How To Hide Pectus Carinatum by Bodybuilding

Pectus-Carinatum before and afterFor people with pectus carinatum (pigeon chest) and pectus excavatum (concave chest), bodybuilding may be the answer to fixing your problem, opposed to surgery, which can be very expensive. If you have pectus excavatum and have some success with bodybuilding, please leave your comments at the bottom of this article. Thousands of readers want to hear from you!

Motivation

For people with pectus carinatum motivation to work out is a given. Think of having this awful chest deformation as a gift from god. 99% of the people in the world have no motivation to work out, don’t quote me on that statistic though. You have been given the gift of fitness motivation. People will look up to you and be inspired by your motivation to work out and stay in shape.

Nutrition

ectomorph, mesomorph, endomorphMake sure you are eating right. There is no one diet plan that works for everyone because we all have different goals. My suggestion is to read books on your body type. There are three different types: ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph.

Workout Plan

Study your body type for this too and it will greatly help your bodybuilding progress.

Muscle Groups To Target

      1. Lower Chest

        The lower chest is important because it is the largest and closest muscle to your pectus carinatum. The bigger you build this muscle the better.

      2. Upper Chest

        Build your upper chest as much as your lower chest. If you work your lower chest and neglect your upper chest the your pecs will begin to be lopsided.

This chest workout by Roelly Winklaar is pretty intense and would really help for people with Pectus Carinatum. You don’t have to do the amount of weight this guy is doing but still try to do the same amount of reps and sets. I have done many workout very similar to this and seen great results.

      1. Serratus Muscles

        Your serratus muscles are under your pecs and to each side of your upper abs. Working these muscles will help fill the void on each side of your pectus carinatum.

      2. Upper Abs

        Your upper abs are crucial to build. For people with pectus carinatum toning your abs is not enough. You must build them bigger! You can accomplish this with heavy weight exercises like cable crunches and weighted situps. Remember to use heavy weight and less than 8 reps per set.

      3. Lower Abs

        It’s not as important to use heavy weight for your lower abs. Do a lot of leg lifts.

      4. Back and Shoulders

        Working out your back and shoulder is important for posture. Many people with pectus carinatum and pectus excavatum have another condition called scoliosis, a deformation of the spine. Your back and shoulder muscles will help keep your posture straight and help mask the effects of your pectus carinatum or excavatum.

      5. Legs

        Since the biggest muscles in your body are in your legs its important to consistently work them out. It takes high levels of testosterone to build large muscle groups. If you work out your legs then your body will increase testosterone levels and your other muscle groups will benefit. You will see massive increases in all your workouts.

This does not cover every detail about each workout. Go on the internet and study them all, ask the big guy in the gym what he does. Just get out there, stop being depressed about how you look and start changing your life!

139 thoughts on “How To Hide Pectus Carinatum by Bodybuilding

  1. Pingback: pectus carinatum chest workout | Pectus Carinatum Exercises

  2. I live in Jakarta, Indonesia, I have a child (boy) his age 13 years, yesterday we have checked to the hospital, and the doctor conclude that my child have pectus carinatum,
    I need your advise on how to practice the bodybuilding during his age, as treatement instead of surgery,
    please help,
    thanks

    • Benny,

      I would not suggest anyone under the age of 16 to get into bodybuilding. Younger people are not fully developed and lifting heavy weights can have a negative effect on their body. I would suggest that he stays very active by running, pushups, situps etc. But don’t let him bodybuild until he is older.

      If you are considering surgery for his Pectus Carinatum I have heard it is wise to get it done when you are a teenager. Your bones and tissue tend to heal better at a younger age. I am not a doctor but this is just what I have gattherd from reading and asking a lot of people.

  3. Hey, I am 16 years old and I have pectus carinatum. I’ve been working out for 2-3 months and I am already seeing major results in my pecs. As for where my upper abs are I can still see it, but im going to keep pushing myself and hopefully obtain my goal. I also do posture excersises aswell as working on my back / shoulders. If there is any advice you can give me or any tips I would really apreciate it! Thanks

  4. I have P.C , my right side is a bit tilted towards the outer and one of the last ribs on the right side is a bit inward ..but the main concern is that my right side looks a bit different as if something’s popping out (condition not tht severe)
    I have a pair of dumbbells I do full body workout 3 times a week ,can’t hit the gym very busy routine …
    WORKOUT:
    dumbbell fly
    dumbbell press
    skull crushers
    tricep extensions
    forearms
    biceps
    crunches
    is it ok , will it work for me ? :/
    P.S: I’m skinny , around 120 pounds at 5’7

    • At 112 pounds you have a lot of room to grow, even at 5’7″. And if your Pectus Carinatum is mild you can easily cover it in a couple months. Everyone is different. I would suggest doing low reps with high weight on all your workouts with a high calorie diet. Study your body type and learn what foods you need to eat to gain weight. Do heavy weight on your core lifts i.e dumbell press and squats. A general rule of thumb that I follow is: if you do more than 8 reps in a set then you are toning your muscles. If you are doing 8 reps or less you are building mass and gaining lean weight. Study the internet, bodybuilding books etc on the best plan for you. Remember everyone is different and what worked for me may not work for you.

      Hope this helps!

  5. thanks so much ! ^_^
    and is it ok to do full body workouts 3times ?
    using heavy weights for dumbbell fly wil not make my ribs more assymetrical (the upper rights side will not come out more ,yeah)?

    • Heavy weight on your core lifts is the most important. I would be careful doing heavy weight with flys becuase you can easily injure your shoulders. If full body workouts are good for you then I say keep doing them. I would do some research on that though.

