The English name of the exercise is pullover
- can be translated as “pull from”, “pull over”, which quite accurately reflects the movement being performed. In Russian, the word “pullover” is often used, but this is erroneous, and the correct word is pullover.
The main muscles worked in this exercise are the latissimus dorsi, pectoral muscles, intercostal muscles and diaphragm muscles, as well as the serratus anterior muscles located on the sides of the body just below the pectoral muscles.
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Features of the exercises
There are not so many exercises to expand the chest. The options known to everyone are the lying arms with dumbbells and the pullover with weights (dumbbell, weighted disc or barbell). There are also exercises that can be performed without equipment. These options are suitable for home training. Exercises to expand the chest muscles are performed at the end of the complex. Now let's take things in order.
What does anatomy say?
The rib cage includes the ribs and costal cartilages. They are connected to the sternum. The muscles of the torso are attached to the chest. Cartilage is elastic and can stretch. They are able to increase the length of the arch of the ribs and expand the chest. In guys, cartilage finally ossifies when young people turn twenty-five.
Between the ribs are the intercostal muscles. Increasing in size, they significantly expand the upper shoulder girdle. You can rock them even after 25 years. Often, adult men enlarge their breasts by swaying the intercostal muscles.
Dumbbell flyes on a horizontal bench
There are several methods for performing this exercise, but we will consider the most common technique.
- Starting position: the athlete is placed on a bench in a horizontal position with dumbbells on outstretched arms at chest level. The dumbbells should be connected with weighted discs at the level of the center of the chest.
- The elbows should be slightly bent to minimize stress on the joints. It is very important to lie down in such a way as to straighten your shoulders as much as possible and keep your torso as straight as possible. Shoulders should not rise.
- Dumbbell flyes begin with moving your arms to the sides. The hands do not rotate during the approach.
- The lowest point of the amplitude will be located at the level of the pectoral muscles.
- The reverse movement is performed concentrated on exhalation through contraction of the chest muscles.
Pullover and expansion of the chest
On the Internet and sports magazines you can often find the statement that a pullover significantly expands the chest. Remember that there is no scientific evidence for this claim and it is more of a personal opinion.
But on the other hand, if you have problems with posture and you are hunched over, then a correctly performed pullover will really teach you to hold your chest correctly, with your shoulders spread wide, which will visually make your chest wider.
How to enlarge breasts?
Expansion of the chest occurs due to correct posture and breathing, as well as when working on the serratus anterior muscles, which are usually not involved in work during everyday activity or in other exercises (oddly enough, especially in basic ones).
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