Maximus Gage
Intercostal muscles are a group of 22 pairs of muscles located between the ribs. They play a vital role in the movement of the chest during breathing and help protect the lungs. Training these muscles can help improve respiratory health and endurance, making it easier to breathe during physical activity. While intercostal muscles are worked by simply breathing, specific exercises can help build strength and improve performance. This includes cardio and breathing exercises, strength training moves, and yoga poses.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Between the ribs |
| Function | Help with breathing by expanding and shrinking the size of the chest cavity |
| Types | Internal intercostals and external intercostals |
| Training methods | "Resisted breathing", deep breathing exercises, yoga, cardio, strength training, free weight exercises |
| Benefits of training | Improved breathing, improved endurance, improved performance in physical activities |
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What You'll Learn
Deep breathing exercises
Deep Chest Breathing
Sit on the floor with two yoga blocks behind you, one flat and the other at a medium height. Lie back so that your shoulder blades are on the flat block and your head is on the other. Relax your arms by your sides with your palms facing upwards, and stretch your legs out in front of you. Inhale deeply, allowing your chest to rise. Then, as you exhale, let your stomach, diaphragm, lungs, and chest fall in that order. Repeat this exercise nine times, with a regular breath in between each repetition.
Performance Breathing
Performance breathing can be practised with or without a breathing exerciser like Expand-A-Lung. To perform this exercise without a device, inhale through your nose for a count of two, hold your breath for another count of two, and then exhale slowly for a count of four. Repeat this cycle several times.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Sit comfortably with your knees bent and your shoulders, head, and neck relaxed. Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage so that you can feel your diaphragm move as you breathe. Inhale slowly through your nose, pushing your stomach out against your hand. Then, exhale through pursed lips, tightening your stomach muscles and causing your stomach to move back in. The hand on your chest should remain as still as possible throughout the exercise.
Forward Stretch
Sit on the floor with your left leg straight in front of you and your right leg bent so that the sole of your foot touches your knee. Lean forward over your right leg as far as is comfortable, rotating your torso slightly and touching both palms to the floor if possible. You should feel a stretch in the back intercostal muscles on your left side. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side.
Gate Pose
Kneel on a comfortable surface and extend your right leg to the side, with your kneecap facing up and your sole on the ground. Extend both arms to the sides, then bend your upper body to the right so that your right arm rests on your leg. Stretch your left arm overhead so that you feel a stretch in your left ribs. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, then repeat on the left side.
Weighted Exercises
You can also use weighted exercises to strengthen your intercostals. One such exercise is dumbbell flyes, which strengthen all the muscles in and around your ribcage. Lie face up on a horizontal bench with your palms facing each other and a slight bend in your elbows. Slowly open your arms as you inhale, keeping the slight bend in your elbows, until you feel a stretch throughout your ribs. Exhale as you raise your arms back to the starting position.
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Yoga poses
Yoga is an excellent way to train your intercostal muscles, which are the short muscles located between your ribs. These muscles play a key role in breathing, expanding and contracting your chest cavity as you inhale and exhale. Training these muscles can help improve your respiratory health, endurance, and stamina. Here are some yoga poses and breathing exercises to help you train your intercostal muscles:
Gate Pose or Parighasana:
This pose helps stretch the intercostal muscles at the side of the torso. To get into this position, start by kneeling on a comfortable pad. Extend your right leg to the side, keeping your kneecap facing up and your sole on the ground. Stretch both arms to the sides and then bend your upper body toward the right, resting your right arm on your extended leg. Reach overhead with your left arm and hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side.
Forward Stretch:
This pose helps stretch the intercostal muscles toward the back of the torso. Sit on the floor with your left leg straight in front of you and your right leg bent, with the sole of your foot touching your knee. Lean forward over your right leg, rotating your torso slightly and touching both palms to the floor if possible. Hold this stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, focusing on the stretch in your back intercostal muscles on the left side. Repeat on the opposite side.
Deep Chest Breathing:
For this exercise, you'll need two yoga blocks. Sit on the floor and place the blocks behind you, one flat and the other at a medium height. Lay your shoulder blades on the flat block and your head on the other. Stretch your arms out to the sides with your palms facing upwards and stretch your legs out in front of you. Inhale deeply, allowing your chest to rise. As you exhale, let your stomach, diaphragm, lungs, and chest fall in that order. Repeat this exercise nine times, taking a regular breath between each repetition.
Resisted Breathing:
This technique requires a handheld device such as the Airofit or PowerLung, which makes breathing harder, thereby strengthening your intercostal muscles.
