The improved muscle mass will give your chest area a firm and lifted appearance when you exercise your chest. You can do many chest exercises at home, making it easy to exercise with nothing more than a little bit of motivation. Some chest exercises require essential exercise equipment, but many don’t need anything more than enough space to move around.
A sagging chest occurs as you age because collagen production decreases. Add breastfeeding, pregnancy, or hormonal imbalance to the mix, making the sagging worse. A change in breast size due to weight loss can also cause your chest to sag.
Luckily, many exercises target that area of your body and can help you feel better. Chest exercises help you feel better about your appearance, but you will also have better posture. With improved posture, you will experience less back and neck pain.
These chest exercises focus on the pectoralis major and minor, which are the main muscles in your chest. The workouts also target Cooper’s ligaments, which are present in women and help with breast support.
10 Chest Exercises to Lift and Firm a Saggy Chest
With chest exercises that target these areas, you will surely experience a natural lift and firmness in your chest.
1. Dumbbell Squeeze Press
This effective chest exercise helps strengthen your pecs and other upper body muscles, including deltoids and triceps. It doesn’t require much movement from the shoulder joint, which eases some of the pain you might experience with other exercises.
This exercise requires a dumbbell, but you can use a heavy book if you don’t have one. This workout is a relatively easy chest exercise that makes a huge difference when done correctly. You’ll get the desired results if you add it to your daily exercise routine.
2. Plank
There are a few ways to use planking to strengthen your chest muscles. Depending on your skill level and the areas you want to target, you can choose the best plank. Some planks require dumbbells while others don’t, which is another factor to remember.
Traveling Plank
A traveling plank strengthens your chest muscles while also enhancing your posture. As many muscles engage simultaneously for this exercise, your core will strengthen. You don’t need any equipment to do this exercise, making it an even better choice.
The Up and Down Plank
This plank is another great way to strengthen your chest and core simultaneously. It is more challenging than other versions, so it isn’t for everyone. If you can do it, though, it is highly recommended.
Dumbbell Plank Rotation
The dumbbell plank rotation targets your chest and other upper body muscles while also working your waist. It helps lift and firm a saggy chest, improves posture, and enhances motor coordination and flexibility. However, you will need dumbbells for this plank.
3. Chest Flys
A few variations for the chest fly work to lift and firm a saggy chest. Depending on your chosen method, you can do it with dumbbells or a closed-loop resistance band. The methods are all very similar, so first, familiarize yourself with the fundamental way.
No matter how you decide to do it, the chest fly exercise targets your pectoral muscles, shoulders, and triceps. Chest flies lift and firm your chest area and stimulate blood flow in your chest space, too. It opens up your chest and eases uncomfortable tension.
4. Wide to Close Push-Up
This type of push-up combines wide and close push-ups, creating the perfect exercise for lifting and firming a saggy chest. The wide-to-close push-up targets your chest muscles while strengthening your shoulders and core. You start in a push-up position, but the rest of the process might be new to you.
If you have never done it, you might want to try it on an incline first. Or, if you need more of a challenge, you can do it from a push-up position while on your feet. Begin with the regular version of the wide to close push-up before switching it up.
5. The Cobra Pose
This yoga pose is a chest exercise that opens your chest while lifting and firming. It also enhances the mobility of your spine, making it easier to stand straight and tall. Your chest will look even more firm and tight by standing with a good posture.
The cobra pose is similar to a push-up, but you will arch your back and keep your legs on the floor. If you need to make this yoga pose easier, you can do it on your knees instead.
6. Chest Press with Dumbbells
The dumbbell chest press will help strengthen, firm, and lift a saggy chest. You can do this exercise on the floor, bench, or even on a stability ball. Two dumbbells are required, so make sure you have a few handy before you begin.
If you have an exercise bench, you can also try the inclined version of this exercise. It helps with strengthening your muscles evenly on both sides of your body. You will experience firmness in your chest and help you keep your shoulders back instead of slouching forward.
7. Camel Pose
This yoga pose is often overlooked as being a beneficial way to lift and firm a saggy chest. However, it stretches and opens up your chest area, naturally enhancing your chest muscles. It also targets your stomach and quadriceps, making it beneficial.
The camel yoga pose is similar to a backbend and requires shoulder flexibility and arm strength. It extends your backbone, improving mobility while firming and lifting your chest. Plus, as you make this pose part of your daily routine, your posture will improve immensely, too.
8. Dumbbell Pullover
This chest exercise trains the chest and back muscles simultaneously, lifting and firming all the way around. Doing this exercise, your chest will open as your spine lengthens and stabilizes. Once that happens, you will notice that your chest area seems to have lifted.
The dumbbell pullover will strengthen the muscles on both sides equally, allowing everything to look proportionate. This exercise is essential for people working with their arms out in front of them daily. As they work with their arms out, their chest closes, and their shoulders and back round forward, making the chest sag more.
However, with this exercise, the chest will open back up. Once it is open, you can keep your shoulders back, naturally lifting your chest.
9. Side Arm Lift
The sidearm lift exercise targets your pectoralis major and your deltoids simultaneously. It will also improve blood circulation to your chest. With increased circulation, your chest area will quickly appear firmer. The muscle tissue will enhance on both sides equally, too.
When you do the sidearm lift exercise, you can do it without any equipment. To make the workout a little better, you can also use dumbbells. This exercise is easy to do anywhere, making it perfect for when you are traveling.
10. Isometric Chest Exercise
Isometric exercises don’t require movement like most other exercises. Instead, they involve contracting all of your muscles in the targeted area and holding it for an extended time.
Your strength and skill level will determine how long you hold it each time. Remember that you can increase the length of time as you become more comfortable.
You can do an isometric exercise on any body part, but targeting your chest can help lift and firm this area. This exercise requires no equipment and is easier than other chest exercises.
If you have never done an isometric exercise, it is easy to learn and implement into your daily routine. It immediately stimulates your muscle tissue, improving stability and firming the area.
Final Thought on How Performing Chest Exercises Can Help to Lift and Firm a Saggy Chest
While you can’t stop the aging process, you can slow it down and reduce the appearance of a saggy chest. Using chest exercises to lift and firm will help hide some of the damage that has already happened. Plus, strengthening the muscles will prevent additional sagging in that area.
As you improve your muscle mass and posture, you will notice a significant change in your physique. Your chest will seem lifted and firmer, and you will feel less tension and discomfort. Plus, your self-confidence will increase, another bonus that can’t be ignored.
You don’t have to implement all of these chest exercises in your routine immediately. Try one or two at a time and decide whether to use it regularly. Some workouts will be better for you than others, so determine what you are comfortable with.
