7 Moves for a Rockin' Rack
Toning and tightening your chest muscles will create a firm foundation for a better bust line. By [...]
Toning and tightening your chest muscles will create a firm foundation for a better bust line. By strengthening the pecs, shoulders, biceps and triceps, you can have a very cost-effective boob lift. You'll need a stability ball, a pair of dumbbells and a pair of gliders or paper plates. To begin, try each move 10 times. Be sure to warm up the shoulders with arm circles, threading the needle and a few wall pushups.
V-Slide:
Start in a pushup position, hands directly under shoulders, resting on paper or plastic plates (for carpet) or washcloths (on wood or linoleum) as gliders. Keeping arms straight, slowly slide them out in front of you in a V shape to lower your chest toward the floor. Hover above the floor if possible, then rest on the floor. Bend arms to slide hands under shoulders and push up to restart. These can be done on your knees — just keep your toes on the ground, too.
prevnextSide Plank with Arm Extension:
In a side hover, stack your legs and hips, and keep your shoulders directly over your elbow, which is in a forearm plank. Raise the dumbbell directly over your shoulder. Try not to let the arm go behind the line of your body. The elbow should be soft, not locked. As you lower it down, keep your arm straight until begins to pass the chest, then bend the elbow. The abdominals should be braced the entire time. For a modification, rest the bottom knee on the floor. If you choose this option, be mindful of your hips as they tend to sag down or hinge backward.
prevnextChest Press & Fly:
Sit down on a stability ball and slowly walk your feet out as your recline. Your shoulders and head should be the only body parts touching the ball. Dumbbells are held directly above the chest with palms toward each other. Open your arms wide, lowering the weights out to the sides until your upper arms are nearly parallel to the floor. You must keep your elbows slightly bent so the work stays in the chest instead of moving into the shoulder. Reverse the move to return to start.
prevnextPushup with Tricep Extension:
Grab a pair of dumbbells and get into your plank position with your shoulders over your hands. Perform a pushup. On your way up, pull one of the dumbbells up toward your chest, elbow bent against the ribcage. Try to graze your left side when you "row" the dumbbell back, straightening your elbow. This is your tricep extension. Bend the arm back and place the dumbbell on the floor. That is one rep. Perform another push up and repeat the row and extension on the opposite arm.
prevnextDiamond Pushup:
Start in plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your body in one straight line. You can be on your toes or knees. For better balance your can keep your knees or feet at hip-width distance. Eventually, try to get your feet and knees together, squeezing through the inner thighs for best results. Place your hands together, directly under your sternum, with the tips of your index fingers and thumbs touching. Your fingers and thumbs should form a diamond or triangle shape. Bend your elbows out to the sides, and lower your chest toward the floor. Only go as far as you can so that you can successfully push yourself back up and repeat it. Exhale to straighten your arms. That counts as one rep.
prevnextStability Ball Reverse Fly:
Kneel in front of the ball and lean forward to rest your core on it. Straighten your knees, so that your core and waistline are resting on the ball. Hold dumbbells out to either side with elbows slightly bent. Drop the dumbbells slowly toward the floor. Exhale as you raise your arms back to the starting position. As you go, it might feel heavy, so be sure you're raising the weights to shoulder height.
prevnextPyramid Pulse:
You can sit on the ground for this move or challenge your balance on a stability ball. Clasp your hands together about 6 inches from your forehead with a squishy ball between your elbows. Begin to pulse upward. Don't let your arms dip below the 90-degree point. Abs stay engaged by pulling the belly button in toward the spine. Keep that tummy tucked in and your back elongated. Add a weight in between your elbows for another degree of difficulty.
prev