Does having a flexible rib-cage present any advantages/disadvantages?

[IronLung]

This question has been run through my mind quite often, I figured it was time to get the question out there and hopefully answered. Does having a flexible rib-cage present and advantages or disadvantages? So far, all I really do is statics and dynamics, no real diving for depth, have not been much beyond 40 feet, or say, 14M. Should I dive deeper, would I be more susceptible to getting a squeeze? Any information would be appreciated.

Ike

 

[naiad]

I would think that having a flexible rib cage would be an advantage for depth. I'm not sure about this - I have a flexible rib cage, but my best depth is 4m! (This is only because I haven't done any open water diving yet)

Lucia

 

[Snorkel Bum]

Its really good to have a flexible ribcage... even better if you have strong intercostal and diaphragm... This means that you will be able to breathe up a lot better and be able to fill up your lungs with more air, I am sure your lung capacity is larger than average.
Since pressure affects everything in the same way, you lungs will get squashed just as much as a stiff ribcage and they will both be squashed to the same size... so flexibale ribcage is gooood
My 0.00002 cents worth.

 

[DeepThought]

The higher your TLC (total lung capacity) is and the lower your RV (residual volume) is you are less likely to get lung squeeze in a certain depth (there are more factors such as muscle relaxation and pulmanory blood vessels felxibility..). A flexible ribcage helps with both those numbers.

Did you do any training for such things?
How does one knows s/he has a flexible ribcage?

 

[JasonWelbourne]

How does a person develop rib-cage felxibility?

 

[DeepThought]

I remember that Will posted something about pushing ribs while being empty lunged. I tried it for a second and felt some ribs flexing as if they were plastic, it freaked me out and will probably never do it again, too afraid of breaking them.

 

[BlueIcarus]

>How does a person develop rib-cage felxibility?
Pack to the max (or if you don't like packing, go just full lungs) and stretch
Do full exhales to develop the diaphragm
Exercise at the range where you are gasping for breath
....
Freedive!!!

 

[Will]

Manual of Freediving has exercises to increase thorax flexibility. The exercise I developed myself that Michael refers to involves exhaling to RV, performing Uddiayana Bandha (diaphragm introflexion) and then pumping the ribs like bellows (fingers interlocked over sternum, wrists squeeze towards each other, pressing on lower ribs). Stretch the other direction by performing Uddiyana Bandha, gripping underneath lower ribs and pulling gently outwards. Once you have developed ribcage flexibility you can absolutely collapse it by reverse packing.
I would lead into these exercises slowly - unless you have mastered Uddiyana Bandha then it is probably not a good idea to start shunting ribs around.

 

[subaquaticus]

Manual of Freediving has exercises to increase thorax flexibility. The exercise I developed myself that Michael refers to involves exhaling to RV, performing Uddiayana Bandha (diaphragm introflexion) and then pumping the ribs like bellows (fingers interlocked over sternum, wrists squeeze towards each other, pressing on lower ribs). Stretch the other direction by performing Uddiyana Bandha, gripping underneath lower ribs and pulling gently outwards. Once you have developed ribcage flexibility you can absolutely collapse it by reverse packing.
I would lead into these exercises slowly - unless you have mastered Uddiyana Bandha then it is probably not a good idea to start shunting ribs around.

I am envisaging to buy Manual of freediving by Pelizzari ; if you read it, could you please give some hints on the content ?