodyfat percentage I can still
hold a vacuum although to a lesser extent than when I am leaner. Various vacuum
exercise variations have helped me. I learned about these exercises in the yoga classes that I took way before I started
bodybuilding.
I am pleased to bring you the input of well-known exercise biomechanics expert, Mr. Doug Brignole, on this topic. As some of you already know, I trust Doug's information very much and I am a big fan of his. In the paragraphs to come, Doug will give us his opinion on the effectiveness of the cross-bench dumbbell pullover as a "ribcage-expander" exercise as well as his advice on performing the vacuum.
Valued input from Mr. Doug Brignole
1986 AAU Mr. America and Mr. Universe
1979 Teen Natural Mr. America, Teen Mr. California
1982 AAU Mr. California overall
Biomechanics of exercise expert
How to do the vacuum
I've been doing a vacuum
since I was in my teens. It's unfortunate that bodybuilders don't do it so much
anymore. It would be nice if it were a "required" pose.
The best way to learn how
to do a vacuum, is by first understanding the breath. It's impossible to do a
vacuum after one has inhaled. The only way to do it after an exhale. The next
thing I would recommend is to begin by lying down on the floor, facing upwards.
This will allow gravity to assist in the pulling "down" of the
abdomen - at least until the feeling is learned.
So lie down on the floor,
exhaled, and then pull the stomach inward, while holding the breath. Then relax
and breath, and repeat. Once it's grasped while in this position, it will be
easier to do it while standing.
.jpg) |
| Doug at the 1979 Teen Mr. America |
Can breathing squats and pullovers expand the rib cage?
When I first started
training at the age of 14, I did breathing squats followed by dumbbell
pullovers (across the bench). My goal was to increase the size of my ribcage,
as per the recommendations in the magazines of the time. However, I don't
really think it did that. My ribcage has never been especially large, and I did
not see it change much, despite the fact that I did that combination regularly.
I'm not convinced that the size of the ribcage can be influenced by pullovers;
I'm more incline to believe that it cannot be influenced. Pullovers do seem to
help the serratus anterior, more so than the lats. It's not a very good Lat
exercise.
The effectiveness and safety of pullovers
The problem with pullovers
is that it's not an entirely natural movement for the shoulders. And to make
matters worse, the mechanics of the standard pullover is that the resistance
increases - and reaches its maximum - precisely when one's arms are extended
above one's head (arms alongside the head). That is where the greatest risk to
the shoulder joint occurs.
A better way to work the
serratus anterior is with a staight arm pulldown (which follows a similar path
to the pullover). This allows you to stop the movement before the arms reach
the point where they are alongside one's head. And it provides more resistance
at the point where the arms are in front of the torso (i.e., the typical
"conclusion" point of the pullover). And you can take the handle past
that point, all the way down to the point where it touches the thighs. This
provides better Lat stimulation, as well as serratus anterior stimulation,
without jeopardizing the shoulder joint.
Sorry for the detour -
back to the ribcage. While I don't regret having done pullovers when I was
young, I don't think they contributed much to my ribcage, and I would never do
them today. The flexibility and resilience of a youthful shoulder joint could
tolerate a fair amount of that type of unnatural stress. But I think it would
cause problems for anyone over the age of 30.
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| Doug can still master the vacuum at age 51 |
 | ||
| Old school is still alive. Doug hits the vacuum onstage at age 51 |
Some more pics of the fabulous physique of Doug Brignole
"Be Inspired"
.jpg)
Where to find Doug's work?
Doug writes for IRONMAN magazine. He has his own blog on the IRONMAN website (Click to visit) where he regularly provides his expert analysis of the effectiveness of many exercises. Doug also co-authored with Dr. Adrian Tan a book titled "Million Dollar Muscle: A Historical and Sociological Perspective of the Fitness Industry". The best way to receive his updates is to follow him on facebook and his website http://www.dougbrignole.com.
Thank you a lot Doug Brignole for your input and your massive contribution to bodybuilding
YOU INSPIRE US A LOT!
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