Women often shy away from chest exercises, thinking they will cause unwanted bulk. However there are many benefits to working your chest, and you can maintain lean muscle while doing so. Whether you’re prepping for a long-awaited date or just gearing up for the season of strapless, don’t wait to score a perkier chest.

This workout will create greater muscle recruitment, which results in a greater caloric expenditure post-workout, plus each move will help keep you strong for everyday activities, like putting a box of winter clothes up on a high shelf for storage. Pull out the camis and strut your stuff with confidence.

How It Works
For each exercise, complete as many repetitions as possible in 60 seconds. Do not rest between moves.

You’ll Need
A small towel and a wooden or slick floor.

1. Perky Press-Outs: Begin on all fours, arms straight and shoulder-width apart, both hands resting firmly on a towel. Slowly lower your body while simultaneously pressing your hands and the towel forward as far as possible, being sure to keep your body in a straight line from head to knees. Retract and repeat.
Coach’s tip: To ensure proper FORM throughout this move, engage your core while focusing on keeping your body in a straight line, not on how far you can push the towel.

2. 2-Piece Slide-Outs (Right Side): Begin on all fours, arms straight and shoulder-width apart, right hand resting firmly on a towel. Slowly lower your body while simultaneously pressing your right hand out to the side, being sure to keep your body in a straight line from head to knees. Retract and repeat.
Coach’s tip: Slide the towel out slightly in the beginning and concentrate on FORM, as this exercise works the body at different angles.

3. 2-Piece Slide-Outs (Left Side): Repeat exercise using left hand.
Coach’s Tip: Pretend that someone has snuck up behind you and scared you. This will help to keep your stomach solid and back flat.

4. Wax On, Wax Off (Right Side): Begin in a traditional pushup position with legs fully extended and arms placed directly under shoulders. Place the towel under right hand. In one explosive motion, begin circling right hand counter-clockwise for 30 seconds. Then switch to clockwise for the remaining 30 seconds.
Coach’s tip: Concentrate on contracting and squeezing your pectoral muscle as hard as possible to ensure the maximum number of muscle fibers is recruited—thus burning more calories even after you’ve finished the move.

5. Wax On, Wax Off (Left Side): Repeat exercise using left hand.
Coach’s tip: Even though this move focuses on your chest, it is a total-body exercise. So don’t forget to engage your legs, shoulders, and arms. Squeeze, squeeze, and say good-bye to the cheese!

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