  6. Hi, I have Pectus Carinatum I am 14, 5’10 and weigh around 110lbs. I am thinking about getting surgery, but is it to early? What age should I get surgery at?

    • Tyler,

      I am not a doctor and have no experience in the medical profession. I have heard that surgery on Pectus Carinatum is better when you are younger. But that is just what I have heard from reading a lot on the internet. I would get professional advice from a doctor before making any decisions.

    • I would say hanging leg raises to each side of your body would be the best. But make sure you target you serrates muscles while doing them. Additionally I would look up a variety of serratus exercises on the internet and body building books. Do ALL of them. Switch one out with another and always be changing it up. There are many ways to work one muscle.

  7. Hi I have been working out for 4 months and dont plan on stopping anytime soon. I have been seeing results, but the main area I am trying to cover is my upper abs, and lower chest on one side. How can I make both sides look as equal as possible? Wouldnt one side always be bigger? Can you give me a routine for upper and lower abs because I can find one suited for me and my condition. Thanks!

    • I would continue what you are doing. It would be hard to try and even out your muscle size. I would just make sure you are using good posture while working out. It will not “fix” your asymmetrical chest, but it will make it look better. Proper posture while working out, over time, will help straighten things out a little. I would also suggest pec flys and barbell pull-overs to help expand and strengthen your rib cage. Any core exercises and going to help you a lot, but building your chest, abs, and serratus muscles will help the most.

  8. I am 14 and i have PC, all this has been a great help. I wasn’t sure on surgery because of scars, but will definitely try body building.
    cheers Russell.

  9. Hi Russel. I am 16 years-old. I live in Argentina. I started noticing my PC when I was 10 or 11 years old.. since then I consulted with many doctors and most of them recommended swimming, and the last doctor I consulted recommend me surgery. But my PC is not very noticeable so I rejected having it. But another doctor recommended me the BRACE, so my medical insurance paid almost the whole price, but I don’t want to use it because it is really painfull and I won’t use it while being in school.

    Well, from October to December 2011 I was hitting the gym 3 times a week, then came summer holidays and rested like 1 month and a half, and then returned to the gym in February until now that I still going 3 times a week.

    From October to December I have been taking Whey Protein shakes post-workout and 5 gr of Creatine before workout, accompanied with a good diet. At that time, I gained 5 kg (from 62kg to 67kg — 137 pounds to 148 pounds).

    From middle of March until now I have been taking Gold Stantdard Whey Protein and Creatine, but I still can notice my PC if you look at me from the left side (my right side is more grown). I train on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays or Sundays. I have two routines, one day I do chest and biceps, and the other day, back and triceps. In each exercise I do 3 or 4 sets of 12 reps in the first one, then 10 reps, and then 8 reps.

    DO YOU THINK IM DOING WELL? SHOULD I CHANGE MY ROUTINE? SHOULD I
    FOCUS ON INNER CHEST EXERCISES?
    WOULD YOU TELL ME HOW TO DIVIDE MY EXERCISE IN TWO ROUTINES (eg. ROUTINE A (Monday and Friday) chest and idnk back… and ROUTINE B (Wednesday) biceps and triceps and abs..)

    PLEASE I NEED SOME TIPS. ANY DETAIL WILL BE VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

    I admire the effort you made to achieve your goals!
    pd. Sorry for my bad english haha

    • Hey have you seen my other website http://www.carinatum.com yet? I talk about some of my workout routines there. I never have the same routine every month though I always change it up. And I try not to work the same muscle group with out AT LEAST 48 hours of rest. And a lot of the time only working a muscle group twice a week is more than enough. But like I said, I am ALWAYS changing my routine and reading new routines in magazines and bodybuilding books.

      One rule I always follow is anything over 10 reps and you are toning muscle. Anything under 10 reps and you are building muscle. Since you are trying to cover you Pectus Carinatum I would suggest 4-6 sets of 4-10 reps on chest workouts. But you can warm up with really light weight and do 25-30 reps. Hope this helps man. And check out my other website too. Everything there is what worked for me at the time but you have to do what works for you. Good luck and keep us all posted!

  10. Hey, Russell
    I am almost 16 years old, 170′ height and around 50-60 kilos.
    I am a goalkeeper in soccer, can the P.C mind my heart working, when i was on doctor, she said that it doesn’t harms the heart working…
    From today i am going to work hard, i was going in gym for 1,5 month, and i can see some results in my chests.
    I was lying on a solid (hard) ground, and when i get up, i noticed that my chest are very soft to push, and it was hurting me a little bit.
    In my country there is a device for pushing chests, is that going to help!? πŸ™‚
    Thanks for the advice, cheers !

    • To my understanding your heart will be just fine. People with the opposite condition Pectus Excavatum can have some heart problems though. My doctor told me my Pectus Carinatum would affect my breathing a little because it causes my lungs to be open more than normal and never fully compress when breathing. He said I would have “short breaths”. But I have had this my whole life and wouldn’t know the difference if my breathing was bad or not. I do all kinds of sports with no problem that I am aware of.

      Good luck man hope this helps!

  11. hello and thanks for the help. I got scoliosis as you said and pectus carinatum. From left side my chest is bigger so it looks less like hides it . From right side it looks a lot worse cause my right chest is smaller and not rounded. Can you telll me what to do ? thank you

    • Nikos,

      The best thing I would say is to make sure you are using proper posture when working out and lifting. Look up on the web proper techniques for bodybuilding. This won’t entirely correct your asymmetrical Pectus Carinatum but it will help a little. If your chest is extremely lopsided there is not much you can do outside of surgery… but it is natural for people to have different sized pecs.

