8 Chest Exercises for Women

Chest exercises aren’t just for weightlifters. They can straighten up your posture, boost your core strength, and even reduce your risk of conditions like osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes, which are more likely to affect women. So, whether you prefer to hit the gym or work out at home, it’s worth paying attention to your whole upper body with our 8 chest exercises for women. In this article: 📝

Do chest workouts make your breasts bigger or smaller?

The exercises on this list target the pectoralis major muscles (AKA your pecs), and the deltoids, which wrap around your shoulders.

In other words, they’ll work the muscles under your breast tissue.

Strengthening your muscles won’t necessarily increase your cup size.

And, if you burn fat, there’s a chance your breasts might get smaller.

But either way, toning your pecs means your breasts have more support, so they might look rounder, fuller, and higher up your chest.

If you’ve finished breastfeeding, or just want your boobs to look a little perkier, these workouts might be for you.

The best chest exercises for women at home

1. Push-ups

If you struggle with a full push-up, you’ll also get an amazing chest workout with a half press-up, or even by standing and pressing away from a wall.

2. Downward-facing dog

The classic yoga pose is one of the best for toning your chest.

With your palms on the floor, and your feet as close to flat as you can get them, push your hips back and up until your body resembles a triangle.

3. Planking

Another easy chest exercise to do at home.

Simply hold yourself on your palms or your forearms and the tips of your toes, keeping your whole spine as straight as possible.

For an extra challenge, you can tap your shoulders with alternate hands.

4. Hook punches

You don’t have to be a boxing expert to do this chest workout for women.

Bend your elbows to 90 degrees and swing your fists across your body.

Chest exercises with dumbbells for women

For these chest exercises for women, you can use the dumbbells at the gym, pick up a small set of your own, or even improvise with water bottles.

5. Elbow squeeze shoulder press

There are three parts to this chest workout (which is one of the best if you’d like a natural boob lift).

Hold your dumbbells at ear height, with your arms wide and elbows at 90 degrees.

Next, swing your elbows in so they’re shoulder-width apart.

Finally, lift the weights above your head.

6. Chest fly

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor.

Start by holding the dumbbells straight up above your chest, then spread your arms and bring them parallel to the floor.

7. Squats

Hold your dumbbells against your chest and squat.

At the bottom, push the weight away from you, then bring it back to your core, and rise up.

8. Planking – with weights!

Put your dumbbells on your exercise mat and plank.

Lift one weight to your core, and then the other.

You can also add a twist by picking up the weight and lifting it to the ceiling while keeping your chest as open as you can.

Full chest workouts for women – a suggested routine

For example:

• Do 10 pushups.
• Transition from a plank and hold yourself in downward-facing dog for 30 seconds.
• Stand up, pick up your weights, and do 10 squats, pushing the weight away from your body at the bottom of the squat.
• Keep holding the weights and do 10 elbow squeeze shoulder presses.
• Put down the weights, and do as many hook punches as you can in 30 seconds.
• Rest for one minute.
• Repeat the set twice more.

This whole workout will take you less than 20 minutes, and you should notice the benefits for your stamina and muscle tone quickly.

Now you don’t have to skip chest day with our 8 chest exercises for women (although your arms might be a little sore the morning after)!

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