Basic Breath Control:
Inhale through your nose for a count of two, hold your breath for two counts, and then exhale slowly and profoundly for a count of four. Repeat this cycle several times. This exercise can be done during cardiovascular activity as long as you don't experience dizziness.
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Weighted exercises
One recommended weighted exercise for the intercostals is the barbell pullover. To perform this exercise, lie face-up on a horizontal bench with the barbell directly above your chest. Choose light weights to start, and as you become more comfortable, you can gradually increase the weight. Lower the barbell over your head while keeping your arms tucked in, and then lift it back to the starting position. This movement specifically targets the intercostal muscles and helps improve your breathing capacity.
Another effective weighted exercise is the dumbbell fly, also known as the chest fly. This exercise strengthens all the muscles around your rib cage, including the intercostals. To perform this exercise, lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand resting on your thighs. 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. With a slight bend in your elbows, inhale and lower your arms out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest. Raise your arms back to the starting position as you exhale and squeeze your chest muscles.
Additionally, you can incorporate the dumbbell pull-over into your routine. For this exercise, lie flat on a bench with your head and neck supported and your feet flat on the ground. Hold one end of the dumbbell with both hands directly above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. As you exhale, lower the dumbbell over your head while keeping your arms tucked in, and then lift it back to the starting position as you inhale. This exercise isolates the intercostal muscles and helps improve their strength and endurance.
It is important to focus on your breath during these exercises. Moving with your breath ensures that you are engaging the intercostal muscles effectively. Additionally, proper breathing can help improve your respiratory health and endurance. By incorporating these weighted exercises into your workout routine, you can specifically target and strengthen your intercostal muscles, leading to improved breathing and overall fitness performance.
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Cardio exercises
One effective cardio exercise for targeting the intercostal muscles is running. A study found that runners who performed four weeks of inspiratory muscle training, including a targeted warm-up before their runs, were able to run 15% farther. This type of training can be enhanced with the use of handheld devices like the Airofit or PowerLung, which increase resistance during breathing, making your breathing muscles stronger.
Another cardio exercise that can indirectly strengthen your intercostal muscles is dumbbell pull-overs. For this exercise, lie 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. This position will effectively work your intercostal muscles while also targeting other muscle groups.
Additionally, yoga can be a fantastic cardio option for training your intercostal muscles. Certain poses like the Gate pose or Parighasana can help stretch and strengthen these muscles while improving lung expansion. To perform the Gate pose, kneel on a comfortable surface and extend your right leg to the side, keeping your kneecap facing up. For a deeper stretch, twist to place your left hand on your right knee and bend your torso over your left leg. Hold this stretch for 15 to 30 seconds before switching sides.
Lastly, deep breathing exercises, also known as pranayama in yoga, can be beneficial for toning the intercostal muscles. Sit on the floor with yoga blocks behind you—one flat and the other at a medium height. Place your shoulder blades on the flat block and your head on the other. Stretch your arms out to the sides with your palms facing upwards, and stretch your legs out in front of you. Inhale deeply, allowing your chest to rise, and then exhale, letting your stomach, diaphragm, lungs, and chest fall in that order. Repeat this exercise nine times with regular breaths in between.
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Inspiratory muscle training
During IMT, individuals use handheld devices or breathing trainers to inhale against a resistive load. This form of resistance training stimulates the inspiratory muscles to work harder than they do during normal breathing, improving their strength and stamina. IMT can also increase lung capacity, allowing more oxygen to enter the bloodstream during exercise.
To perform IMT, individuals typically take 30 inspiratory breaths through a breathing trainer, such as POWERbreathe IMT, twice a day. This can be done in the morning and evening, allowing the breathing muscles time to recover between sessions. It is recommended to continue this routine for at least six weeks to see significant results.
In addition to IMT, there are other exercises that can help train the intercostal muscles. These include free weight exercises such as barbell pullovers and dumbbell flyes, as well as yoga poses like the gate pose, which stretches the intercostals at the side of the torso.
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Frequently asked questions
Intercostal muscles are the muscles that help you breathe better. They are located around your ribs and help make up the chest wall and protect the lungs.
Training your intercostal muscles can help you breathe more powerfully and efficiently. If you're a runner, intercostal training can help you run further.
You can train your intercostal muscles through "resisted breathing". This can be done using free weights, such as dumbbell pull-overs and barbell pullovers, or with the help of devices such as Expand-A-Lung. You can also train your intercostal muscles with deep breathing exercises and yoga poses such as the gate pose.
Intercostal muscle strain can be a painful experience. If you have strained your intercostal muscles, it is recommended to rest and avoid strenuous activity for a brief period. Icing the affected area can help reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. After 48 hours, heat therapy can be used to reduce muscle tension and increase circulation.