      • thankks for the answer. Can i send you anywhere 2 pictures of my left and right side? I m really in badluck in upper body i also got kyphosis i ll go for surgery so i cant do carinatum 2 its both big surgeries. I will send you 2 pics if you like to see the problem in better view. thanks

  12. Hey i have pectus carinatum and i’m 16 i am starting to workout but i have a question is it okay to bulk and try to build a bigger chest and to bulk.Also i was wondering if you can tell me some excerices to do to hide the pectus carinatum and i am asking if i can bulk because i know you have to workout out your abs to hide your pectus carinatum but when you bulk you dont have abs cause your bulking

    • Bulking up is the best way to cover your Pectus Carinatum. I have another website Carinatum.com that goes into a little more detail of what I have done. But the more weight you gain the better. You can do heavy weight and low reps on abs, do sit ups while holding a weight if you want bigger abs.

  13. I have Pectus Carinatum and I’m super self conscious about it, so I’ve started cardio and light weight training to help improve my outlook, but when I started to see progress in my abs, it only made my pectus carinatum more obvious, so I stopped. Your posted was really inspiring and am really glad you shared it, however, the main premise is to bulk up to hide it right? Could this strategy be modified to work for women too?

    • Yes, bulking up will work to cover you Pectus Carinatum weather your a man or a woman. BUT, most women I know do not want to bulk up. I wouldn’t suggest it either. I am a fan of women who are fit but not necessarily a fan of bodybuilding women. That’s just my own opinion.

      I also saw that when I did a ton of cardio that my abs got lean and my PC was actually more obvious. It was very frustrating. Being a guy it was easy for me to turn to bodybuilding. But being a woman I can see your frustration.

      I wish I could give you more facts of how to handle your situation but every person I have talked to has a very unique case. I wish I had a solution for everyone…

  14. Hey russell im 16 and i have PC and i wanna start body building to hide it but when i work out it hurts a little on my right side of my chest witch is the one i have bigger is it normal And does working out affect my PC or like could it make it worse please i need an advice!

    • Hey I started working out when I was 16 too. I’m not sure what the pain is but when I started to do dips for the first time I felt my sternum pop and it hurt for weeks after that. If you are not conditioned for lifting you will get a lot of those type of pains at first. Just take it easy and build up a little at a time.

      Even runners get pains like that in their shins (shin splints). If you go from doing nothing for a long time to working out everyday and lifting heavy weights, your body is going to hate you for a while.

      Working out is not going to change the structure of your bones and ribs. But it will build muscle and help cover your Pectus Carinatum. Just read a lot of different fitness and body building books and take advice from some of the bigger guys you see at the gym. Over time you will figure out exactly what you need to do for yourself.

      Hope this helps man. Take it easy.

  15. Hey I’m almost 19 and have a mild case of concave chest. The middle of my chest sinks in and my ribs poke out to make it look like from the side that I have a bit of a gut. I’m about 5’10” and about 160 pounds. I want to have a nice body and be ripped but I don’t wanna look like a bodybuilder, if that makes any since. I work 50-60 hours a week so not much time for working out. But here recently I have been running at least a mile, no stopping, 30 pushups, 30 situps, and then lifting curling 20 pound dumbells with each hand until I just can’t curl it anymore. I usually get about 20-25 reps with those. I know it’s not a lot of working out but it’s all I really know. Any suggestions on my workout to give me the body I want? Thanks.

    • Since I am about 6’4″ I can bodybuild and have it look normal, without getting too bulky. at your height I bet you could afford to lift a little heavier weights than you are. The lower the reps and heavier the weight the more muscle you will get. But yeah if you over do it then you could get TOO much muscle. Thats a problem I was always envious of shorter guys. But now Im ok with it. It’s an art and there is no one good answere for everyone. Hope that helps!

  16. I am really glad to see this post. I am 18 years old and i noticed that i got PC when i was about 12-13 yrs old. I started to work out 2 years ago. If i wear a t-shirt my chest looks really muscled . πŸ™‚ Without the t-shirt from the front view it seems good , but from the left or right it looks a bit weird , but it does not bother me .I can see major results thx to my workout routine . People only notice PC, when i tell them , that i have a deformation of my chest ,called pigeon chest… My deformation is mild, because it is almost in the middle ( my doc told me that its right sided … ) Im 5’7” (170 cm ) and about 64 kg. I need to gain muscle but i feel that it’s kinda hard for me. I dont want to take proteins and things like that and i eat almost everything so that’s why i run 3 times a week. I changed to ABS(active body system) work out for now to try it ,because weightlifting became kinda boring for me. The upper 4 abs are already there , but my goal is now to make my lower abs more noticable . My bodyfat is about 12-13 % now and i try to push it a bit lower for really nice abs …
    Who has this like “us” just start to work out ,when hitted the 16 yrs and in several months you will see the result. It will be almost unnoticable for the avarage people.

  17. hi,i am Ram.and i have also pc on my chest.my middle skeletal is bigger.and,the right and left side is small down the chest.which exercise is best?

    • I would personally do a lot of wide-grip exercises on incline and flat bench with heavy weight. 6-8 reps. Check out carinatum.com too where I have some more information. Best of luck!

  18. I had no true motivation until girls were beginning to notice me a bit more. I’m 15 and weigh 105 LB and am 5′ 4 3/4″. I’m a twig.
    My chest sticks OUT (PC) about an inch or two. It is easily visible.
    How do I start working out to make my PC disappear (visibly)?

