History Of The Chest Expander

[@NattyLifeYT]

Long time no see! Some life events got in the way of my KZbin progress these past months. It’s awesome to come back and see that the channel kept growing even while I was away. Thank you for all the kind messages and welcome to all the new subscribers :) I’m looking forward to getting back on the grind and bringing you all some fresh content. 200k is super close!! I can’t believe it 😱

[@Dionysos_____Alters]

Welcome back man. Glad you are well

[@Leo-gi7bg]

It’s alive 🤯, jokes aside good to have you back. Happy to hear your awesome info and hope your channel grows man 💪 Ps:currently bulking, difficult to a person with low appetite, high metabolism and small stomach. But I HAVE to increase weight. Currently 58.5 kg, Gained only 3.5kg in 2 years. But started serious training only 1 month ago. Also only 18.😅

[@letemknowjulio6798]

Good to have you back. Enjoyed the vid!

[@gaboca778]

❤so nice to see you again

[@zonroxbleach2]

Can we get a new discord link?

[@HughLeFitness]

I haven't seen anyone used this before except for Alex Leonidas that he features on his channel. It's seriously long forgotten but a very versatile piece of training equipment!

[@NattyLifeYT]

Yep Alex did a fantastic job covering it

[@GoldenEraBookworm]

I have show cased it and talked about it more than once on my channel.

[@kalmmonke5037]

@@NattyLifeYT i thought of having electric motors resist movement by pulleys just like regeneratiev braking to reduce energy bill by working out at home, as soemthing to buy for my concept car, and years later i see youtueb advertisements for peloton which is the same thing except with a stoopid big screen and the device is not utilziing cars systems, its a device of its own

[@andyjcoop]

​@@GoldenEraBookwormreally appreciate your work man, love your channel.

[@smeaglerG]

@@GoldenEraBookworm Put the chest expander behind your back with a shirt on or a rubber pad and do pec flys with it. Get blasted.

[@GoldenEraBookworm]

And thanks for the shout out bro...time for me to reintroduce all the silver and bronze era chest expander workouts

[@NattyLifeYT]

For sure bro! Very few people doing chest expander content, we gotta bring it back into fashion lol

[@yooper9062]

@@NattyLifeYT Does the chest expander hit chest or is this mainly for shoulder and back development?

[@ryantimony6692]

​@@yooper9062mostly hits traps and rear delts

[@The_weakest_influencer]

@@NattyLifeYTand i too will bring this back into fashion!

[@ЗвездыБольшойПротуберанец]

I've had one of these since I was in school, they were popular back in the 80's and weren't uncommon. It was an expander with 5 removable springs and there were grip expanders in the handles. I used it for many years, but around the year 2003 one of the springs burst, and after a while the other, and I received a strong blow to the wrist, I even have small scar after that.)

[@robertmallory1877]

The spring ones are more dangerous to use than the elastic ones. Even for the later protective googles can be a good idea!

[@phililpb]

@@robertmallory1877 when the springs closed up it was easy to trap hair and skin in them, very painful

[@billyray9961]

I actually bought on after watching this ! Great for back & chest arms

[@armandbasilico9002]

Great video. I'm 65 and have been training since I was 12. I have gotten more stimulation and growth in my side and rear delts and upper back from chest expanders than I ever did from weights. It's just a unique stimulation.

[@bruhmoment1208]

I've been itching for a new upload from you as of late, AND I just used my chest expander seriously for the first time today.

[@aleks1939]

My Dad had one with 3 springs and used it to supplement his weightlifting. He probably bought it in the 1960s along with his weight set. You did not want to use it shirtless if you had a hairy chest or the springs would grab your hairs....ouch! 🤣🤣

[@NattyLifeYT]

Ahh I didn't even think of that! I'm like a dolphin when it comes to chest hair so luckily not an issue for me lol

[@Jack-xx3qg]

I had an incident where I was working out on my newly purchased power twister and working my chest where I kept the bar in reverse and the spring caught my hair on my chin and it pull out a bunch of hairs ouch

[@patrickcrabb6212]

This was my exact thought when I first saw this thing. No way I'm going to use that thing shirtless, it'd just pull out a shag carpet.

[@robertmallory1877]

Indeed this was a throwaway gag Benny Hill used in one of his skits!

[@clydenolet736]

I have a Baraban chest expander. I’ve been using for months - I love it

[@SalsBodybuildingArchives]

I didn’t know I needed a Chest Expander until I saw your awesome video! Thanks for posting, Peace, Sal 💪🏼

[@JustSomeWeirdo]

Im glad you didn’t give up on KZbin! I had just started to put more effort into my health again and one of the first channels I was watching was yours.

