How To Get Perkier Breasts Without Exercise

best chest exercises for women over 40

Dolly Renick/Model Susanna Kalnes

After a certain age, many women start to notice that some things—and two things in particular—start going south. A bit of breast sagging is, unfortunately, a fact of life, because the tissue that helps the girls hold their shape naturally changes as you get older: Ligaments stretch out, gravity takes its toll, and hormonal changes (especially once you're past menopause, around age 50) make breast tissue less dense.

But all is not lost. While breasts themselves don't contain muscle, there are musclesbehind them—and exercising them can make all the difference. The problem is that women often ignore chest muscles in their regular workout routines, says Susanna Kalnes a certified Master Trainer (she trains trainers!) based in San Francisco.

"I think women might feel like if they work their chest muscles they'll lose their breasts," says Kalnes, "but if you build those muscles you actually get a perkier bust!" Considering that you also naturally lose some muscle tone as you age, ignoring the chest muscles only leads to worse sagging, she says.

So what are you waiting for? Try doing these five exercises three times a week, with at least a day off in between. If you're not used to exercising these crucial chest muscles, don't be surprised if you're sore at the beginning, Kalnes says. Try to do 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps of each move using weights that feel heavy but that allow you to maintain good form throughout the exercise.

(The 21-day plan in Love Your Age is the life-changing reset every 40+ woman needs!)

1. Bench Press

Dolly Renick/Model Susanna Kalnes

Lie on your back on a bench, step, BOSU ball (like this one from amazon.com), or exercise ball with knees bent. With your knuckles facing up, push the dumbbells away, then bend your elbows to bring your arms down to your sides, allowing your elbows to dip slightly below your bench or ball. "Instead of thinking about lifting the weight, really focus on pushing, which will put more emphasis on your chest muscles than your arms," Kalnes says.

MORE: 8 Most Effective Exercises For Weight Loss

2. Chest Fly

Dolly Renick/Model Susanna Kalnes

Starting in the same position, bring your arms out to the side with a slight bend in the elbows, palms facing up. Squeeze the chest muscles together to lift the weights, bringing your arms toward each other to tap the weights together in front of you. "This will give you great cleavage," Kalnes says. ()

3. Straight Arm Pullover

Dolly Renick/Model Susanna Kalnes

While on your back, lower one dumbbell and grasp the other with both hands in front of you. With elbows locked, slowly lower your hands behind your head until your ears are between your biceps, then lift back up with the chest muscles. This is a challenging move, so use a lighter weight if this feels too difficult, says Kalnes.

MORE: 4 Foods That Burn Belly Fat

4. Incline Push-ups

Dolly Renick/Model Susanna Kalnes

Elevating your hands makes this riff on the classic push-up a little bit easier. Place your hands on a bench or step slightly further than shoulder-width apart to target the chest muscles instead of the triceps. Your legs should be straight behind you in plank position. Keep your core tight and lower your body down, then push back up.

Check out how to do the perfect push-up:

5. Renegade row

Dolly Renick/Model Susanna Kalnes

When you're exercising your front, don't neglect your back. "Working the upper back and chest at the same time will make the upper body more perky in general," Kalnes says. Place two dumbbells a little further than shoulder-width apart on the floor and grab on. Lift your body into plank position with your legs extra wide for balance. Bend your right elbow and pull the weight to your ribcage, balancing on your left hand. Lower the weight back down, then repeat with your left arm. This also works your core, Kalnes says. If it feels too challenging at first, you can start by balancing on your knees instead of your toes.

Sarah Klein Sarah Klein is a Boston-based writer, editor, and personal trainer currently with LIVESTRONG.com, and previously of Health.com, Prevention magazine, and The Huffington Post.

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