Post by @conor_harris_

My favorite exercise for fixing rib flare & getting immediate results doing so! Typically when we inhale, the diaphragm should help the ribcage expand in all directions. From front to back. And side to side. But this isn’t happening with people who have significant rib flare. Rib flare represents a ribcage stuck in an “inhaled” position, particularly at the lowest ribs. The lowest ribs can change shape more easily than any other bones in our axial skeleton, so they can easily compensate and make up for a poor diaphragmatic function and breathing strategy by flaring up. When this happens, it creates a ribcage that is flared up in the front, but this is just to create the path of least resistance so we can get expansion somewhere because our diaphragm isn’t getting the job done. Unfortunately, when the ribs flare up, the back extends and this restricts the back ribcage from expanding enough. So to fix this, we want to close off the front ribs where the compensation is and promote easily expanding the back, compressed ribs. If we give ourselves adequate access to expansion, then we don’t give our body a reason to hold onto this compensatory strategy. Problem solved. The key is the exhale. Make sure to get a full exhalation by “sighing” the air out for 5 to 10 seconds until you feel a bit of side abs, obliques, engage. Then pause, and slowly & silently inhale through your nose. This will expand your back. The pillow further assists in biasing back expansion because it prevents you from using your compensatory strategy to just expand the front ones. Do this well, and you should be able to stand up after 10 breaths and notice a difference.