The chest expander also known as Strandpulling is making a comeback. Indeed the home gym apparatus almost became extinct like the iron horseshoe bender or the iron boot.
Bells of steel recently released their own high-quality chest expander that is more affordable than the ones made by Robert Baraban. Having them both The one made by Robert Baraban is better suited for competitive strand pulling and he offers stronger steel springs for higher “poundage” .
It’s difficult to imagine it now, but a100 years ago chest expanders were all the rage. Earle Liederman , Eugen Sandow , Alfred Danks , Thomas Inch and others offered their own Chest expanders and courses. Their popularity lasted well into the 50’s and 60’s With Iron game legends such as John Grimek, Steve Stanko and Reg Park praising cable training.
Bob Hoffman even dedicated entire chapters in two of his seminal books “ Big Arms : How to develop them, “ and “the York Advanced methods of weight training “
In chapter 14 of “Big arms : How the develop them, “ he wrote the following:
“Cables serve best in developing the muscles which are so conspicuous in the male physique. They impart a certain shapeliness to the physique which cannot be acquired in any other way. They build magnificent shoulders, a fine development of the upper back and powerful, admiration creating arms “
John Grimek made a similar assessment in a Strength and Health article from 1958.
“It's a certainty that fellows who use cables exclusively almost always develop some outstanding feature, such as exceptional arms, massive shoulders, rounded chests or muscular backs. Unlike any other form of training cables do stimulate muscular development faster.”
I incorporated strand pulling exercises on my “off” days to supplement my three days a week full-body routine. It targeted my biceps, triceps, lats, traps , deltoids, shoulders and upper back in ways that I could not easily have done with the barbells and dumbbells alone. It was in my case, the missing piece I had been looking for.
Another advantage of the chest expander is that it is small and easy to carry. It can fit in a small bag. While travelling I could clock in a workout that is on par with a barbell and dumbbell for the muscle group I mentioned earlier. You cannot “cheat” any movement with it. This offered me better muscle growth. You cannot use momentum or inertia . The steel springs won’t allow it. Also it’s very easy on the joints which makes Strand pull less taxing on the body. That means I will still be able to train with it even in advanced age.
It does have its limitations. Without additional attachments you cannot safely work the other muscle groups such as abdominal, pectorals, legs and lower back . Also strand pulling alone cannot give you the same amount of strength and muscle development as barbells and dumbbells would. Bob Hoffman mentions the case of an Argentinian Strongman named Belvidere Del Monte. It is said he had developed 17¾ inch biceps with his chest expanders alone. However, as Bob Hoffman would note.
“He concentrated so much on arm development and cable pulling strength, neglecting his lower body, that he had only a 21½ inch thigh – not much larger than a really strong man’s arm. He had only a mediocre ability at handling weights because the largest and most powerful muscles of the body – the legs and lower back – had been neglected.”
That being said, there are some individuals out there who train exclusively to have big shoulders and big biceps. They will be more than happy with the Chest Expander. It is I believe the cheapest and more versatile option for a home gym.
Even if you train solely for muscle development, you will gain some level of strength as Siegmund Klein said it best , “ train for shape, and strength will follow.”
