Breast Exercises To Increase Size

Although breast tissue, which is mostly fat, cannot be increased without increasing fat around the body, receiving surgical implants or experiencing hormonal changes, you can exercise the muscles that support breast tissue to achieve firm, lifted and yes, even larger breasts. The trick is to recruit all of the major chest muscles and work them to exhaustion within 12 repetitions. This will produce what bodybuilders call "hypertrophy," or an increase in muscle size. According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, with consistent workouts--every other day--you can expect to see muscular changes within four to eight weeks.

Lying Dumbbell Pullover

The primary muscle of the chest--your pectoralis major--flexes and extends the arm at the shoulder and medially rotates and adducts the arm at the shoulder. With so many functions, this large muscle requires numerous exercises to target and tone its various fibers. To perform the lying dumbbell pullover, lie on your back on a bench with your feet planted firmly on the floor. Hold one dumbbell with both hands cupped around one end and raise it directly over your chest. Keeping your arms straight, lower it behind your head. Exhale and squeeze your chest together as your raise the dumbbell to the starting position. Repeat for a total of 12 repetitions.

Stability Ball Dumbbell Fly

The stability ball dumbbell fly effectively recruits the pectoralis major because the unstable nature of performing the movement on a stability ball recruits additional muscle fibers. To perform the exercise, lie on a stability ball with your head supported on the ball, feet flat on the floor in a wide stance, and a medium-weight dumbbell in each hand. Hold the weights directly over your chest with palms facing inward. Slowly and with control lower the weights in a wide arc until they are level with your body. Keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement. Exhale as you raise the weights to the starting position and repeat for a total of 12 repetitions.

Dumbbell Bench Press

This classic exercise targets your pectoralis major and pectoralis minor, the muscles that draw the scapulae forward and downward to increase the muscle fibers recruited for better breast support and size. Using dumbbells instead of the traditional barbell prevents the possibility of one-side muscle dominance, and recruits additional muscle fibers to stabilize each weight. To perform a dumbbell bench press, lie on your back on a bench with a heavy dumbbell in each hand. You may wish to use a spotter for safety. Press the dumbbells over your head with palms facing toward your feet, wrists neutral. Lower slowly, with control to your chest. Repeat for a total of 12 repetitions. A slight variation to this exercise is to rotate palms inward toward your chest as you lower the weights. This works the muscle from a slightly different angle for even greater muscle growth.