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Exercises to improve Pectus Excavatum (concaved chest)

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snafu

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http://hubpages.com/hub/Pectus-Excavatum-Repair

Anyone else have this annoying anomaly? Throughout my childhood and teen years I'd always notice how sunk in my chest was compared to others. The bitch about it was that every time I took off my shirt some asshole would question it... "dude, what's wrong with ur chest" :p.. I find that regular exercise would improve the appearance of my chest over time. In the last year I've done P90X and Insanity and I can notice the difference compared to earlier shirtless pics. I was always self contious about it and recently keeping physically active makes me forget about it :)
 
You will basically want to increase the chest cavity and build the Pectoralis Major with bench presses, (all variations though focussing on wide rip based) pushups, barbell pull overs, chest dips.

Just remembered my mate has this aswell
 
I wouldn't say my chest is "sunk in" but it definitely is lacking in muscle. What upper body exercises would you recommend for someone with only access to (five, ten and fifteen pound) free weights?

Would pushups really help build up the chest area? I thought those were mainly for your arms (though an exercise mainly for the arms wouldn't hurt me to do either 8)). And what is a "wide rip based" pushup?
 
That meant to say Wide Grip as in your hands are rather wide apart (moreso than the usual stance)

Pushups workout your chest, triceps and delts the most out of anything. It's a great exercise for the chest, especially when weighted.

For someone with only access to free weights?! Thats all you need man! I only have a barbell, dumbells and a kettlebell and thats all you need to do every workout (though pullups are important too) you need to do.

Just as a note, the most important workouts generally are Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press, Pushups, Bent Rows, Pullups and Military Presses.

I would recommend you do Pushups (wear a backpack with your weights in as you get better at them, do 3 sets of 8-12) and Dumbell Press, Dumbell Fly's, Hip Press, Tricep Dips. (Google each of them)

If you want to build muscle though, you need to look at your diet first and foremost. Eat big, lift big, rest big. You'll never gain muscle if you don't eat a shit-ton of calories (with correct macronutrient levels, ie. protein, carbs and fat)
 
I think I have the diet part down, seeing as I'm majoring in dietetics, but thanks. ;)

Well, the only free weights I have are dumbells. Short on cash/space for getting any more.

I think I just need to get serious about exercising and just do it. :P

Wearing a backpack with weights in it is an awesome idea to increase resistance once I get up to the point where I need to increase resistance.

Thank you SO much for all the feedback. Once I start on this journey I will post back with updates.
 
got the same, get it checked as it can affect your heart, mines slightly pushing into my right ventricle, but not enough to cause a big deal, still struggle with breathlessness and problems exercising, but im too old now for an op (best when your young), tbh i think making your pects bigger will make it look more concaved, as its your sternum pushing in, not the pecs.
 
Pec exercises won't be as effective as breathing techniques, stretching, and yoga..

I don't have the money or the time for an operation and from what I hear it takes a while to recover, and even so, I don't have an extreme case of it. But it's noticeable still.
 
I was asked how to build the pectoralis muscles.

Meditation and yoga will not build chest muscles. 8)
 
Well this isn't strictly about building pecs is it? It's about improving the appearance of pectus excavatum 8)
 
Thizz_Machine_138 said:
Well this isn't strictly about building pecs is it? It's about improving the appearance of pectus excavatum 8)
Click to expand...

Sorry mate..didnt mean to come across so rude in my last post there :)

I was mainly directing me comment at addictive persona who did in fact ask how to build the chest muscles.

Generally, you're gonna want to increase the chest cavity with exercises such as barbell pullovers.

But yeah....yoga and meditation are also wonderful things that everyone should do anyway :)
 
Aye man....they help increase the cavity moreso than a bench press imo. Though, combining a pullover with a press and a pullup regimen would work fantastically. Inclined presses will workout your upper chest more aswell.

Military presses could help you here aswell.

But yeah...did you do the pullovers following my advice? If so, im glad to have helped, my friend. Howeber if you didnt and im being a conceited wanker I shall shut up! :D
 
Shit, sorry I didnt realise you were OP.

In my opinion, you should never follow these programs like Starting Strength, P90x etc etc as everyone's body is different and will react differently. What did u find worked best for you, personally mate?
 
The p90x actually did good.. But specifically for this condition just pullovers and stretching or breathing techniques that help expand the chest. There's a breathing device shown on the link but I think that's for after surgery. The concave chest won't give the heart and lungs much room to work with, so trying to expand the chest and working on cardio would be beneficial.
 
Monk pushups are wonderful for this IMO. I didn't have the concaved chest but a slouched posture which seems to be about the same thing. These pushups work the entire upper body and actually stretch the shoulders apart on the downstroke. I highly recommend these -- I guarantee you will feel how these will help you after trying a few or even watching someone do them on Youtube.
 
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