[@NattyLifeYT]

Thank you bro! Best of luck on your journey :)

[@JivecattheMagnificent]

Dope to see you back, brother. Didn't see this video drop but watching now. 200K is gonna' happen any day now, mate.

[@bachscar]

Glad to have you back! It's not easy providing quality content and keeping on top of a channel on KZbin, along with all the other daily occurrences we might face in life. Thanks again for sharing your workouts and your perspective on fitness/weight training/body building through the ages!

[@NattyLifeYT]

Many thanks for your kind words :)

[@notmytempo464]

Amazing. Ive been using heavy resitance bands as finishers to my isolation work and they just feel great, a chest expander would be absolutely phenomenal

[@LegsON]

Make sure to get one with spinning handles!

[@jeffumbach]

@@LegsON spinning handles do take a lot of stress off of the wrists.

[@MaseraSteve]

Ooo man i almost forgot about this! i got another recollection that i used to play with this on our relative house and no one told me What the function really is.. till couple years later i saw this on tv.. thanks for covering this.. time for me to go shoppin

[@georgegreen9145]

Woah! Never knew chest expanders are older than the barbell. I had a chest expander in my uni days, and they're the reason I have stretch marks on my rear delts. I have a set now, they'll definitely come in handy when I go on holiday. Thanks for covering this dude, this is literally the first video I've seen, talking about this in any kind of detail!

[@NattyLifeYT]

Thank you mate! Expanders are definitely underrated

[@Ala_Diego]

They give you stretchmatks?!

[@PKshockwave]

I bought these about a month ago and they are finally coming this week. Looking forward to it big time

[@verablack3137]

I have a home gym, I don't have room for a bench or anything. I have a 4' barbell, 2 Olympic dumbells, and a Robert Baraban expander. I find that the expander gets the most use time out of all of them. I also found that if I hook my expander to the hooks used for bands via a extra large carbiner I can do things like rows, pulldowns, deep knee bends, and so on with it too. You just need a few under/over door mounting points meant for bands.

[@Chosen132-s1h]

What carbiner are you using? I just ordered Robert Baraban expander

[@verablack3137]

@@Chosen132-s1h I don't know the brand, it is some rock climbing one I think as it lists it's capacity as 23KN rather than lbs, but basically I just looked for one with a 2" gate opening, because the handle is like 30mm so you just can't get the handle inside most carbiners you find in a gym without taking the handle apart.

[@GirevikGee]

My grandad was an OG child with one in the late 20's/early 30's! He gave it to me a couple of decades ago now but is in storage... this video makes me want to get it out now and have another go at it :) good to see you making videos again too dude!

[@NattyLifeYT]

Thank you bro! From what I've seen a lot of old school chest expanders hold up well and are still fully functional. It would be super cool to train with some vintage equipment like that.

[@BigRon092]

I bought a York heavy duty chest expander back in the 1970's. Some of the springs have broken. I looked for a replacement, but everything is junk. York Barbell Company discontinued it, and is more interested in selling expensive machines. Thanks for giving me a lead to getting some great equipment! Btw, in England it's called "strand pulling" and is popular, but I couldn't find an equipment vendor.

[@billbosward9798]

Great video. We had a chest expander in our home when we were kids and it really does wonders for muscle development.

[@HWEder]

Great video. A good quality set of chest expanders are a serious addition to any home gym and a lifetime investment. I've trained with them regularly for years now. It's interesting to see new high quality ones are now on sale again. I Have some old Jack Lewis chest expanders that also have a foot stirrup attachment for lateral raises and curls. They're 90 years old and still in good condition, I use them every workout along with weights and bodyweight exercises. The traditional straight pullback exercise done slowly builds the rear delts and develops muscular detail to the whole upper back.

[@robertmallory1877]

Iron Mind has some pretty decent cable expanders as well (the elastic kind) and a book on cable training available. Exercises include the neck and legs! In a thrift store I was amazed to find in perfect condition a five cable cloth covered elastic set with handles! Those haven't been available since what, the 1960's?

[@jeffumbach]

I wouldn't say it's forgotten. A chest expander was the first piece of equipment I ever bought, though it has rubber bands instead of springs. I still use it after fifteen years.

[@davidbrennan6072]

I have a set of sandow chest expanders (stamped) had them for years ,used chest expanders on and off since i was 10 ,now 68.

