The Battle of the Bulge didn’t just take place during World War II; when it comes to wearing bras, many ladies are battling the bulge every day. No matter your size, bra bulge can happen for a number of reasons, including age, genetics, or just needing to burn off extra fat. The quickest fix to bra bulge is making sure you’re wearing the right size bra. Think of it like a pair of jeans. Squeeze into a pair too small for your frame, and you’re setting yourself up for a muffin top–be it made of rolls of fat or skin.
If the Bra Fits, You Must Not Quit
If the girls are supported properly and you’re still battling the bra bulge, it’s time to go on the defense–but without getting defensive, that is. Bra bulge is complicated in that it can make you feel as though all your efforts toward healthy habits aren’t working. However, the reality may be the area surrounding the chest, armpits, and upper back is one that just doesn’t get as much love in your workouts as say your booty or belly.
Exercises to Banish the Bra Bulge
While you can’t spot lose fat, you can do fat-burning exercises that target toning the tricky bra bulge area simultaneously. To get you started, try this circuit routine combining resistance training with a cardio workout. Complete as many reps (with good form!) as you can do in 60 seconds of each exercise without taking any breaks in between. When you complete one round, treat yourself to a two-minute rest period before starting again. Depending on your fitness level, aim to complete three to five rounds. If the workout feels too easy, increase the resistance. If it’s too hard, modify the movements.
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Blast multiple muscles of your upper body with dumbbell flyes. Dumbbell Flyes on a Stability Ball: To do, balance your upper body on an exercise ball with your feet planted on the ground. With a dumbbell in each hand, extend your arms above your chest with your palms facing together. Slowly lower your arms out to the side with your elbows slightly bent. With a strong core, return your hands to the starting position to complete one rep.
- Bent-Over Rows: Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart and a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in. Lean over from the waist at about a 45-degree angle and let your arms hang down below the shoulders. With softly bent knees, hold this position as you row the dumbbells up, focusing on pretending as though you can to touch your shoulder blades. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position to complete one rep.
- T-Raises: Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart and a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in. In a smooth motion, lift the dumbbells up and out to the side so that palms are facing down. Slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position to complete one rep.
- Push Up with Plank Twists: Set up on the floor in the top of a push-up position, where hands are below your shoulders and legs are straight (or bent on knees to decrease the intensity). Lower your body down to the floor and then straighten your arms to complete the push-up portion. At the top of this exercise in the plank position, lift one hand off the ground and raise it to the sky as you twist your upper body. Lower the hand to the floor and repeat the movements, alternating arms as you go.
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Send your bra bulge to boot camp with the military press. Stability Ball Military Press: Sit balanced on a stability ball with your feet planted on the ground and a dumbbell in each hand. To start, bring your arms out into a goal post position with both elbows at 90-degree angles and your palms facing forward. With a strong core, push the weights up and overhead to straight arms. Slowly lower back to the bent-arm position to complete one rep.
You don’t have to be bothered by bra bulge when you combine fat-burning exercises and resistance training. Work this program into your fitness routine and you’ll soon be saying, “goodbye, bra bulge!” What problem areas plague you? Share with us in the comments!
Carrie Anton is a freelance writer focusing on health, fitness, and sports. She's been published in Self, Women's Health, Oxygen, and Maximum Fitness.
