Chest expanders are a traditional form of exercise equipment that can be used for a wide variety of upper body conditioning exercises. Light, cheap and compact, chest expanders are an ideal form of workout equipment if you have limited space, need a portable workout tool, or are restricted by budget.
Design
Modern chest expanders consists of two handles linked by rubber resistance bands. You can adjust the resistance offered by a chest expander by adding or removing bands. Chest expanders use three to five bands and some manufacturers produce different strengths of bands so that you can personalize your chest expander according to your individual strength levels. The more adjustable the chest expander, the wider the variety of exercises you can perform.
History
Chest expanders were a common form of bodybuilding exercise during the late 18th and 19th centuries. Chest expander use, or strand pulling, was also a popular competitive sport during this period. Many famous strongmen of the time published strand pulling courses that were sold though newspaper advertisements and promoted during strongman shows in theaters. Original chest expanders used strong metal strings as opposed to the rubber resistance bands found in more modern designs.
Benefits
Chest expanders can be used to develop upper body strength, size and muscular endurance. This type of training apparatus is very safe to use as, unlike free weights, there is no risk of dropping a weight on yourself if you should fail to complete a lift. Chest expander exercises are also relatively easy on your joints. When you lift a dumbbell or barbell, to get the weight moving you must generate momentum to overcome the pull of gravity. There is no such concern with strand pulling, as there is no tension at the beginning of chest expander exercises. This minimizes the potential for muscle and joint injuries.
Example Exercises
A chest expander can be used to replicate a great many regular free weight exercises, but also offers some unique workouts, including the archer's pull and two armed back press. To perform the archer's pull, hold your chest expander in both hands. Extend your lift arm out to your side, bend your right arm and place your hand next to your left elbow. Imagine you are drawing a bow and pull your right arm across your body. To perform the two armed back press, hold your chest expander behind your upper back. Tuck your elbows in to your sides. Extend your arms out to the sides until your elbows are fully extended and your hands are level with your shoulders.
Caution
Although chest expanders are usually safe to use, to minimize your risk of accident always examine the strands of your chest expander for wear and tear before use. A worn strand may snap. Always warm up before performing strenuous chest expander exercises by performing some light cardio and a few easy preparatory sets of each exercise to ensure you muscles are ready for the more challenging workout to come.
References
- "Forgotten Secrets Of The Old Time Strongmen"; Dave Yarnell; 2008)
- "A New System of Calisthenic Exercises For The Patent Elastic Chest Expander"; Henry Cost; 1847
- "The Resistance Band Workout Book"; Ed McNeely; 2006
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