  19. I’ve been working out for 2 months now, I am trying to focus on making my pigeon chest disappear. It bothers me so much. I feel like a freak… so ive seen some improvement. I bench press and incline bench press for my chest. Is there a workout to form my pecs faster? I’m 16, I want to take some protein supplements, but i dont wanna look bulky and big, if you know what I mean. Unless that doesnt happen?

  20. Hey i am 21 and have petus carinatum and would like to build up my chest as am very self confident and don’t like taking my shirt off. Any suggestions on excercises as currently building up my fitness with walking/running biking and swimming. I am 6 ft 8 and only 76kg which i supposed to be around 100kg for my height. Can you help please?

    • I have found that a lot of cardio, while being good for your overall health, is not the best to cover your PC. If you want to cover your Pectus then I would start doing bench, incline bench, decline bench, butterfly with dumbells and a lot of ab workouts.

      I was a swimmer too and noticed that my PC was very noticable. So that’s why I started lifting weights.

  21. Hey,

    I am 20 years old and i have upper pectus carinatum. I checked online and my Pectus Carinatum can be Cured by Working Out. I have Joined a gym and have been working out for a month. I need your advise on what all exercises shall i do and if i should take any supplements. My weight is 57 and height is 5’11 which means m underweight, and if possible do tell me if i should just concentrate on my check or should i do the entire body workout . I really need your help because its really embarrassing.

    • Hey I would definitely do a lot of core workouts. Work your serratus muscles, obliques, upper abs, lower abs.

      Also, working your legs is very important. As you work out your legs your body will naturally produce more testosterone and the rest of your body will benefit from it. your legs have the biggest muscle in your body! a general rule of thumb is: the heavier the weight and lower the reps the bigger your muscles will get. If you do a lot of reps with light weight then your will be doing more toning of your muscles. So find your happy medium and do what you feel will work best!

      Good luck!

      • So You say that i should workout my entire body ? and should i use any supplements? I have Pectus Carinatum i.e depression in my chest bone . Will my chest become normal? Please advise .

        • yes I would advise working your entire body for sure. Your chest bone will not change but the muscles around it will cover its appearance a little. There are many types of supplements you can use: I use protein, pre-workout and post-workout supplements off and on. But everyone feels differently about supplements. Read reviews on all supplement before you use them and make sure they are safe for you.

    • You could build your pecs to cover your PC. The key is just to do incline, decline, and flat bench at heavy weights. A good way to start is to do a warm up set of 15-20 reps, then do 10, 8, 6, 4 with heavy weight. The bigger your pecs get the less visible your Pectus Carinatum will be.

  22. Hi. I’m 17 years old boy from Norway and I have Pectus Carinatum. I have been working out for a couple of months and i have seen some change in my chest and my posture. But, not nearly what i want. I’m 140 and 6″, I could really need some good advice on how to make it less visible and what exercises i need to do, hopefully before the summer.

    • Fred,

      I read once that the most weight you can gain in a year is 10 pounds. And that is a lot! You can’t change it overnight even though you want too. Just stick with a regular program and read a lot of bodybuilding books, blogs and magazines. Plus talk to the big guys at the gym. They are always willing to give advice! The comment below this has a good link to a bodybuilding book I would suggest reading. Good luck!

  23. Hey There!

    Im only 15 and i have Pectus Carinatum..and i would like to ask you what are some workouts that I should do? Its pretty embarrasing for me to take off my shirt in public. So thats why Im asking for your help.

    Regards:Attila

  24. Hello, im Connor. I’m 15 years old. England
    i have PC and by reading what you have done to yours made me want to change mine even more, i’m tired of being Different to everyone else and just want to feel normal. I feel very insecure with my body at beach and that. i always have to wear a shirt ect. i Also don’t like it showing when i’m wearing a shirt, if i can see it i will change shirt.
    i look at it every morning after i get out the shower and feel like crying.. i find it really hard to not think about it, i really need some who has been through having the look of PC to help me, i’m so worried about what people think of me and my appearance.
    i want to know what the best option is, To get a brace and then build my chest and upper abs and that up. or just go gym everyday. Or there’s also the surgery.
    i would really like you to reply, and help me out.

    Thank you.

    • I know how you feel. Even now that I have built my chest I am still self conscious about it. I used to be terrified of going to a public pool. It’s not as bad as when I was 15, I’m 29 now. But it’s a lot better. If you have a mild case then working out is a good idea. If it is an extreme case then surgery might be an option. I didn’t do surgery mainly because I couldn’t afford it. I didn’t wear a brace either and don’t know how well they work.

      My case of Pectus Carinatum drove me to work out more than any person I know. That motivation to work out has been a huge help for me now that I am older. People still notice my chest is different but they notice more how physically fit I am. So don’t let this thing control your life, you control it. Your confidence will grow as you get older and you will find that people don’t judge you as much as you think they do. When your 15 it’s hard because other kids are freakin mean sometimes and they seem to be out to make your life suck. But it will get a ton better I promise.

      Read the rest of these posts because they can definitely help!

