According to MayoClinic.com, sagging breasts occur with aging as breast ligaments stretch and skin loses its elasticity. Smoking, weight gain, pregnancy and breast-feeding can also result in drooping breasts. Targeted chest exercises can lift and firm your breasts, creating a more youthful appearance.
Push-Ups on Knees
To lift your breasts and create the illusion of cleavage, perform modified push-ups on your knees. Kneel all fours on an exercise mat. Raise your feet and shins so that you balance on your hands and knees. Keeping a straight back, contract your abdominal muscles and slowly bend your elbows as you lower your chest toward the mat. Now slowly straighten your elbows as you press up. Complete 15 repetitions.
Chest Press
The chest press firms and tones your outer chest muscles. Hhold a dumbbell in each hand. Lie on the floor with a pillow placed under your upper back. Keep your feet flat on the floor and bend your knees. Extend your arms straight out to your side, then bend your arms at the elbows to create a 90-degree angle. Press your back into the pillow and tighten your abs. Exhale as you press the dumbbells straight up, then inhale as you lower the weights. Perform 15 repetitions.
Cat-Camel
The American Council on Exercise recommends the cat-camel to firm and strengthen your chest muscles as well as your back muscles. Kneel on all fours on an exercise mat. Place your feet hip-width apart, your heels pointing up and toes pointing down. Straighten your back and tighten your abs. Now exhale, drop your head to your chest and draw your belly button in, causing your back to arch like a cat. Hold the position for 10 to 15 seconds. Return to the start position and complete 10 more repetitions.
Stability Ball Chest Fly
Enhance the appearance of cleavage as you firm the sides of your chest and lift your breasts with the stability ball chest fly. Lie with your upper back on a stability ball, your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and your feet flat on the floor. Holding dumbbells in each hand, extend your arms above your chest and straight up. Face the palms of your hands toward each other and slowly lower your arms out sideways until your elbows dip just below shoulder level. Using your chest muscles, raise the weights back up. Perform 10 repetitions.
References
- "Shrink Your Female Fat Zones"; Denise Austin; 2003
- American Council on Exercise: Cat-Camel
- "Stretching for 50+"; Karl Knopf, M.D.; 2004
- BreastTalk.co.uk: Chest Fly
- MayoClinic.com: Sagging Breasts
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