[@stefkekaratetke]

one of the best fitness youtubers is back🙌🙌

[@NattyLifeYT]

Thank you bro!!

[@likemy]

your videos are so well researched, man. You deserve the growth your channel is getting

[@NattyLifeYT]

I appreciate that bro!

[@CoachKen10]

Great video! I use a chest expander all the time.

[@PicturingOurPast]

Really glad to have a new upload. Missed your presentations!

[@NattyLifeYT]

I appreciate it :) more to come!

[@PicturingOurPast]

Resistance bands, in my opinion, are best used as joint stability/isometric resistance movement implements. As in rehabilitative or prehabilitative joint health exercises.

[@DanglyLingham]

Yes. I have a funny shoulder ( some interior issue ) and using this really helps it.

[@kettlebellcarnivore-vr5cw]

I may have to try one of these. I'm mostly a kettlebell user, and train for strength and endurance more than hypertrophy. I can see this being excellent for traveling and supplementation though. Welcome back to KZbin!

[@Alley00Cat]

Welcome back brother!! Was here when you had sub 10k subs, very happy to see you making videos again. Hope all is well 💪

[@randybowman]

Glad you're back to posting.

[@NattyLifeYT]

Me too bro!

[@heyitsmort7744]

Yooo what a great idea for a video! Love Leonidas’ breakdown on it as well

[@aidaninsua]

Great to have you back bro. Interesting stuff. Might have to get one of these eventually.

[@NattyLifeYT]

Thank you brother!

[@BigOlWizard]

Thank you for sharing the website ⚡

[@dennisnordlund902]

I found a very old chest expander with nice wooden handles, it only had two springs, but I have several spare so it doesn’t matter and it’s honestly one of my favorite implements 💪🏻

[@robertmallory1877]

From a now defunct Martial Arts supply catalog I got a wooden handled five spring chest expander. Looks very much like one Bruce Li (Ho Tsung Tao) used in one or two of his movies!

[@ofauvi2089]

Thank goodness you’re back 😂 thought you had died. Anyway great video, definitely going to check out chest expanders

[@NattyLifeYT]

🤣thanks mate

[@End_Domestic_Violence]

One old bodybuilder used to insist that its real name was a strand-puller. I guess "Chest Expander" was a wonderful marketing term. These are utterly brilliant, and you can take them travelling - use them in your hotel room. Here's to the old-timers! There's a lot of wonderful old-school feats of strength, many types of pinch grip (solder a penny onto a weight and use thumb and forfinger to pick it up), and many other grip-strength exercises that will trun you into a beast. Best wishes all!

[@robertmallory1877]

The competitions for this (still held in Britain!) called it strandpulling. The name chest expander does not begin to imply how many bodyparts you can strengthen with one. The name stuck though because the front chest pull is done with 15 to 20 pounds of resistance for say two sets of twenty reps will expand your ribcage for that Steven Reeves look. Especially effective if done right after Squats!

[@Brynjar1]

I got a cheap one with plastic handles, and 5 springs, the only one i could get in my country . Even being a low quality one the piece is an amazing tool,.

[@TheLastRelevantSage2]

Great video. I had a good chest expander that I took with me travelling in my younger years. It's a very good piece of equipment.

[@Jazzverso]

Never heard of this equipment, really interesting video bro!

[@NattyLifeYT]

Thank you my friend!

[@diallo124]

Welcome back sir!

[@NattyLifeYT]

Thank you bro! :)

[@simpleboy4392]

I have one at my home .❤My father used to use it .

[@Feracitus]

honor that heirloom brother, and GET JACKED!

[@simpleboy4392]

Of course brother🏋️. Sending love from India 🤝🤝

[@DaveAdams222]

That's actually really neat! You never really see items like this in modern home gyms. I have a Tonal but something like this would definitely be a good supplement on non-program days or on days when I wanna focus on a particular move without logging in to my home fitness data miner.

[@richardhill4938]

This brings back memories in the 70’s before I purchased my first set of weights, I had a chest expander a pull-up bar and a bicep blaster!

[@alexandrebeaudry1038]

I still have the same i got around 7 years old. There was so much tension i couldn't use it. I am 41 now

[@robertmallory1877]

Usually you can take off a cable or spring. You may have to use a lot of reps to go up one, which is customary for chest expanders (or for that matter, bodyweight exercises!).@@alexandrebeaudry1038

[@GrimDarkHalfOff]

HE HAS RETURNED!!!!

