12 Workout Tips To Give Your Boobs An Extra Lift
Boobs come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. They never need to look a certain way, but it's totally normal to want them to look a certain way.
WebMD explains that over time, gravity and aging cause boobs to lose fullness so they begin to hang downwards. But if you're dissatisfied with the volume or perkiness of your boobs, there are things you can do to get the va-va-voom you're looking for. While you might have already checked out breast implants or boob contouring, there is another possibility to consider — chest exercises.
Founder of the fitness program BuiltLean, Marc Perry, tells Women's Health, "As these [chest] muscles get bigger and stronger, they can push breast tissue upwards and outwards, which can give your breasts a perkier appearance." Now, it's not 100% guaranteed that chest exercises will bump your chest size or boost your cleavage. However, any weight training will increase the size of your muscles, and beneath your boobs are muscle groups you can target. These gym tips can help you get the lift you're looking for.
Wide armed push-up
With this exercise, start out in a proper plank. To achieve good form, Masterclass advises keeping your hips level with the rest of your body and lengthening your neck forward in a straight line with your spine. Then you'll want to step your hands wider than shoulder-width distance. From there, bend your arms until your chest passes elbow height, then extend back to the position you started in. That is one rep.
Listen to your body and determine the number of reps and sets that fit your strength and endurance level.
Chataranga Dandasana
For this yoga flow exercise, begin in a plank position with your arms directly beneath your shoulders and your hands facing forward. Then, bend your arms with your elbows squeezing in towards your ribcage. Mbg movement instructs that once your limbs reach a 90-degree angle, begin to reach your chest forward. Lifting your heels over your toes, push your hips forward and towards the ground to complete the movement in an upward-facing dog. To exit this pose, carefully fold yourself into child pose and repeat the motion again.
Chest press
To start, grab two weights that challenge but do not strain you. Lying down on a bench with your spine pressed against the surface, hold your two weights on either side of your chest with your arms extended above you. To begin one rep, bend your elbows and bring the weights down just an inch or two above your chest.
According to Healthline, the chest press builds muscle tissue in not just your pectorals, but also your deltoids, triceps, serratus anterior, and biceps.
Chest fly
For a chest fly exercise, you'll want to start in the same position as you did with the chest press. With your arms pressed above your chest, you'll slowly lower them outwards and to the ground. Keep your arms slightly bent, making a rounded line with your two arms out to the sides.
Women's Magazine explains that a chest fly not only builds your chest muscles, but can also improve your posture. This will stop you from hunching forward — which will definitely help you out if you feel your boobs are looking saggy.
Squeeze press
To execute a squeeze press, lie down on your back and grab two moderately challenging weights. According to Men's Health, using hex dumbbells can make this exercise easier to complete. However, ordinary dumbbells are perfectly fine.
Once you're in position, place your weights out above your chest. Now, similar to the chest press and chest fly, you'll want to lower your weights until they graze your chest. Although this time, squeeze your weights towards one another throughout the exercise, aiming to keep them connected. This will fire up the abduction muscles in your chest, making for tighter, more muscular pecs.
Decline push-up
A decline push-up is more intense than a regular push-up. If it feels too extreme for you, completing a standard push-up will offer just as many benefits. However, if you've begun to build some muscle and regular push-ups are becoming a breeze, the decline push-up can increase the challenge.
While in plank, Verywell Fit recommends you elevate your toes by placing them on a lifted, stable surface. According to the source, the weight you add to your push-up will increase as you lift your legs higher. Once you've found a height that suits you, complete a push-up.
Cable crossover
For a cable crossover, adjust the handles of your cables to be shoulder height on either side and choose an appropriate weight. Then, with both handles in your grip, adjust your feet to be in a split stance.
Tonal coach Chris Gagliardi tells Well + Good that for the proper posture, lean your weight into your front leg, tipping your abdomen forward on a slight vertical. From there, keep a slight bend in your arms while reaching your two hands towards the midline of your body. Once they meet, return them slowly to where they began.
Diamond push-up
Another highly effective push-up for targeting your pecs is the diamond push-up. In his YouTube video "How To: Diamond Push-up," YouTuber @scotthermanfitness demonstrates how to properly execute this push-up variety.
Beginning in a plank position, place your hands towards one another with your fingertips touching to form a "diamond" shape at your midline. @scotthermanfitness explains that while bending your arms like a regular push-up, you'll want to press the center of your chest to meet this diamond shape. Extend your arms, and boom, you have a challenging, chest-focused exercise.
Incline bench
The part of the chest that is most likely to lose its volume as we age is the upper chest (per WebMD). It's also a more difficult muscle to target. If you want your chest press to specifically build on the upper halves of your pecs, try an incline bench.
In contrast to lying on a flat bench, Healthline explains that you adjust the bench to a 15-30 degree incline. Then, execute the press as you would with a standard chest press. This will take the stress of the weight upwards towards your shoulders and into your upper pecs.
Dips
Dips can be done with parallel dip bars or stable at-home items such as a chair, bench, or stairs. Depending on which piece of equipment you use, you'll want to adjust your body so that the majority of your weight lies in your arms.
Once you're in your starting position, Greatest explains that you'll want to bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle. Once you've met this point, extend your elbows and lift your body weight up with you.
Lateral plank walk
A great way to build up your chest is by working the muscles that allow you to reach your arms inward. To target these muscle groups, try a lateral plank walk.
Begin in a sturdy, standard plank with your hands directly beneath your shoulders. Then, as Self advises, reach your right arm and right leg out, placing them down beside you. Finally, move your left hand and foot towards the right to return to your plank position. Once this is complete, follow with the other side.
Upright row
Place your feet beneath your shoulders in a standing position to do an upright row. Verywell Fit suggests you use a barbell, kettlebell, or two dumbbells for this exercise.
Holding your arms extended with your weights in hand, face the palms of your hands towards yourself. Then, reach your hands up beneath your chin. Once you've met this point, slowly return the weight to its starting point for rep one.