Bodybuilders have amazing statuesque physiques with muscle on top of muscle. One of the signatures of a bodybuilder's body is the muscles on the sides of the rib cage. Often referred to as the "finger muscles," the actual names of these muscles are the serratus anterior and intercostals. If you are looking to tone up this area and build some new muscle, you can do it by performing the right exercises.
Step 1
Lie on a bench perpendicularly on your back, with your shoulders touching the bench and your head over the edge, to do pullovers. Place your hands on the inside of one of the weighted ends of a dumbbell. Bend your knees 90 degrees and place your feet flat on the floor. Hold the dumbbell straight above your chest with your arms fully extended. Slowly lower the dumbbell over your head in an arcing motion. Stop when you feel a strong contraction on the sides of your rib cage, lift it back to the starting point and repeat.
Step 2
Perform serratus push-downs with a straight bar attached to a high setting on a cable machine. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grab the bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip. Keep your arms straight and push the bar down until it lightly touches your thighs. Squeeze for a second and slowly raise the bar up until the weight is almost off. Feel the muscles on your rib cage doing the work.
Step 3
Sit on an exercise ball to do medicine ball chops. Hold the medicine ball in both hands and keep your back straight. Lower the ball down to your left side at an angle. Lift it up to your right side at an angle and swing it back down to your left side. Perform a set of reps and switch sides. Keep your head in line with the ball at all times.
Step 4
Roll the exercise ball on the floor to work your rib cage muscles. Get onto your knees with the ball in front of you and place your hands on it shoulder-width apart. Maintain a straight line from your knees to your shoulders at this point. Roll the ball forward and lower your body down toward the ground. Feel a strong contraction on the sides of your ribs and reverse the motion so you are back to an upright position. Keep your back straight throughout the whole movement.
Step 5
Fasten a rope attachment to a high setting on a cable machine to do cable crunches. Face the machine and grab one end of the rope with each hand. Kneel on the floor and hold your hands on the sides of your head by your temples. Lower your body down toward the floor by bending at the hips and engaging your core muscles. Squeeze for a second, slowly go back to the starting point and repeat.
Tips and Warnings
- Perform 12 to 15 reps and three to four sets of each exercise. Work out three times a week on alternating days.
Things You'll Need
- Dumbbell
- Bench
- Exercise ball
- Medicine ball
- Cable machine
- Rope attachment
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