[@NattyLifeYT]

WE BACK😎

[@Oldtimenattylife]

Known a fantastic 50+ year chest expander that I use on a regular basis and obviously it works incredibly well!

[@c.galindo9639]

Cool. Great piece of knowledge and it does have its uses. A good piece of equipment to asd into an exercising regiment

[@chaosdisciple3052]

Good to have you back 😎🤙

[@NattyLifeYT]

Good to be back bro!

[@benamitchell]

Glad to see you back Dante!

[@NattyLifeYT]

Thanks mate!

[@haynnergomeseuzebio7595]

i bought one last month with 70 lbs of resistance, its amazing, bands its not even close compared, it´s truly a amazing equipment for workout in travels too

[@glennbishopbishthemagish]

A well done video thanks.

[@NattyLifeYT]

Thanks man!

[@HerculesFit]

The King is BACK! 💪

[@Niborino9409]

I love chest expanders. Encountered them through Eugen Sandow. It's glorious for the upper back. Keeps my hurtin' left shoulder in check. Each time I come across a chest expander in the second hand market/stores I usually buy them. Got 2, one is rusty and the other one pretty much identical although in nigh perfect condition. The third and most recent one is weird looking, my other two are more like Sandow's with metal rings built into the handle part but this new pick-up has a spring in place of rings to attach the resistance springs to. It's quite odd looking. I think it's a knock off cause it came with hand grippers which are too light for me(can only pump lots of reps with them essentially) and the aforementioned spring weirdness. Remembered to try and use it when I saw this video 😊

[@karmaic8282]

Hand gripper expanders were sometimes historically used in the same spirit as Sandow's spring grip dumbbells. It's not supposed to be hard to grip, but supposed to make it so beginners apply the right amount of tension.

[@The_Conspiracy_Analyst]

They are neat, but I think flywheel devices as the real modern successor when it comes to "strand pulling". I have a HandyGym and it's FANTASTIC. The resistance curve is kinda the opposite of a resistance band. That is, the first 1/2 of the concentric, and the last 1/2 of the eccentric have the most force. The one drawback I would say it has is adjusting the cable to the proper length for different exercises. But that's also a strength (long enough to use it for just about any exercise).

[@joellontoc3231]

Wow I remember those contraptions being advertised tv when I was a kid. Had no idea they had been around for so long before.

[@sturdyturk]

Chest expanders are easily the most interesting piece of workout equipment ever made

[@michaelstagar4254]

Glad you're back. Cool video btw.

[@NattyLifeYT]

Thanks :)

[@mylesdrury2350]

THE RETURN OF THE KING!!

[@NattyLifeYT]

🤣

[@Veg-Power]

This was my very first home gym equipment! As a teen and I freakin loved it!! Never ever came anything near the feel and the intensity + volume of this thing, especially on my triceps and rear delts! But ofc it broke very soon and I got not enough money to afford a good one for almost 20 years now ^^

[@harisriram98]

I see this as a great replacement for cable machines and functional trainer for home gym. It's super affordable, portable and can give you same level of intensity as cables specifically isolation exercises especially with wall attachments. Wish more companies made these today with better quality.

[@robertmallory1877]

I recommend the set from Ironmind Inc.

[@jamesfranklyn8547]

Thanks for the video, I've been thinking about buying home gym equipment and hadn't thought of the chest expander. I used one of these years ago along with a device called a bull bar which I'm going to have to see if still exists. Looking forward to watching more of your channel xx

[@robertmallory1877]

Any chance your referring to the Bullworker? They made a comeback in recent years!

[@Archangelm127]

I've never lifted a weight in my life, but I love the history. ❤

[@kalmmonke5037]

lift or else ill lift you into outer space

[@yucannthahvitt]

Lift

[@secondreality1]

Tanku for comin back❤

[@jonahmaddox2885]

Glad to see you man

[@WAR-4-YHWH]

I've had those old spring ones get caught in my chest hair. I wasn't some big hairy guy either but wow... Don't use without shaving chest ever!

[@leswhynin913]

Or wear a shirt

[@aleks1939]

LOL....I just posted something similar. Ouch!

[@pchound5962]

I'm glad that I don't have any chest hair.

[@robertmallory1877]

Even bare chests have nipples! If your using the springs play it safe with a shirt!

[@fredazcarate4818]

Major correction my friend. That period had absolutely no elastic bands. The equipment in question would have used bands made from natural rubber or industrial steel spring-bands. However the rest of your video lecture was spot on.

[@whitemakesright2177]

Elastic is an adjective, it doesn't necessarily refer to a specific material.

