Build Muscle to Boost Your Breasts
You’ve noticed that your breasts are sagging a little ... Simple strength training may give you the lift you long for. The alternative is breast implants
There is no avoiding it - gravity, that is. As you age, parts of your body seem to sag, and no place do women see it more than their breasts. All hope is not lost.
According to personal trainer Kim Albano from New York City’s Equinox fitness club, there are some easy exercises you can do to give your breasts the appearance of lift. "Breasts are fat, so you can’t firm the fatty tissue but underneath is muscle", she says. The pectoral muscles, to be specific, and they can be built up in a way that gives your breasts a higher, firmer look.
You can strengthen your pecs with four suggested exercises from Albano (see below). Choose three of the four and do them at least twice a week or three times to see results sooner. Albano stresses that these are just a start and encourages women to try different ones. “Everyone will respond differently to various exercises, so you have to find what is right for you,” she says. “And mix up your workout so your muscles don’t get bored, because then they stop developing.”
Start out with 1 set of 10 to 15 repetitions eventually building up to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions using weights that make your muscles feel fatigued when you get to the end of each set. When the exercise becomes too easy, add more weight or another set.
Flat Chest Press
Lie faceup on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, your wrists should be in a neutral position, palms facing forward, elbows bent 90 degrees and held out to the sides parallel with shoulders. Exhale as you extend your arms toward the ceiling with knuckles facing up, being careful not to touch the weights together, and squeezing your pectoral (chest) muscles at the top of the movement. Inhale as you return to starting position.
Push-Up
Lie facedown on the floor with your hands under you shoulders. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, with your toes tucked under so that you are balancing on the balls of your feet. Contract your abdominals so your back is parallel to the floor. Keep your head and neck in line with your spine. Inhale as you lower your chest as close to the floor as possible. Exhale as you return to starting position.
Incline Chest Press
This exercise is similar to the flat chest press, but you do it on a 45-degree incline, which will recruit different muscle fibers. Lie faceup on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward, elbows bent 90 degrees and held out to the sides parallel with shoulders. Exhale as you extend your arms toward the ceiling with knuckles facing up, being careful not to touch the weights together, and squeezing your pectoral (chest) muscles at the top of the movement. Inhale as you return to starting position.
Cable Crossover
Stand in the center of a cable tower, feet hip-width apart, one foot slightly in front of the other. Grab the horseshoe handle of a cable at the top of each end of the machine in each hand, palms facing down and slightly forward, arms at shoulder level. Contract your abdominals, lean slightly forward from your hips, and relax your knees. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, exhale as you pull the handles down in front of you until your hands come together, hold briefly. Inhale as you slowly return to starting position.
You’ve noticed that your breasts are sagging a little ... Simple strength training may give you the lift you long for. The alternative is breast implants
There is no avoiding it - gravity, that is. As you age, parts of your body seem to sag, and no place do women see it more than their breasts. All hope is not lost.
According to personal trainer Kim Albano from New York City’s Equinox fitness club, there are some easy exercises you can do to give your breasts the appearance of lift. "Breasts are fat, so you can’t firm the fatty tissue but underneath is muscle", she says. The pectoral muscles, to be specific, and they can be built up in a way that gives your breasts a higher, firmer look.
You can strengthen your pecs with four suggested exercises from Albano (see below). Choose three of the four and do them at least twice a week or three times to see results sooner. Albano stresses that these are just a start and encourages women to try different ones. “Everyone will respond differently to various exercises, so you have to find what is right for you,” she says. “And mix up your workout so your muscles don’t get bored, because then they stop developing.”
Start out with 1 set of 10 to 15 repetitions eventually building up to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions using weights that make your muscles feel fatigued when you get to the end of each set. When the exercise becomes too easy, add more weight or another set.
Flat Chest Press
Lie faceup on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, your wrists should be in a neutral position, palms facing forward, elbows bent 90 degrees and held out to the sides parallel with shoulders. Exhale as you extend your arms toward the ceiling with knuckles facing up, being careful not to touch the weights together, and squeezing your pectoral (chest) muscles at the top of the movement. Inhale as you return to starting position.
Push-Up
Lie facedown on the floor with your hands under you shoulders. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, with your toes tucked under so that you are balancing on the balls of your feet. Contract your abdominals so your back is parallel to the floor. Keep your head and neck in line with your spine. Inhale as you lower your chest as close to the floor as possible. Exhale as you return to starting position.
Incline Chest Press
This exercise is similar to the flat chest press, but you do it on a 45-degree incline, which will recruit different muscle fibers. Lie faceup on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward, elbows bent 90 degrees and held out to the sides parallel with shoulders. Exhale as you extend your arms toward the ceiling with knuckles facing up, being careful not to touch the weights together, and squeezing your pectoral (chest) muscles at the top of the movement. Inhale as you return to starting position.
Cable Crossover
Stand in the center of a cable tower, feet hip-width apart, one foot slightly in front of the other. Grab the horseshoe handle of a cable at the top of each end of the machine in each hand, palms facing down and slightly forward, arms at shoulder level. Contract your abdominals, lean slightly forward from your hips, and relax your knees. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, exhale as you pull the handles down in front of you until your hands come together, hold briefly. Inhale as you slowly return to starting position.