Strengthening Intercostal Muscles?

**j416to** · Posted On: 9/27/2004 9:30am

Okay okay, so I fully admit that I'm a wus. An old wus that takes forever to heal. But does anyone have any good exercises to suggest, for strenghtening intercostal muscles. I was sparring with a senior fighter last week and took a round house kick to the back of my rib cage. I should have just knee checked it, but I didn't. I tried to absorb it by rotating my body away from his shin, but it came in so fast that the impact caused a mild separation of my rib cage. A straining of my intercostal muscles. Now whenever I rotate my trunk, quickly, it feels like a rib pops out. It's nothing really too painful, just annoying. I know that with rest and time, everything will be fine. But does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to strengthen these muscles? Abdominal exercises, crunchs and obliques, pull downs, shoulder presses, good mornings, squats, dips, deadlifts, dumbell rows, etc... all seem to be of little influence, since I've been back to the gym and haven't felt any resistance doing any of these exercises.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 9/27/2004 3:14pm

Have you tried:

1. Lateral shoulder raises, out to the side, can be cable or DB
2. Russian twists - http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthl...s.asp?exid=126
3. Side Deadlifts
4. Don't know what you call this one;
Stand with feet shoulder width apart, do a single arm row but using your abdominal muscles simultaneously to bring the weight up.

More here, enjoy:
http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.htm

Make sure you take it slow as well, rest and consult your docter before starting any new exercise program. :)
l

**Jenfucius** · Posted On: 9/27/2004 6:58pm

the only thing that works the intercostals is heavy breathing

**Dochter** · Posted On: 9/27/2004 7:52pm

^ what he said.

Maybe you're thinking of working your lats?

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 9/27/2004 8:04pm

That's what I pretty much 'change/interpreted' his question to mean. :)

**j416to** · Posted On: 9/27/2004 8:35pm

That's pretty much what I was afraid of. Rest and heavy breathing is all that I can do for them, until they "fix" themselves.

I tried some lat pull downs, but they didn't really effect my intercostals. And abdominal oblique exercises don't seem to work anything in the back of the rib cage either. The side lifts that Pizdoff was suggesting seem to be the closest thing that works them. They seem to stretch out my intercostals, I can feel them doing that, but they don't really contract the muscles.

**CrimsonTiger** · Posted On: 9/27/2004 8:46pm

Can't ab-work help support the trunk to let intercostals heal?

The only intercostal exercise/stretch I've found works is the "Y" deep-breathing...laying back over a bench, letting your arms hang out/back (Y-shape) and breathing deep to expand the chest.

**j416to** · Posted On: 9/27/2004 8:52pm

Yeah, I'm sure there are things that I can do to help support them, while they heal on their own. And stretching is definitely helpful. I was just hoping that I could find an exercise that would contract them, something to strengthen them.

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 9/27/2004 8:57pm

Originally posted by j416to
I tried some lat pull downs, but they didn't really effect my intercostals. And abdominal oblique exercises don't seem to work anything in the back of the rib cage either. The side lifts that Pizdoff was suggesting seem to be the closest thing that works them. They seem to stretch out my intercostals, I can feel them doing that, but they don't really contract the muscles.

w00t!!! Half points!

OH OH I'VE GOT IT!!!
To work your intercostal muscles.
You hang upside down, then do the lateral raises!!!!
*Lights flash and bells chime and confetti comes down and stuff*