[@captainclarky5352]

The return of the king

[@Quantum3695]

I got my start into bodybuilding with spring loaded chest expanders. Nowadays, there are tension bands which increase the intensity of the exercises.

[@Reppintimefitness]

Taking it all the way back 🔥

[@FerintoshFarmsPhotography]

You should do a video on that fitness boom you mentioned. Hope you're well.

[@NattyLifeYT]

Good idea!!

[@michaeltaylor8501]

On occasion a spring chest expander would pinch my chest hair & pull some out (it's the nature of the beast); so, once rubber-like chains came out I bought a couple & I like them much better (no hair-pulling surpises & they allow for more hand-position options due to the various links - & they can easily be linked together if/when desired, or linked to non-proprietary fancy handles if/when desired). Methinks they're a silicone rubber, but I'm not absolutely positive. If I recall correctly, my first chest expander was rather short & cheap: the springs were easily ruined by overstretching them. My second was a bit better quality, but a bit too long for my liking (I was hard to please, just like Goldilocks, eh? 🤔). My last one was a bungey-cord type but it had some plastic parts which proved to be rather weak & easily broken when used in somewhat extreme weather conditions. I've had my rubber-like chains for approximately 7 years now & they're still doing quite well (I keep them out of any sunlight when not in use & use them somewhat cautiously or not at all if/when they're exposed to very cold conditions. Now, your spring chest expander looks to be very well made (but alas I don't shave my body & I'm not a masochist, so regardless how well it's made, it's not for me). I'm surprised that you didn't have any picks of a Mr. Banks - an old-school body-builder who peddled a mail-order chest-expander bodybuilding course (although his expanders were a bit too long for my liking, he featured many exercises using the apparatus).

[@robertmallory1877]

Joe Bonomo peddled them and before he switched to Dynamic Tension so did Charles Atlas!

[@michaeltaylor8501]

@@robertmallory1877 Hmm... 🤔 With Dynamic Tension Charles Atlas didn't have anything big to ship that could get damaged during or after shipment & called defective - so that shift away from peddling expanders might have been a decent business strategy. Dynamic Tension required one to use one's body & some furniture items found in many homes at the time (so any liability fell upon the customer & Mr Atlas only had to ship some instructions at a low cost to himself). Until the Internet became popular, mail-order businesses like Mr Atlas' could do quite well (but of course, the biggest $$$ to be made was - & I believe still is - in advertising).

[@TOKYEO]

Yay! Ur back!

[@KaluArt]

I thought u were dead 😭😭😭😭

[@badsmilesorrisocattivo]

3 months nap

[@NattyLifeYT]

We’re back bitches 🤣

[@Reppintimefitness]

​@@NattyLifeYT🔥💯🔥

[@PicturingOurPast]

What an acerbic reply 😂

[@frankmurphy5]

I thought he actually might've died. You never know.

[@Alex-zr1wt]

Chinese have some great expanders based on 4 -5 rubber pieces instead of strings , same rubber as used in spearguns.

[@johnk6757]

Bands are extremely popular on Amazon and I've gotten good use out of them as a portable and versatile way to have resistance anywhere

[@Billionaireben]

Mike Brown's Samson cable set deserves mention here, I bought one with 15 strands from him after he closed his website; I got up to 20 reps curls and triceps press with 7 bands per arm before unrelated injuries took me out of the gym until recently.

[@robertmallory1877]

Yes, Mike Brown certainly had a very high quality product which is missed today!

[@Kurikost_]

i have one since 40 years...still great

[@diablorojo3887]

Great video, I always have curiosity about the chest expanders (even if i more of a resistance bands guy), this type of equipment is great and possible make a good combo with indian clubs

[@ReturnOfJackDawson]

Great review thank you!

[@ewooll]

My Spenby chest expander is still going strong. I bought it nearly 50 years ago.

[@o-neil]

Hooray! My favourite channel

[@NattyLifeYT]

[@VRSavior]

15 seconds before you said it was easy on the joints i was thinking damn that looks easy on the joints while you were doing the overhead tricep

[@tpoeatvon]

My old man had one of these and let me use before I was ever allowed to do weights. Looking back over photos from then it actually did a bit of work to be fair.

[@neoteraflare]

The best use is in the office. I have one with the elastic bands. Sitting all day in front of the computer is bad for my back and I can take it out and do 10 light reps with the one you called your favorite exercise to refresh my back.

[@thatsgoodleche]

Welcome back NL

[@NattyLifeYT]

Thanks bro!

