Inclined Press Exercise For The Breasts

The incline press exercise tones the chest muscles under the breast, though it won't do the same thing as plastic surgery. There are many variations to this exercise from free weights to machines. Each option works the chest differently. The chest is always emphasized, but some exercises do more so than others.

Muscles

The pectoralis major is the prime mover in incline press exercises. The pec major is the larger of the chest muscles, but is sometimes divided into the upper chest and lower chest portion. Incline presses emphasize the upper chest. The deltoids muscles of the shoulder and tricep muscles of the arm may work as prime movers or synergists depending on the type of incline press. The equipment and body position change the muscles.

Dumbbell Incline Press

The dumbbell incline press targets the pecs, front delts and side delts. An incline bench is necessary, as are a pair of dumbbells. A single dumbbell pressed with one arm is a progression that challenges the stabilizer muscles, however, if one is ready. To perform this exercise, lie face up on an incline bench with your arms perpendicular to the floor above your chest. The palms face forwards. Then, bend the elbows toward the floor until the weights are next to the chest. Press up again. This exercise is also possible with a barbell but a spotter is recommended.

Incline Cable Press

The incline cable press utilizes a cable machine. A resistance cable is another option though. Both sitting on an upright bench or standing up straight facing away from the machine work for this exercise. To perform this exercise, hold the handles of the cables with the arms bent at right angles, elbows in line with the sides of the shoulders and the palms face down. There is a slight upward angle of the arms. Then, press your arms straight forward at a 30- to 45-degree angle toward the ceiling. The pecs are the main muscles for this exercise with the arms and shoulders only secondary.

Lever Incline Bench Press

The lever incline bench press uses a traditional weight machine with a weight stack. The movement is identical to the dumbbell incline press, but because the machine has a supported bar the upper portion of the pec major is the prime mover. Triceps and the front delts are only synergists whereas the side delts aren't involved at all. Slide the incline so that when you lie on it, your armpits align with the bar to do this exercise. Lie on the bench and grab the bar with the palms facing forward. Bend and straighten your arms just like with the dumbbell incline press.

Frequency

To see improvements in firming the breast area, three chest workouts a week is ideal. Perform two to three sets of eight to 20 reps for toning the chest, as recommended in "A Guide to Personal Fitness Training."