Best exercises to lift your chest
Strength training is great for a lot of things—building your butt, toning your arms, and yes, even lifting your chest. Here are four exercises for making your chest stronger.
1. Around the world
You’ll need a pair of dumbbells.
- Standing with your feet hip-distance apartment, hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing forward.
- Keeping your elbows slightly bent, open your arms out to the sides, and then up over your head.
- From overhead, reverse the motion to bring the dumbbells back to your starting position.
Do 12 reps.
2. Plank reach
You don’t need anything for this exercise.
- Start in a plank position, placing your palms on either side of your chest, shoulder-width apart.
- Tuck your pelvis so your body is in a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels.
- Lift your right hand and reach it straight out in front of you.
- Place it back on the floor and repeat with your left hand.
Do 12 reps.
3. Plank walk
You don’t need anything for this exercise.
- Start with your palms on the floor underneath your shoulders and your toes shoulder-width apart.
- Tuck your pelvis so your body is in a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels.
- Lift your right hand and left foot and move them both about a foot to the right.
- Repeat with your right foot and left hand.
- Take two full steps in each direction to complete your rep.
Do 12 reps.
4. Dumbbell fly
You’ll need a pair of dumbbells and an exercise bench.
- Lie face-up on the bench, feet on the floor
- Hold the dumbbells above your shoulders, elbows bent slightly
- Lower the dumbbells until your elbows are even with your chest
- Press the dumbbells back to your starting position, keeping a bend in your elbows
Do 12 reps.
5. Chair dip
You’ll need a sturdy chair for this exercise.
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Sit on a chair, palms near the edge of the seat with your fingers pointing toward your feet.
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Walk your feet out in front of you until your butt is off the front edge of the seat.
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Keeping your shoulder blades back and down away from your ears, bend your elbows 90 degrees to lower your butt toward the floor.
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Press into your palms to return to the starting position.
Do 12 reps.
Bust a move
A few simple hacks can give you the look of a more lifted chest. Get to work with these pec-perking exercises and you’ll see—and feel—the difference.
References
- “9 Most Effective Ways to Make Your Breasts Grow (Seriously),” Womanitely, May 19, 2016.
- “5 Exercises That Make Your Boobs Look Better Than Ever,” Cosmopolitan, December 10, 2020.
- “13 Legitimate Ways to Make Your Boobs Bigger and Perkier,” LovePanky, March 1, 2016.
- “How to Make Your Breasts Bigger & Perkier,” LiveStrong, December 14, 2015.
