Vacuum Bell Therapy & Bodybuilding [2023]: Discipline & More

Written by Mihail Veleski

Last updated on

Evidence-Based This post has medical citations

Weightlifting can support vacuum bell therapy by strengthening the weak back muscles responsible for proper posture.

It is essential to focus on proper technique to reap the maximal postural benefit of the exercises while limiting the risk of injury. Mr. Eckart Klobe himself recommends exercising to support the vacuum bell therapy.

In this article, I will write about everything you need to know about vacuum bells and bodybuilding.

Vacuum Bell Therapy Impacts Muscles

According to Eckart Klobe, lifting the chest wall stretches the muscles that are pulling from the inside, such as the diaphragm and the transversus thoracis muscle.

Because of this, these muscles will get used to their new position and won’t pull the sunken chest inward quite as far as when you remove the vacuum bell device.

Generally, this muscle adaptation takes the most time in the whole treatment procedure. 

Mr. Klobe’s Accessory Bodybuilding Exercises

Accessory physical exercises are critical to straighten, stretch and tighten the upper body to support the vacuum Bell therapy. 

According to Mr. Klobe, you cannot expect that only the vacuum bell application alone will improve posture. Typically, the vacuum bell can overcome the skeletal resistance of the sunken chest. 

Strengthening the Back Is Key

Still, proper posture is only possible thanks to the strength of the patient’s muscles. That is why strengthening the back muscles with weightlifting will positively impact the success of vacuum bell therapy.

Two Bodybuilding Exercises

Eckart Klobe recommends the following two bodybuilding exercises to support a vacuum bell treatment:

Dumbbell Swings

This is a simple exercise you can perform. All you need is a set of light dumbbells. To start, grab one in each hand. Mr. Klobe recommends a 3-5% of your body weight dumbbell. When you get used to exercising, you can increase your weight. 

Swing the dumbbells in a motion like a tennis payer swinging his racquet or a boxer swinging his fists as if he is throwing something.

Mr. Klobe recommends performing this exercise every day for about five minutes. As he says, this exercise aims to strengthen the upper back musculature. 

Dumbbell Pullovers

Start by grabbing a light dumbbell (3-5% of your body weight in each hand) and lay on a bench on your back. Press the dumbbells and the resulting hollow back flat on the bench using your motor activity.

You should do the exercise for one minute every single day. According to Mr. Klobe, the pullover raises the sternum through the pectoral musculature and flattens the flaring ribs through the abs.

I recommend you add these exercises to your bodybuilding routine. That way, you will reap the benefits of both exercises meant to increase the mass of your muscles and corrective exercises to accompany vacuum bell therapy.

“Bodybuilder” Vacuum Bell for Bodybuilders

A particular vacuum bell size is built with thicker silicone made for bodybuilders and unique applications. 

This model has slightly slimmer and softer sides than the classic model. Thus, the bodybuilder vacuum bell (19 cm) will be gentler on large chest muscles and sensitive nipples.

When there is horizontal indentation along the diaphragm line, it may initially bend the rib cage along this line and thus open an anatomically good way to lift the breastbone further.

My Bodybuilding and Vacuum Bell Therapy Experience

While doing the vacuum bell therapy, I also did a lot of weightlifting and yoga 3-to five times a week. The vacuum bell didn’t affect my training. Surprisingly, it was an extremely positive experience!

I focused mainly on the musculature of my chest, core, and back. You should never neglect back training. Those muscles are responsible for keeping your posture upright and sturdy.

The combination of physical therapy and suction bell treatment made the dent in my chest unnoticeable.

Performing bench presses, dips, chest flies, dumbbell pullovers, pull-ups, and rows will significantly impact your deformity. Weightlifting will strengthen you mentally and physically and help you build discipline for applying vacuum bell.

Combining weightlifting and vacuum bell therapy made the dip in my chest much less noticeable.

My chest muscles became toned and muscular, increasing my confidence in showing my chest to others.

Bodybuilding Taught Me Discipline

I didn’t struggle with the discipline of applying the vacuum bell daily. I genuinely believe that weightlifting was a direct factor in this.

I always thought performing these heavy exercises was ten times harder than having the discipline to put on the suction cup for a few hours a day.