  25. I workout but I do not do any exercise for my chest , one side of my chest sticks out more than the other side, I was doing some chest but the side that stick out was looking that was sticking out more , I started doing Machine exercises for my left side of my chest, for now until both side are the same level, I do Machine Bench Press , Hammerstrength Incline Chest Press , Pec Deck Fly machine, for my left side only, I am not sure if will make my left chest grow to be equal to the other side , what you recomend, I work out 4 times a week

    • I have never tried to work out one side more than the other since mine is not too uneven. I don’t know if that is a good thing to do or not. I would consult some trainers on it. My only fear with working one side is that you might hurt your back lifting unevenly. Since I haven’t done this I couldn’t say…

  26. Hello, reagarding the picture, what body type is he in the transformation? Im ectomorph i have looked at transr,ations on these and i cant come to think that i will gain enough to cover

    • The picture is me. I am an ectomorph. Ectomorphs have a harder time putting on muscle but it looks a lot better on them when they do. You can put on the mass if you put your mind to it. It will be hard so it has to be a decision you stick with.

  27. Hey russel, i’m 14 and im trying to get over my case of PC. its pretty mild and ive been trying to bulk. My pecs are pretty firm but the lower parts arent really developed, and i dont really want to go to the gym til im 16. Im a mesomorph/endomorphish type and every day i’ll do 50-60 pushups and 50 situps but ive been doing this since the start of 2013 and im beginning to think that i should go to the gym, but if there any workouts for lower pecs without much equipment / weights or only using body weights it would be nice thanks

    • I would do a lot of lower chest body weight exercises. Dips, pushups on pushup bars, close grip pushups on push up bars and a lot of leg lifts, crunches and other abb workouts. Your upper abs affect how your Pectus Carinatum looks.

      Waiting until your 16 to lift is a good idea. I did the same thing. If you gain 10 lbs every year when you start lifting you are gaining weight really fast. Good luck man!

  28. Hey Russell, I’m 17 years old and 6’1 in height and weigh about 11 stone (sorry i don’t know what that is in pounds :L). I am quite skinny and due to my height, my PC is more noticeable because there is hardly any fatty tissue or whatever to cover over it. The right side of my chest is flat and normal whilst the left sticks out about an inch and half or two inches at most. Someone in my college class recently noticed it and i was suddenly bombarded with questions as they’ve never seen it before and it made me feel overwhelmed and a little down. I’ve been most worried with my chest in the past 5 or 6 years as i only noticed it more as i grew taller and became skinnier and it affects me in ways such as being under confident when going swimming without my shirt off or sunbathing in public etc whilst all my friends don’t have to worry about being embaressed in front of lots of people. My family have said i should start the gym and i have had this in mind for a while now seen as the expert i saw on this subject said that surgery is very painful with a lengthy recovery and workouts are the best way to ‘hide’ this condition. I just want to know if you could help with the type of workouts that i should do to make my chest look reasonably good like everybody elses and not have to worry about taking my tops off in public etc, also i am asking for advice as i don’t want to end up messing my chest up by doing the wrong workouts in the gym etc. I really hope you can help with this and help me with getting my self confidence back to how it was before i ever cared and noticed it properly! Also i need a girlfriend and feel this is restricting my opportunities, so thankyou and get back to me soon, Ryan.

    • My first advice is to get on bodybuilding websites and learn how to build your chest and upper abs. The best thing I have done is doing heavy weight and low reps on bench press and incline bench press. Any more than 10 reps in a set is more for endurance. So I would warm up with about 15 reps then go to 10, 8, 6, 4. Go up in weight every set. Make sure you read blogs on proper techniques too. It’s not about how much you can lift but how well you lift it. Professional bodybuilders all use proper technique. A book that I recommend in Arnold Schrazenegger’s Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. I learned most of what I know from that book and just by asking big guys at the gym what they do.

      I have personally been in your shoes and bombarded with questions about my chest. It sucks and got me down too. I have put on about 50 pounds since then and it is no where near as bas as it used to be. But my lifestyle revolves around the gym. working out won’t even out your pecs perfectly and I think only surgery can fix that. My brother has uneven pecs too. Do what you can and be confident. Girls don’t care as much about your looks as you do. You are your own worst critic. What a lot of girls want is someone who is confident and comfortable in their own skin. I have seen some ugly dudes with the hottest girls in the world because they are confident and don’t care what others think. But working out still helps:) Sorry for the late reply, I haven’t been maintaining this site and will try to keep up with it .

  29. Hi, I’m a 14 year old boy, I have a pidgeon chest. It’s really bothering me as every one is calling it disgusting and I really want to get rid of it or hide it. I am about 175cm tall, any tips?

    • Olle,

      I would read all the comments on this blog and look at other bodybuilding websites and books. Everyone is different. Don’t think your disgusting, people will say things when your are a kid but you will grow in confidence as you get older. I was super self conscious at your age too and I am still a little uneasy about taking off my shirt in public but it’s not as bad as it was before.

  30. Hey, I am 13 almost 14, 130 lbs. and 6’0 in height. I have mild PC (my sternum doesn’t stick out too far). I’m athletic, but skinny, and I have always had breathing problems. Not quite what you’d call strong, and I don’t want to body build just yet because I am afraid it would stunt my growth.
    Questions-

    What workout routines would you suggest I should do?

    Would PC have anything to do with my poor breathing condition?

    Would I have to keep doing a workout routine once my PC has gone unnoticeable, so that it won’t come back?

    How long would the workout routine take until my PC goes unnoticeable?

    • Dylan,

      I was told by my doctor that my PC gave me some breathing problems. If you feel it’s really bad I would go to a doctor to get it checked out then you and him can make a decision of how active you can be. But bodybuilding wouldn’t hurt in my opinion.

