Exercises for the rib cage.

[swell]

Hy, my name is Marco.

I'm new to this forum and this is my first post. I used to work as a dive instructor for several years around Asia, but because of some lower back problems I stopped the classic diving and started with some free diving.

My question is about the exercises for the elasticity of the rib cage described in Pelizzaris Manual of Free diving.
As you inhale, do you have to expand your lower belly (like in normal breathing)? On the pictures it looks like you have to suck your lower belly in while your inhale. It's not explained in the book.

I hope you guys can help me.

Best regards.

 

[wladius]

I didn't see the book, but what you're describing might be the diaphragm stretching. You just completely breathe out and then use you intercostal muscles to expand you ribcage and"breathe in" while you mouth is closed. That's going to make you belly suck in. In yoga it's called Uddiyanna bandha

for example:

Is that it?

 

[swell]

Hy Wladius.

It's not a diaphragm stretch, more a stretch for the rib cage.
It looks like on the pictures below.

 

[wladius]

In this case I'm also not sure what it is. I'll try to find my freediving book (mine was written by Federico Mana, I think ) and take a look, if I don't find something similar.