How to Fix Rib Flare with Proper Breathing

breathing exercises deep core connection posture correction rib flare May 21, 2026

How to Fix Rib Flare with Proper Breathing

If you’ve noticed your ribs sticking out, your chest lifting excessively, or tension through your upper body and low back… you may be dealing with rib flare.

Rib flare is incredibly common, especially in women, during pregnancy and postpartum, and in anyone who has been taught to constantly “brace” their core or suck their stomach in.

But here’s the good news:
Your breathing can play a HUGE role in improving rib flare, posture, deep core connection, and even reducing aches and pains.

In this video, I’m walking you through simple ways to improve rib flare naturally through better breathing mechanics and deep core awareness.

What Causes Rib Flare?

Rib flare is often connected to:

Shallow chest breathing
Excessive gripping through the abs
Constant core bracing
Poor posture habits
Pregnancy and postpartum changes
Lack of deep core and diaphragm connection
Excess tension through the back, neck, and shoulders

One of the biggest mistakes I see is women constantly trying to “pull the ribs down” aggressively instead of learning how to create true support through breath and length.

When we improve breathing mechanics, we help the diaphragm, deep core, pelvic floor, and rib cage work together more efficiently.

Why Breathing Matters for Rib Flare

Your diaphragm attaches directly to your rib cage, which means your breath affects the position and movement of your ribs all day long.

Instead of breathing high into your chest, focus on:

Inhaling through your nose
Expanding into the sides and back of your rib cage
Allowing your ribs to soften and move
Feeling gentle lift through the pelvic floor and zipping up of the deep core on the exhale

This helps improve pressure management in the body and reduces excessive tension and gripping.

Stop Over-Bracing Your Core

One of the most important things I teach inside my programs is that more tension is not better.

Over-bracing can actually:

Push pressure downward into the pelvic floor
Increase back tension
Limit rib cage mobility
Reduce deep core function
Make rib flare worse

Instead, we want the body to feel lengthened, supported, and connected from the inside out.

Want More Help Improving Your Core + Posture?

My Core Rehab Program is designed to help you reconnect to your deep core, pelvic floor, posture, breathing, and movement patterns in a smarter, more effective way.

Learn more here:
Core Rehab Program