      And you have to keep up your workout routine because bodybuilding doesn’t correct your PC it just covers it up. Sometimes I get lazy and stop lifting then get skinnier and my PC is more noticable again. But it’s a good way to keep me in the habbit of working out:) So read through blogs like this one, bodybuilding books etc and make sure you bodybuild properly. Good luck!

  31. Alright listen up. I have an indented chest. I am a bodybuilder. For the IDIOTS who are telling the kids to not body build till 16 or whatever age, YOU ARE WRONG. Why don’t you tell them not to play too mich soccer or don’t play on the playground too much when they’re little. Idiots. As long as you aren’t training twice a day intensely 7days a week, you’re fine. Start lifting kids. Learn form. Learn form. Learn technique. Watch videos online. What should you do to hide it? Everything. Otherwise you’ll over train your chest. Do your entire body. Break it up. Find workout plans on bodybuilding.com. making your chest wider will help hide it. Use light weight and look up pull overs. Laying flat and raising the dumbbell behind your head and pushing it over. Just start freaking lifting. It will just make it look like you have a huge Cchest

  32. I noticed my pigeon chest when i was in 7 th grade.it looks like a locket in t-shirt in.10th grade i started doing pushups and now in 12th grade i have a good chest chest with no noticeable pigeon chest.

  33. Hi Russell, I’m 15 and I have a reasonably mild case of PC. My doctor recommended bodybuilding would help, especially building my pecs. Even though my PC is uneven (in that the right side is a bit higher than the left), when I flex my abs, my chest goes a lot flatter , and isn’t noticeable from the side. Considering that I’m pretty skinny now, do you think that bodybuilding will cover my PC?

    • Yes definitely, my doctor told me the same thing as a child. I didn’t want to do surgery either just because mine was mild enough to workout. For people with severe cases surgery might be an option.

  34. Hi, Russell, wow, I’ve waited a decade on help like this. I wasn’t too sure what my condition was called. At first, I thought it was called P.E., abbrev, but now today found out it was P.C.. My left chest bone sticks out along part of my upper rib cage on same side. I weight between 120 to 125 lbs, 5’9″. I’m trying to weight train, but have no money and all sorts of bills

  35. My son (age 14) had pectus excavatum and carniatum and we did the bracing program through pectusservices.com. He had to wear a brace for around a year but the results were fast and amazing. He is much happier and looks great. Joe is the therapist who invented this and travels throughout the USA to meet clients, design their braces and do follow-up. I understand that the chest is flexible enough to respond to the bracing system until the 20’s so sharing this information in case it can help.

  36. Hi Russell, my name is Carl and I live in the UK. I happened to come across your thread out of curiosity and hope to contribute my own experiences to your followers. I was born with a mild to moderate pectus carinatum. The left hand side of my chest was for the most part unaffected whereas the right side protruded noticeably. My first recollection of my condition affecting my behaviour was back in primary school, age 7, during swimming. I used to cross my arms against my chest or rest my right hand on my left shoulder in the hope of masking my condition and detracting attention away from my chest. As I reached my teens my condition dictated every decision I made. I can relate to the experiences others have described how their condition affects their self esteem and ability to enjoy life’s simple pleasures such as swimming and going to the beach. As a teenager I was self conscious at the best of times, I used to refer to my pectus carinatum as a ‘deformity’ and looking back made it more of an issue than it really had to be. My parents never made me feel any different, perhaps trying not to further fuel my insecurities. They believe in making the most out of what life has given you and as frustrating as it may have seemed at the time, doesn’t every doting parent see their child as being perfect. Looking back I wish I’d had the opportunity to discuss my condition with a doctor who specialises in this field earlier, even if it was just to consult/examine my individual circumstances. At 18 I became so depressed with the amount of energy I focussing on my chest I went to see my local GP, (doctor). He referred me to a specialist who in turn assessed the effect my condition was having on my physical and mental wellbeing. I was informed my pectus carinatum was having no detrimental effects on my physical health although mentally it was tearing me apart. My self esteem was at an all time low, I felt worthless and I thought that everyone was looking at me. My mum used to say to me do you ever think people are looking at you because your handsome and not what’s in your head. Mum’s god love them. I was offered one solution and this was surgery at King’s College Hospital London, I am eternally grateful to the doctor who recognised although this was purely cosmetic it had become much more than that. The journey home brought a mixture of feelings to the surface. I will always remember how my Dad told me I should do what was right for me, whilst considering the risks and their were a few. My mum was naturally worried and did her best to persuade me not to go through with it. There was never any question what my decision was going to be. I opted for the surgery. I waited a few months and began talking more openly with my friends about what was going to happen. A lot of them were surprised and I felt bad I hadn’t spoken to them sooner. The day came round soon enough and I remember being given the anesthetic the doctor told me it would be the best gin and tonic Id ever have. He wasn’t wrong, good job that stuff is prescription only! The next thing Im waking up in recovery with the nurse asking me how I feel. I told her I felt like Id been hit by a bus which she found highly amusing. To this day Im not really sure the in’s and out’s of what they had to do to me. I believe it was something along the lines of breaking my sternum and resetting it. I know what your thinking sounds rough. I remember the feeling afterwards and the pain this was swiftly solved with morphine although it only numbs the pain you are still aware you’ve had an operation. The morphine stopped me peeing, a side effect I soon found out about afterwards. The nurse told me she would have to fit a catheter. I had my surgery at 7am by 3pm I was walking to the toilet and imagining Niagara Falls. I was discharged the following day and continued my recovery at home. The effects of my surgery were immediate. I noticed a change in my mood, appearance and outlook. I did no heavy lifting for at least a year and even then started very light. I eventually lifted weights which the doctor warned me may have a detrimental effect after my surgery. For the first time I went to the swimming pool and felt confident. I have since adopted swimming into my workout routine. The side effects I have experienced years are a little clicking in my sternum, very slight which has since gone away completely. I have a scar obviously which has faded with time. I have been asked once if I had heart surgery which in theory I should be very proud of since they weren’t referring to my chest. Im 29 years old now. I want anyone who reads this to know your not alone and that the more information you acquire the more of an informed choice you can make. My decision to have surgery had associated risks. I am not perfect in any shape or form and one thing Ive learnt over the years is nobody is. Don’t let your condition sway your decisions in life, if theres one thing I would do differently is I would have been less self conscious. Surround yourself with positive friends who love you for you. If you are accepting of yourself you’ll be surprised how others will follow suit. The person who set up this forum has a lot of great ideas, have a read through them and if your still at a loss see a doctor until you find one who identifies with how your feeling.