[@morow9575]

Welcome back king

[@Javnfit]

Nice video man!

[@NattyLifeYT]

Thank you bro!

[@TyghtAlso]

In the 80s, we still used expanders as part of a "cable" workout, like the gym machines. They were still popular, even then.

[@Alley00Cat]

Brings back fond memories! This is the first gym equipment I ever tried as my dad had one when I was a kid. You didn’t discuss the biggest drawback: those springs can get caught fairly easily in your chest hair!! Ouch!!

[@robertmallory1877]

We hairy chested strandpullers either wear shirts if using springs or we end up as very PLUCKY fellows!

[@blastergoon4185]

The GOAT is back

[@NattyLifeYT]

Haha you are too kind bro

[@blastergoon4185]

@@NattyLifeYT bruh can you make a video about your thoughts on Mentzer's heavy duty programme?

[@TheBcoolGuy]

Maybe I will try one or two of these things with mine. That upper back thing looks like a nice piece of accessory work after deads and rows.

[@kung_jack294]

I still have two terry chest expander made in wochester england. And still using it.

[@TravisSelassieSimbawafedha]

Hey started watching your channel last month .... No reference to the scene in the "Goonies" movie ... Chest expander #1980s gold.

[@TravisSelassieSimbawafedha]

Last month .... Not next month ... Comment edited 😛

[@Ironhistory1138]

You did a good job getting some of the early history and impressed you found the references in the 1840's and 1850's. But I do believe you should have mentioned that it was often called Strand Pulling as well, and that Strand Pulling is/was actually a sport within itself. David Webster the all time best Iron Game historian (now 95 years old I believe) was a competitor and also wrote many articles and an book on it. He also had a challenge strand, as I believe Thomas Inch did as well. And while I agree that Sandow did market them heavily, Whitely company was producing them first and he basically copied. In fact around 1895 Sandow as actually used in the promotion of Whitely's expander products before he broke off and did his own.

[@robertmallory1877]

Yeah, I have that chest expander booklet Sandow sold as well as similar books by others. Also have that David Webster book you mentioned. Love materials on cables, power twisters (which really needs a comprehensive how to book on it), dynamic tension/muscle flexing methods and isometrics including the Bullworker. I did weights for awhile but I liked all these other things much better!

[@eric9822]

Great summary! And thanks for giving Robert Baraban a shout-out, his work is really impressive. Is this (chest expander) something you'd legitimately incorporate into a long-term plan, or just something novel or for travel?

[@NattyLifeYT]

Thank you brother :) I've been using the expanders for about 4 months with no plans to stop.

[@eric9822]

@@NattyLifeYT Cool, I love non-standard training techniques. I've been using the Gada and RB Chest Krusher, both extremely different than anything in a box gym. :)

[@NattyLifeYT]

@@eric9822 I was actually just looking at getting the Krusher, it looks like lots of fun. Would you recommend it? Seems like an excellent complement to the chest expander since (despite the name) it's not simple to train chest with the expander.

[@eric9822]

@@NattyLifeYT I think it's better than cable-cross-overs or the pec-deck, by far. Extremely versatile and lets you challenge every weird part of your peck possible, not to mention challenging your entire range of shoulder stability (which is what I love). For how you're built and what you're studying, I think you'd love it.

[@robertmallory1877]

A guy who wrote books on how to adapt boxing and wrestling for streetfighting (Paladin Press and Loompanics published them-both out of business now alas!) always talked up the advantages of chest expanders over weights!@@eric9822

[@oscarl.3563]

I've got one of Robert Baraban's chest expanders myself. Great product, however it started making noises pretty soon so you gotta unbolt the handle and oil it I suppose. Haven't bothered with that yet, but apart from this minor inconvenience it's good and the springs seem to last a long time.

[@NattyLifeYT]

Yeah they are extremely well built. I suppose occasional greasing is to be expected with any gym equipment that has moving parts.

[@romanmclean5425]

@@NattyLifeYT Great review, i have heard on reddit that a few people have worn out the springs for the Robert Barabans chest expanders, does that seem likely? or just reddit BS talk lol.

[@TheTrickster923]

I remember reading somewhere that Hitler kept an expander under his bed and used it every morning so that he could build up the endurance needed to hold a salute during the long military parades

[@earplugs55]

:)

[@luciankristov6436]

I use one nearly everyday. They're basically a portable gym. You can do all kinds of exercises with chest expanders

[@manishmandal1936]

Welcome back 🙂