The following details my primary chest, shoulder and triceps workout from this past Monday night at Kirkland Gold’s Gym. The workout was programmed by my coach, John Meadows, and I was training alone. Here is the workout...
Cable Chest Press
I used a Life Fitness Cable Chest Press for this exercise so I could press with a neutral hand position. Weight listed is per each side - FYI.
Set 1 x 8 reps with 60lbs
Set 2 x 8 reps with 75lbs
Set 3 x 8 reps with 90lbs
Set 4 x 8 reps with 105lbs
Set 5 x 8 reps with 120lbs
Set 6 x 8 reps with 135lbs
*Work your way up doing sets of 8 until you can barely get 8, using a neutral grip on these (palms facing each other). Really flex lower pecs hard on every rep. I counted this as 3 total work sets.
Superset: Incline Dumbbell Fly & HBT Incline Barbell Press
I used this band to hang 25lbs off each end of the bar: https://www.elitefts.com/shop/bars-weights/bands/pro-mini-resistance-band.html.
Incline Dumbbell Fly x 10 reps with 50lbs
Immediately followed by…
HBT Incline Barbell Press x 6 reps with 185lbs (50lbs HBT)
*Perform the Dumbbell Flyes like last week using a pronated hand position and then move immediately to Incline Barbell Press utilizing the hanging band technique (HBT) using a weight in which you can drive up explosively. Do 4 rounds for a total of 8 total working sets.
Superset: Cable Crossover & Dips
Cable Crossover x 10 reps with 70lbs
Immediately followed by…
Dips x failure (6-10 reps) with bodyweight
*The key on the crossovers is to emphasize the lower pecs and hold the contraction for a 1 second count before immediately moving to Dips to failure. On the Dips use a slow rep tempo and work the stretch at the bottom. Do 4 rounds for a total of 8 working sets.
Dumbbell Side Laterals
Set 1 x 8 reps with 35lbs
Set 2 x 8 reps with 40lbs
Set 3 x 8 reps with 45lbs
Set 4 x 8 reps with 50lbs -> drop to 35lbs x 8 reps -> drop to 25lbs x reps
*Perform sets of 8 reps going up in weight until you hit a weight in which you barely get 8 reps. At that point do a drop twice performing 8 reps on each drop.
Incline Rear Laterals
Set 1 x 10 full + 10 partial reps with 40lbs
Set 2 x 10 full + 10 partial reps with 40lbs
Set 3 x 10 full + 10 partial reps with 40lbs
Set 4 x 10 full + 10 partial reps with 40lbs -> drop to 25lbs x 10 full reps -> drop to 15lbs x 10 full reps
*Lay face down on an incline bench to perform this exercise. Do sets of 10 full and 10 partial reps for 3 sets and then do a double drop utilizing just full range reps only on the drops.
Chin/Dip Assist Machine Pressdowns
Set 1 x 12 reps with 70lbs
Set 2 x 12 reps with 70lbs
Set 3 x 12 reps with 70lbs
Set 4 x 12 reps with 70lbs -> drop to 60lbs x 12 reps -> drop to 50lbs x 12 reps
*I feel these best when I flare my elbows and hold the contraction for a 1-2 second count in the contracted position. My triceps literally feel like they are cramping which is one of the reasons I like this exercise so well - the intense contraction. Finish off the exercise with a drop set.
D Handle Extensions
Set 1 x 10 reps with 50lbs
Set 2 x 7 reps with 50lbs
Set 3 x 6 reps with 50lbs
Set 4 x 5 reps with 50lbs
*The key here is to keep your hand supinated (palm facing up) and really flex hard in the contracted position when extending your hand down. I alternated back-and-forth between arms with no rest, hence the reason my reps dropped. Stretch each triceps for 30 seconds at the end of this.
That concluded this primary chest, shoulder and triceps workout.
Train hard!
Mark
Annihilation Wave, but I mix things up sometimes and throw in my own modifications.
All the best!
Mark