    • Carl,

      Your story resonates with everyone on these feed including myself! I love to hear this and what you have gone through. It makes thousands of people like yourself realize they are not alone. Thank you!

  37. I’ve had pectus carinatium since jr. High and always found it embbarising in locker rooms when people asked about it, so I started working out when I was 14 and now not only do people not notice my chest they compliment my muscles. It is important to not only do chest workouts but to also do abb workout. If I flex my abs and you run your hand down my chest it feels completely natural. I would suggest anyone diagnosed with this start working out immediately. Plus the ladies like it;)

  38. hey..i m 18 years old and i have lower pectus carinatum in centre of my chest…………..so please tell me that can it be cured by work out / body bulding ? or not?

  39. Hi! just found this website.
    I was born with PC, Doctor from my 3rd world country in the 80s told my parents its nothing. I grew up as a kid and teen with being teased about my pigeon chest in a small town in HI. I moved to TX as a older teen and learned how to cover it. In my 20s all l I did was party, drink and work with a normal life, besides having a beer belly….. Today I decided to get a medical term for my pigeon chest. And I now know its called PC. I did quite a few research online about it like cause, syptoms, surgery etc…I am now 32 yrs old. Is there any advice you can give a PC person at my age. I do light workouts here and there. Id like to loose my belly but afraid of having my PC bulge stick out. Could I just build my upper body, arms shoulder chest area only. Or at my age is surgery still an option or is that to llate. I’m glad I found this site and to see there is people helping us out.

    • I used to think getting some fat on my body would cover my PC well. Instead I went the route of lifting weights instead. I have managed to cover it up and maintain about 6-8% body fat. People still notice my chest is different but I wouldn’t be affraid to lose your belly fat. I say go all the way and get in the best shape you can overall.

    • Jaskaran,

      Sorry for the late response. I would suggest working all of your chest together. you can browse this site too it has a lot of valuable information about what workouts to do: carinatum.com. But incline bench press will grow your chest the fastest. Many people only do flat bench but you must work your upper pecs and shoulders as well.

    • Drizzy,

      Agreed. Bench press is the core workout and you must also work your core muscles like your abbs, serratus and back. They all work together and grow together. Best of luck!

  40. Hi I’m 16 years old living in Leicester I suffer from pectus carinatum and I want to start bodybuilding what excercises should I start of with?

    • Jamie,

      It’s not a matter of where you start. When you start bodybuilding pick a routine that incorporates all of your muscle groups. You don’t want to only focus on upper body and neglect legs. It will make you disproportioned.

      • Alright I’m starting bodybuilding on the 21st August I will attend gym 5 days a week and I will keep going until I am happy with my body

        • I’m going to do abs on Monday Tuesday chest Wednesday back Thursday arms and legs on Friday and I’ll do a 15min jig everyday

  41. My long time boyfriend has this condition and has always been an athlete ever since I’ve known him.
    He was a wrestler in high school when we first started dating and was always keeping his weight low to remain in his preferred weight class. For the past few years he has been body building. His condition is pretty mild, in my opinion. He was so very embarrassed of it and I never understood why. It really, to me, makes his chest look bigger and broader, which I find attractive. I think as he grew older and gained weight, and found out how little I cared, and how little everyone else noticed, he forgot about it. We are all harder on ourselves than we think everyone else is. Especially in our preteen and teenage years, when we are still growing and finding comfort and peace with our looks. I recently began wondering about his condition and if it could cause any health problems, if it was hereditary if we have children, etc. and I came across this old thread. It’s so old I questioned whether or not I should even comment, but I felt the need to. I was saddened by the number of people who were so embarrassed and bothered by their condition. I myself do not have it and am sure at some point I would have been bothered by it like you all, but I just wanted to put my two cents in about how I actually LIKE and PREFER my boyfriend’s chest and its peak. And I hope that you all can find peace with yourselves and your bodies. THERE IS NOTHING wrong with you. It could be what attracts someone to you. It is what makes you unique. You will find someone who loves you just the way you are, bulking or no bulking!

    • Sara,

      Thank you so much for this. It is hard for people, especially teens to accept themselves. If they know that others are not as hard on them as they are on themselves we would all be happier. Sorry for the delay in approving this. THANK YOU!

  42. Hello And tnx for helping people !
    i have 17 years old and have Pectus Carinatum
    is it late for fix Pectus Carinatum by Bodybuilding ?!
    or i can start now ?!
    can u help me please?…

  43. Hi

    I have PC as well. I am 24 years old. Height is 6ft 2inch and 78kg. I read replies and they are motivating .i have a question thought that in my understanding doing excercise hides the deformation of bones. Doing gym doesnt fix shape of the bones ?