Applying the vacuum device will be a breeze if you go to the gym for a few days a week. Additionally, I highly recommend you do yoga, Pilates, or other posture-improving exercises before starting the vacuum bell treatment.

That will stretch your anterior chest wall. Placing the suction cup directly over the dent will be much easier. Also, you will significantly minimize the chance of the vacuum bell falling off your chest.

Walking upright with a stable posture will ensure that the suction cup stays on your body tightly.

The Bottom Line

Performing bodybuilding exercises can help you strengthen your back muscles and improve posture. This will help with the success of the vacuum bell therapy.

According to Mr. Eckart Klobe, performing light dumbbell swings and pullovers can help with the treatment. Bodybuilding builds discipline.

That alone will help you with the consistency of the vacuum bell application. Adding muscle strength and mass will only be a side benefit of bodybuilding.

Thank you for reading!

2 Sources
  • OT V. Trichterbrustversorgung mit der Saugglocke nach Eckart Klobe [Internet].
    Orthopädie Technik. 2019 [cited 2022 Dec 1] https://360-ot.de/trichterbrustversorgung-mit-der-saugglocke-nach-eckart-klobe/
  • Transversus thoracis muscle [Internet]. Kenhub. [cited 2022 Dec 1]. Available
    from: https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/transversus-thoracis-muscle

Article by:

Mihail Veleski

I am Mihail Veleski, the person behind this website. Established in 2015, Pectus Excavatum Fix has helped thousands of people improve their sunken chest deformity, both physically and mentally. I pride myself on ensuring the information and methods I share are tried by me and backed by research. I improved my concave chest and rib flare deformities non-surgically.

2 thoughts on “Vacuum Bell Therapy & Bodybuilding [2023]: Discipline & More”

  1. hey my name is David I’m 14 and I bought the vacuum bell in June so it’s been 6 months now it’s a 16 cm one and I’m using it as much as possible during the day and all the time when I sleep and even so I haven’t seen permanent progress at all and I think that I will buy like a bigger one so it might work better but I just wanted to know what else I should do cause I really hate my chest at the moment and I am to afraid to get the surgery, I’ve done even like 7 months of physiotherapy but I drop it cause I fell like it doesn’t help at all like yes I now know how to stay straight and all but I don’t think it helped with a lot so please tell me what should I do cause not even my doctor belives that the vacuum bell will work and he recommanded me to take the surgery this summer after my exams but I am extremly scared to do that and I want it to be the last thing I do.

    Reply
    • Hello David,

      Thank you for your comment. I am glad you’ve taken a huge step in improving your deformity non-surgically by investing in a vacuum bell. I am happy that you’re very motivated to improve the deformity. Good job on applying the vacuum bell consistently. That is very important.

      I have a few questions for you:

      1. Do you gradually increase the number of pumps you do with your vacuum bell? You need to increase the vacuum pressure with time so that the sternum will stay elevated more.

      2. Do you use it every day consistently, even on days when you feel like you don’t want to apply it?

      3. How severe is your sunken chest deformity? Did your doctor tell you it affects your lungs and heart?

      4. Do you have flared ribs in addition to your sunken chest?

      5. How is your posture, did you try yoga and pilates?

      6. Is your deformity broad or localized (for example localized is when it is deep at one point but flatter in other areas, and vice versa)

      Don’t give up. You’re doing all the right things. I know it can feel unmotivating on some days, and giving up is the only thing that crosses your mind. In a few months, you will be glad you didn’t quit now and you grinded through the process to improve the deformity. Because of that, I always recommend my clients to take progress pictures of their chest and measure their indentation frequently.

      That way, the progress will be seen when you compare the before and afters, or when you see the measurements difference. Seeing the change on the mirror is very hard, especially if you look in the mirror every single day. Dr. Sydney Haje also mentioned that surgery should be the last option. Try everything in your powers to improve it non-surgically first; if everything fails, you can always undergo surgery.

      However, I believe you will improve it non-surgically and that you won’t need to undergo surgery if you are disciplined enough and dedicated to improve it daily. Physiotherapy is more than standing tall. It will change how your physique functions, and you can breathe deeper and avoid injury if you started doing strength training. I also hated physiotherapy when I was your age, because it hurt a lot, but I stayed disciplined and it improved my posture that suffered from video games.

      Stay strong,
      Mihail.

      Reply

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