Dominic Stone
The intercostal muscles are a group of 22 pairs of tiny muscles found between the ribs, which help us breathe. They are used every day, but like other muscles, they need to be challenged to build strength and improve performance. Training these muscles can help athletes breathe more easily and efficiently, increasing their stamina and endurance. There are many exercises to strengthen the intercostals, including free weight exercises like barbell and dumbbell pullovers, and yoga poses like the Gate pose or Parighasana.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of intercostal muscles | 22 pairs |
| Types | Internal and External |
| Function | Aid in respiration |
| Exercise | Dumbbell pull-over, oblique heel touches, chest fly, side plank hip dip, barbell pullover, dumbbell flyes, forward stretch, gate pose, side stretch, Saxon side bend |
| Healing period | Few days to 8 weeks |
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What You'll Learn
Yoga poses such as Gate pose and Parighasana
The Gate Pose, or Parighasana, is a yoga posture that stretches the intercostal muscles, which are the muscles that connect the ribs. This pose is a side bend that stretches the entire side body and is suitable for students of all levels.
To get into the pose, begin in a kneeling position with your pelvis stacked over your knees. Take your left leg out to the left side and flex your left foot to come onto the left heel or point your toes toward the floor. Keep your hips square, facing forward, and resist the urge to shift your hips in the opposite direction as you lean into the side bend. Activate your extended leg by flexing or pointing the toes to keep your whole leg engaged. It is okay to be a little wobbly—that is how you get stronger. Try not to put a lot of weight into the hand that is resting on your leg; instead, use your core for support.
Hold Parighasana for 5-10 breaths on each side, allowing your body to settle into the stretch. If you are focusing on deep flexibility, you can stay in the pose for as long as it feels comfortable, but be sure to practice evenly on both sides to maintain balance.
Through regular practice, Parighasana can help to alleviate asthma, allergies, colds, and other respiratory concerns. It stimulates digestion and helps to regulate kidney functioning, flushing toxins from the body. The side bend increases spinal flexibility and sends an influx of fresh, oxygen-rich blood to the vertebrae.
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Dumbbell exercises
One recommended dumbbell exercise is the dumbbell pull-over. To perform this exercise, lie flat on a bench with your head and neck supported and both feet flat on the ground. Hold one end of the dumbbell with both hands directly above your chest, keeping a slight bend in the elbows. Lower the dumbbell over your head as far as possible while keeping your arms tucked in. Then, lift the weight back to the starting position while engaging your core.
Another effective dumbbell exercise for the intercostal muscles is the chest fly. This exercise involves lying on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, resting on top of your thighs. Your palms should be facing each other. Use your thighs to help raise the dumbbells, and then lift one weight at a time so you can hold them in front of you at shoulder width. Raise the dumbbells as if you're pressing them but stop and hold before locking your elbows. With a slight bend in the elbows, lower your arms out to the side in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest. Breathe in during this movement, keeping your arms stationary. Raise your arms back to the starting position as you squeeze your chest muscles and breathe out, using the same arc of motion to lower the weights.
The side plank hip dip is another recommended exercise to work your core and strengthen your intercostal muscles simultaneously. Additionally, dumbbell flyes are a great basic exercise to strengthen all the muscles in and around your rib cage, including the intercostals. Begin with your palms facing each other and a slight bend in the elbows. Slowly open up your arms as you inhale, keeping the slight bend in the elbows, and find the point at which you feel a stitch throughout your ribs. Exhale as you raise your arms back to the starting position.
It's important to note that you can also use devices like Expand-A-Lung or breathing techniques to maximize the efficiency of your workouts and further challenge your intercostal muscles. These tools and techniques add inspiratory and expiratory resistance, making each breath more beneficial for strengthening the intercostals.
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Barbell pullovers
To perform a barbell pullover, lie on your back on a horizontal bench with your feet flat on the ground. Flex your hips slightly and grasp the barbell from behind, positioning it over your chest with your elbows bent slightly. With your elbows still bent, lower the bar over and beyond your head until your shoulders are fully flexed or your upper arms are approximately parallel to your torso. Then, return to the starting position and repeat.
It is important to keep your elbows fixed at a small bend throughout the exercise and to avoid raising your hips too much. The actual range of motion depends on your individual shoulder flexibility.
