It’s a little deceptive to talk about exercises to firm and tone breasts, since your breasts are composed of fatty tissue. However, that fatty tissue is supported by muscles directly beneath the breast called pectoral muscles. Since they support the breasts, toning them will help prevent sagging. Developing the muscles even further act a bit like a breast lift without the surgery. You won’t build your breasts, but improve the muscles and the appearance of the breasts.
Do a squeeze to build the pecs.
Get ready for your chest exercises by warming up with a squeeze. You can use a volleyball, medicine ball or even a large book, anything that you can press on to provide resistance. The chest squeeze can also be used as a cool down exercise. It works both the chest and the muscles of the shoulders. Start seated in a chair with good posture and stomach held tight. Lift your object or ball to chest level and then squeeze it as you contract your chest muscles, slowly straightening your arms. When they’re directly in front of you with elbows straight, continue to apply pressure. Slowly pull the object back toward your chest. Repeat.
Do a plank that goes from forearm to extended arms.
A plank can be tough to hold and this one can even be tougher, but it strengthens your chest muscles and will give you the look you love, while also tightening your core. Start in plank position on your forearms, keeping your core muscles tight. Slowly change from forearm position one arm at a time. Raise yourself up on one side and then the other until your body is in push-up or straight arm plank position. Keep all your muscles tight as you do and your body straight. Slowly lower your body back to forearm, then repeat and move up to straight arm again.
Get a double benefit with a push-up variants.
You can do this exercise either bent knee or straight legged, depending on your fitness level. Start by getting into push-up position, where your hands are directly beneath your shoulders. Slowly move your hands wider and then lower your body and raise back up. Then bring your hands closer than shoulder-width, some people touch their thumbs, but that’s not necessary. Lower and raise back up. Continue alternating between the two.
- Try a little yoga with a cobra. Cobra starts with your hands shoulder-width apart, as you lie face down, legs extended on the floor. Brace your body and lift the upper body up, arching your back, until you lock your elbows.
- Push-ups are also good exercises for the chest, as are dumbbell chest presses. You do a dumbbell chest press laying on your back with a dumbbell in each hand with upper arm and elbow on the floor, forearms bent at a 90 degree angle. Push up until your arms are straight in the air and then lower.
- If you want inexpensive equipment, consider resistance bands. Put your hands in the loop on both sides, wrapping the band behind your back, then press your hands forward in front of you. Hold and slowly draw back.
- One chest exercise you can do anywhere involves trying to move a wall. That’s right. Just place your palms flat on a wall and push with all your might as though you were pushing it. You’ll feel your pecs engage.
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