Expanding Ribcage Through Pullovers?

Is this possible? Ever since I started reading Weider publications back in the day this was always mentioned. Today, no one brings this up at all. Darden has an article on the topic of expanding the ribcage Ellington Darden HIT Coaching - Forums - T Nation
What exactly is happening to what? Is the coastal cartilage betwen the ribs being grown?

don’t waste your time trying to expand your rib cage

[quote]JNeves wrote:
don’t waste your time trying to expand your rib cage[/quote]

Testify!!!

I agree.

They’re discussing this now in the ‘Forum Roundtable: Chest’ thread in the Think-Tank. The answer seems to be… no! Won’t work!

[quote]Navin Johnson wrote:
Is this possible? Ever since I started reading Weider publications back in the day this was always mentioned. Today, no one brings this up at all. Darden has an article on the topic of expanding the ribcage Ellington Darden HIT Coaching - Forums - T Nation
What exactly is happening to what? Is the coastal cartilage betwen the ribs being grown?[/quote]

Costal cartilages are not located between the ribs. They join the ribs to the sternum. Internal and external intercostals run between the ribs. You could certainly cause an increase in the mass and density of the ribs by putting them under strain, as in a pullover. However, I don’t see how this would increase thoracic diameter. To increase thoracic diameter (the size of your rib cage) you would need to increase the length of the ribs, the length of the costal cartilages, or the angles of articulation of the ribs with the thoracic vertebrae. I don’t see how a pullover could do this.

Another thing I want to add is even if you could expand your rib cage why would you want to? If you want to look big without having the muscle to back it up go get some implants or synthol

The only time I’ve seen any data (real or anecdotal) that pullovers expand the rib box is in young trainers who’s ribcages haven’t completly ossified yet.

La’
Redsol1

The Bodybuilders of the 1950’s and 1960’s swore by a routine which could expand the rig cage. They recommended “breathing squats” supersetted with pullovers. I tend to think that this may have been more myth than fact. I can’t testify to it’s merits personally as I have never tried the routine.