If you think weightlifting exercises can make your breasts bigger, your expectations may be more rooted in fantasy than reality. As you age, various factors, such as pregnancy, gravity and weight fluctuations, can affect the elasticity and appearance of your breasts. Although breast augmentation might seem tempting, don't give up on exercise -- it might not bump up your cup size, but it can enhance your breasts in other noticeable ways.
Effect of Lifting Weights
Lifting weights increases muscle tissue, which speeds up your metabolism so you lose fat. It won't increase the size of your breasts, because they consist mainly of fatty tissue. Unlike muscle tissue, you can't tone and firm fat. What you can do is target the pectoral muscles underneath the fatty tissue. By working your pecs, the circumference of your chest will increase slightly and your breasts pushed a bit forward. Over time, this can make your cleavage seem fuller.
Weightlifting Exercises
You can do bench exercises or use various apparatus to target your chest muscles. Bench presses are an effective chest exercise during which you lie face up on a bench and press a barbell or dumbbells straight up above your chest. Dumbbell flyes are also effective. This exercise is done lying face up on a bench while holding two dumbbells above your chest with your palms facing each other. With an arc-like motion, open and close your arms to stretch and contract your chest. Various gym machines allow you to replicate these movements while in a seated position.
What Else You Can Do
In addition to weightlifting, a well-fitting, support bra can make a big difference, especially if it has built-in pads that push your breasts up, creating the illusion of bigger breasts. Good posture is also essential. Walking or sitting with your shoulders slouched forward does nothing for your appearance. Practice standing and sitting upright with your shoulders pulled back. It can make you look slimmer and make your breasts seem larger. Include rowing exercises, such as bent-over dumbbell or barbell rows, in your workout as these strengthen your back and improve your posture.
Considerations
To give the illusion of bigger breasts, target your mid-chest area and your upper chest when exercising. To emphasize the middle of your chest, use a flat bench when doing presses and flyes, or set the bench at an incline to target your upper chest. Start with one or two sets of eight to 12 repetitions, and as you get stronger, aim to do three sets and slowly increase the weight. Always use enough weight so the last repetition of each exercise is hard to complete.
References
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons: Breast Lift Surgery
- Taking Care of Your Girls; Marisa C. Weiss, M.D. and Isabel Friedman
- ExRx.net: Chest Exercises For Women
- The Kinsey Institute New Report On Sex; June M. Reinisch and Ruth Beasley
- American Council on Exercise: ACE-Sponsored Research: Top 3 Most Effective Chest Exercises
- Your Best Bust: In Minutes a Day; Cynthia Targosz
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: How Much Physical Activity Do Adults Need?
Writer Bio
Kimberly Caines is a well traveled model, writer and licensed physical fitness trainer who was first published in 1997. Her work has appeared in the Dutch newspaper "De Overschiese Krant" and on various websites. Caines holds a degree in journalism from Mercurius College in Holland and is writing her first novel.