Chest expanders are lightweight and portable exercise tools to tone, build and strengthen most of your muscles, not just your chest. Chest expander popularity peaked during the early 1900s, and strand pulling, a term for this type of workout, was once a competitive sport. Chest expanders became less popular as gyms, free weights and resistance machines came of age, but expanders are back in the spotlight as more people seek home-based workout options.
Design
A chest expander consists of two sturdy handles linked by strong metal springs or elastic bands. Springs were the most common form of resistance in earlier models, but modern chest expanders use mostly bands. The resistance offered by the chest expander is altered by removing or adding strands. Most chest expanders use three or more strands so that you can personalize the workload to match your strength level. Some chest expanders come with different strength strands as well as doorway attachments to perform different exercises.
Advantages and Benefits
You can replicate many free weight exercises using a chest expander and there also are numerous chest expander-specific exercises. A chest expander is light and portable, which makes it an option for home use and as a workout tool when you travel.
Uses
Although you can use chest expanders for your upper and lower body muscles, the design targets your shoulders, arms and upper back. Classic chest expander exercises include the archer's pull, reminiscent of drawing a long bow, and the side press, where the handles are pressed outward at shoulder level. Despite the name of this exercise device, there are relatively few chest exercises to perform with it, but a great many you can do to target the upper back muscles. Any chest expansion that you experience from a chest expander is more likely from improved posture because of stronger upper back muscles.
Disadvantages and Considerations
While chest expanders can be used to develop strength, the feel of a chest expander exercise is different to lifting free weights or working out with resistance training machines. Chest expander exercises get more challenging as your limbs reach full extension, which is the opposite of more traditional forms of strength training. This means that the strength that you develop by using a chest expander may not translate to real world challenges such as sports. Elastic chest expander strands are prone to wear and tear. To minimize your risk of injury, check the condition of the strands before use and discard any strands that appear worn or damaged.
References
- "Forgotten Secrets Of The Old Time Strongmen"; Dave Yarnell; 2008
- "The Resistance Band Workout Book"; Ed McNeely; 2006
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