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Breathing exercises
Intercostal muscles are the muscles that help you breathe better. They are located within the rib cage and help to make up the chest wall and protect the lungs. These muscles are used every day when we breathe, but they need to be challenged to build strength and improve performance.
There are two groups of intercostal muscles: internal and external. The external intercostals elevate the rib cage and assist with inhalation, while the internal intercostals lower the rib cage and help with exhalation.
Deep breathing exercises can help tone the intercostal muscles. One such exercise is deep chest breathing, which requires you to sit on the floor with two yoga blocks placed behind you—one flat and the other at a medium height. Lie down with your shoulder blades on the flat block and your head on the other. Relax your arms out to the side with palms facing upwards and stretch your legs out in front of you. Inhale deeply, allowing your chest to rise, then exhale, letting your stomach fall first, followed by your diaphragm, lungs, and chest. Repeat this exercise nine times with a regular breath in between each repetition.
Another breathing exercise that can help improve intercostal muscle function is diaphragmatic breathing. This type of breathing helps strengthen the diaphragm, which is the primary muscle of inhalation and represents 80% of breathing. To perform diaphragmatic breathing, lie on your back on a flat surface with your knees bent and a pillow under your head for support. Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage. Breathe in slowly through your nose, letting the air move towards your lower belly. The hand on your chest should remain still, while the one on your belly rises. Tighten your abdominal muscles and let them fall inward as you exhale through pursed lips. The hand on your belly should move down to its original position.
In addition to deep breathing exercises, strength training moves such as dumbbell exercises can also help to strengthen the intercostal muscles. For example, the dumbbell pull-over involves lying flat on a bench with your head and neck supported and your feet flat on the ground. Hold one end of a dumbbell with both hands directly above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. Lower the dumbbell over your head as far as you can while keeping your arms tucked in, then lift it back to the starting position while engaging your core.
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Stretching exercises
Breathing Exercises
Deep breathing exercises can help tone the intercostal muscles. One such exercise involves inhaling naturally through your nose while seated. As you exhale, snap your stomach muscles in, forcing the exhalation. Repeat this pattern for 30 seconds, gradually increasing the pace.
You can also try an intercostal stretching breath by standing and stretching both arms over your head. Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, stretch your arms to the right, feeling the stretch in your left intercostal muscles. Inhale and return to the centre; on the next exhale, stretch your arms to the left, feeling the stretch on the right side. Repeat this sequence two more times on each side.
Yoga Poses
Certain yoga poses can provide gentle stretching and strengthening of the intercostal muscles. The cobra pose, for example, stretches the chest, lungs, shoulders, and abdomen. The extended puppy pose targets the back and shoulder muscles attached to the ribs.
The cat and cow poses can be performed individually or combined. For the cat pose, start on all fours with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Exhale and arch your back, tucking your chin to your chest. For the cow pose, inhale and lower your belly towards the ground while lifting your head. Move gently between these poses, concentrating on stretching and aligning your spine.
Dynamic Stretches
Dynamic stretches include movements like arm circles or side stretches to loosen the rib cage and surrounding muscles. These exercises are best performed in a heated room, as cold air can make breathing exercises more challenging. Lie flat on your back, placing one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Breathe deeply through your nose, letting your belly rise while keeping your chest still. Exhale slowly through your mouth, feeling your belly lower. Focus on slow, controlled breathing for 5–10 minutes.
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Frequently asked questions
Intercostal muscles are a group of 22 pairs of tiny muscles found between the ribs. They help us breathe and are involved in respiration.
Training your intercostal muscles can help you breathe more powerfully and efficiently, especially during workouts. It can also increase your stamina and endurance.
There are many exercises that can help improve your intercostal muscles, including:
- Dumbbell pull-over
- Oblique heel touches
- Barbell pullover
- Dumbbell flyes
- Chest fly
- Side plank hip dip
- Gate pose (a yoga pose)
- Forward stretch
- Saxon side bend
The best way to work the intercostals is through "resisted breathing".
It is important to allow enough recovery time between workouts that include intercostal exercises. An extended rest period is not advised as underusing the muscles can lead to weakness and heighten the risk of further injury.