    • Zohaib,

      Sorry for the delay in this response. From my experience working out has not changed the shape of my bone structure, it has only masked it. If your PC is more than a mild case then you might have to look into surgery.

  44. Hello Russell
    i like your article, i’m sure will help me. I am 16 years old, i started to training a month ago with a fullbody rutine 3 days per week, is that ok? when is time to change my rutine?
    sorry for my english.

    • Miguel,

      A full body routine 3 days a week will definitely keep you lean but if you want to build muscle mass and bulk up you may want to work each muscle group 2 times a week. Example: Mondays and Thursdays you work all of your chest muscles, Tuesdays and Fridays you do legs, etc. Every person’s body reacts differently to different workouts.

    • Suhaib,

      How extreme or mild is your Pectus case? If it’s mild then lifting weights will help. It’s it’s exaggerated there are other options.

  45. This post was extremely helpful, It took me a long time to find out exercises that I could do safely and comfortably for my chest. A lot of it involved resistance bands which I found to be more comfortable. Chest flys were a big no no for me at the start! very sore.

  46. Hey, I am 14 years old and just joining year 10, I have Pectus Carinatum and im not going to lie I am very self conscious about it, i reject going swimming with my mates and family because of it and in the school changing rooms i try to hide it by tensing and getting changed really quick, even sometimes i wear jumpers on sunny days so it doesn’t stick out when i just wear a tshirt, i don’t get bullied or anything because of it but a lot of people ask me about it and stuff, and i was wondering if bodybuilding will actually hide it or make it look better, in year 10 i will be going gym around 2-3 times a week and do some workouts at home, so if any of you could give me links to best workouts to improve the look on my chest that would be great. i ask you guys in desperate need please help thank you

  47. Hi, i have Pectus Carinatum but not much, i have the sternum a little more out but is under my chest in the middle, so i think if do chest workouts to increase chest volume wont work. What you think? I hate this and my last rib is out too πŸ™

    Pectus Carinatum in this section: http://tinypic.com/r/15531jn/8

  48. bro…. i have pectus carinatum but is is not that much…… …\
    i m hitting gym from 2 weeks … nd the main thing is that i m seeing results very fastly
    i train chest twice a week..!!
    here are my workouts–
    bench press – 14reps,12reps,10reps (3sets)
    incline bench press – 14reps,12reps,10reps (3sets)
    decline bench press – 14reps,12reps,10reps (3sets)
    dumbelle fly – 10reps,12reps,10reps ( only two setes … i cant do more)
    incline dumble fly – 14reps,12reps

  49. Please help me out
    M also having pc
    My chest is flexible
    As it get pressed by hand easily
    My left portion of chest is more out than right portion

    It seems something popping out

    M 17 years old 5’10 height
    57 weight

  50. Hi Russell

    I fear that me doing so many pushups and weights in high school is actually what caused my Pectus Carinatum. I actually do not go to the gym anymore because I think I am going to make it worse.

    Is this possible or am I being paranoid?

    Thanks

  51. Hi, I’m 5’10” and around 140 lbs. My PC is on my right side and sticks out about any inch. Is there any at home work outs I can do?

  52. Hey Russell, just came across your site as a dad of a son (14) who had a PC and it was getting more and more noticeable. We live in the uk and the local doctor said there is nothing he can do!! It was effecting his breathing and becoming more aware of it by the day. As all good dad’s I resorted to Google for an answer. I found some reports in uk papers and top uk teaching hospitals of boys who have had it corrected through a brace. So cutting it short his chest is flat, muscle will need to be built ( will be checking out your advice on our site…thanks). I was a bit suspicious at first but as the service (USA based) was linked to a UK teaching hospital and also a couple thousand successful cases we went for it. Our son looks good, feels good and now he has to exercise and can get back to rowing!! As a dad, knowing you can’t fix it I can highly recommend Pectusservices.com but exercise with it is key!! Thanks for your site

  53. Hai sir ,I am 30 yes old ,actually my chest was very abnormal condition, I don’t know its PC ,but both side of my upper chest ribs are bulged.and centre part of the chest was one small ditch like.,kindly pls give your valuable instruction.

  54. even I took had PC on my left side bt I m working out from my age 20 its working out I think we people should not heads down for this .this is natural bt if we work hard god will look at us to help .and Russell ur advice’s are really good superb the line I admired from u his don’t let it control your life .it has to be to control by yourself and I amvignesh from India.

  55. Hey Russell,

    Im a 15 year old kid and I noticed my Pectus Carrinatum at around 10-11 years old. I have always been so insecure about it and I plan on working out in the future. Im also 6 foot tall and weigh 70 kilos. I noticed that my right side of my chest goes out a bit further and my right rib cage comes in a bit more too. Would posture quite possibly help that? or just a specific workout. I’m also a very good soccer player, i play in CM and i have no breathing problems anymore. Is that a good sign? Also as I get older, does the deformity become more noticeable as I will get larger? What specific excersise should I do to bring my rib cage outwards more?

    Thanks,

    Kane Kjellgren

    Email: 18kjek@helena.wa.edu.au

  56. Hello. Bro. I also have PC .from my birth. I don’t feel bad about it. Bt when people ask me quetions pointing at my chest.. Like . do you fell from a tree?., is this a kind of dieseas
    . and lot more .and worse part i can’t remove my shirt . when i am playing football in front of other players. Or people… Help me ..
    I am 17 years old .. About 56 kg weight. Height 5’9′

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