15 Chest Exercises Every Woman Should Know How to Do

Updated on 6/16/2018 at 7:25 PM

POPSUGAR Studios

Create strength, get better posture, and even give yourself a little "oomph" up top: these 15 chest exercises for women are simple yet very challenging. You'll be sore in all the right places, and you don't even need a gym to give yourself a great workout.

Basic Push-Up

Start in a plank position with your arms and legs straight, shoulders above your wrists.
Take a breath in, and as you exhale, bend your elbows out to the sides and lower your chest toward the ground. Stop as soon as your shoulders are in line with your elbows. Inhale to straighten the arms. This counts as one rep.
If this is too difficult, do this exercise with your knees on the floor.
Do five to 20 reps.

Negative Push-Up

Start in a plank position with your arms and legs straight, shoulders above the wrists, core engaged.
Take a breath in, and as you exhale, slowly bend your elbows, lowering your entire body to the floor for a six- to eight-second count. This counts as one rep.
Do five to 20 reps.
When lowering to the ground, do your best not to collapse, making sure your entire body touches the floor at the same time. If it's too hard to maintain the exercise for six to eight seconds, start with a four- to six-second count.

Asymmetrical Push-Up

Begin in a plank, and then lower your left elbow to the ground, with your forearm crossing under your chest. From this position, bend your right elbow, lowering your body to the mat. Use your abs to keep your torso in one piece as you come to the floor.
Exhale as you straighten your right elbow to return to the starting position. This completes one rep.
Do five to 10 reps on each side.

Up-Down Plank

Begin in a full plank. Lower your right elbow to the mat and then your left, coming into an elbow plank.
Put your right hand on the mat and straighten your right elbow. Do the same on the left to return to a full plank.
Complete three to five reps on each side.

One-Arm Med-Ball Push-Up

Start in a plank position with your left hand on a medicine ball.
Keeping your torso square to the floor, perform a push-up by bending and straightening both arms. If a traditional push-up is too challenging, lower your knees to the floor.
Start with five reps on the first side, then move the med ball to the other hand.

Lateral Plank Walk

Begin in plank position with your hands underneath your shoulders and your body in one straight line.
Simultaneously cross your right hand toward the left as you step your left foot out to the left. Then simultaneously step your left hand and right foot to the left, returning to the plank position. Your hands move together as your feet step apart. Take two more steps in this direction, keeping your abs pulled toward your spine and your pelvis level. This completes one rep.
Reverse directions, taking three steps to the right.
Do 12 reps total to complete one set.
Bonus: this exercise is great for toning the shoulders and works the core, too.

Side-to-Side BOSU Push-Ups

Place a BOSU on the floor, flat side down. Come into plank position with both hands on top of the BOSU.
Step the left hand onto the floor and lower into a push-up. As you straighten your arms, bring your left hand back onto the BOSU.
Repeat on the other side, placing the right hand onto the floor as you lower into a push-up; return the right hand onto the BOSU while straightening your arms.
This counts as one rep.
Do five to 10 reps.

Single-Arm Chest Press

Working the arms independently makes the core work to stabilize your torso while you work your chest.

Lie on your back with your heels about a foot away from your butt. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand and bring both hands to the ceiling.
Bend your left elbow, lowering your upper arm to the floor. Exhale and straighten your elbow, pressing the weight back to the ceiling to complete a rep.
Do five to 10 reps on each side.

Bridge With Chest Press

Start on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip distance apart, holding weights by your chest.
Squeeze your glutes as you push your pelvis toward the ceiling, coming into a bridge. Keep your ribs aligned with your pelvis.
Holding the bridge, press the weights to the ceiling, directly above your shoulders, for a total of 12 reps.
Lower your pelvis down to the mat to compete the set.
Bonus: This position tones your butt too.

Lying Chest Fly

Lie on your back with your hips and knees both at 90-degree angles. Using your low abs, press your lower back into the mat. Raise your arms toward the ceiling, palms facing each other, keeping the elbow joint slightly bent.
Keeping your torso stable, open your arms out to the sides until your elbows are about two inches from the floor.
Raise your arms back to the ceiling, bringing the weights together over your chest. This counts as one rep.
Do 10 to 20 reps.
Bonus: this position works your abs too, but if keeping your legs up in table-top position hurts your lower back, bring your feet down to the mat.

V-Sit With Single-Arm Chest Fly

Begin sitting with your heels planted about two feet from your butt, holding the weights at chest level with a slight bend in your elbows. Lean back a few inches, pulling your abs toward your spine to keep your spine long and straight.
The left arm remains still as you open your right arm to the side, making sure the weight doesn't go beyond your shoulder.
Bring your right arm back to center to complete one rep.
Do 10 to 20 reps.

Bent-Over Reverse Fly

Holding a dumbbell in each hand with your closed palms facing out, stand with the knees slightly bent. Keep your back flat and bend forward at the hip joint.
Lift both arms to the sides, maintaining a slight bend in the elbows, and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Then, with control, lower the dumbbells back together.
This completes one rep.
Do 10 to 20 reps.
Bonus: this exercise strengthens your upper back to improve your posture.

Standing Reverse Fly With Exercise Band

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, keeping a slight bend in the knees. With straight arms, hold the exercise band in front of you with your hands slightly lower than your shoulders. Keep your elbows slightly soft to avoid hyperextending the joint.
On an exhale, pull abs to spine to stabilize your torso as you open your arms out to the sides, focusing on the shoulder blades sliding together. Inhale as you slowly return your arms back to starting position.
It's easy to arch your spine and push your rib cage forward when opening your arms, so really focus on the abs keeping the spine stable. Imagine yourself growing taller as you open your arms, to reinforce good posture.
Do 20 reps.

Burpee

Lower into a crouching squat with your hands on the floor.
Do a squat thrust by jumping your feet back into a plank position.
Do one basic push-up, bending the elbows and then straightening back to plank.
Jump the feet forward to the hands and come into a squat.
Do an explosive jump straight up, getting as much height as you can.
Complete 10 burpees.

Kneeling Chest Stretch

Begin sitting on your heels. Lean back and place your palms flat on the floor, about eight to 10 inches behind you, with your fingertips pointing away from your body.
Press your hands firmly into the ground to lift the chest high, arching your back. To increase the stretch, lower your head behind you, stretching through your throat and the front of your chest even more.
Hold for 30 seconds.