The following details my primary chest, shoulder and triceps workout from Monday night at Kirkland Gold’s Gym. The workout was loosely based on a program by John Meadows. I trained alongside my bride and here is what we did…
Incline Dumbbell Press
I used a very slight incline – FYI.
Set 1 x 8 reps with 70lbs
Set 2 x 8 reps with 80lbs
Set 3 x 8 reps with 90lbs
Set 4 x 8 reps with 100lbs
Set 5 x 8 reps with 110lbs
Set 6 x 8 reps with 120lbs
*I simply placed a couple 45lb plates under one end of the utility bench for this exercise. Press to ¾ lockout and keep going up in weight until you nearly fail to 8 reps. I counted this as 4 working sets.
Floor Press
Set 1 x 12 reps with 225lbs
Set 2 x 10 reps with 255lbs
Set 3 x 8 reps with 275lbs
Set 4 x 6 reps with 295lbs
*Today I increased weight while reducing reps. Pause the weight at the bottom before forcefully contracting your pecs and driving the weight up.
Machine Cable Press
The machine I used had unilateral cables so weight listed is per each side – FYI.
Set 1 x 10 reps with 90lbs
Set 2 x 10 reps with 90lbs
Set 3 x 10 reps with 90lbs
Set 4 x 10 reps with 90lbs
*The idea here is to get a good stretch at the bottom and to use a semi-neutral hand position.
Here is a video to give you a better idea of the machine and form I used:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2i_LIR4_LA]
Dips
Set 1 x 12 reps (failure) with bodyweight
Set 2 x 8 reps (failure) with bodyweight
Set 3 x 7 reps (failure) with bodyweight
*Sink deep into the stretch position while controlling the eccentric portion of the movement. Go to failure on each of your 3 working sets.
Cable Rear Lateral
Set 1 x 20 reps with 20lbs
Set 2 x 20 reps with 20lbs
Set 3 x 20 reps with 20lbs
Set 4 x 20 reps with 20lbs
Set 5 x 20 reps with 20lbs
Set 6 x 20 reps with 20lbs
*The key here is to set the cable pulley in a cable cross-over about shoulder height. Grab opposite sides with your arms crossed in front and perform these for rear delts similar to a rear delt machine by keeping your elbows in a semi-locked position the entire time. Christina and I took short rest breaks; just long enough for her or I to knock out 20 reps and then we switched for a total of 6 working sets each.
Banded Leaning Away or Side Laterals
This is the band I used here: https://www.elitefts.com/pro-micro-resistance-band.html.
Set 1 x 15 reps with 12lbs + band
Set 2 x 15 reps with 12lbs + band
Set 3 x 15 reps with 12lbs + band
Set 4 x 15 reps with 12lbs + band
*Find something that you can hold on to while leaning away. Strap the band to the bottom of whatever you’re holding or simply step on the band. Grab the other end along with the dumbbell and perform side laterals.
Here is a video to show how I set this up:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL6_QLFUQDA]
Triceps Triset: Band Isohold & Rope Pushdowns & Overhead Extensions
I used this band for the isohold: https://www.elitefts.com/pro-light-resistance-band.html.
Band Isohold x 30 seconds
Immediately followed by…
Rope Pushdowns x 8 reps with 120lbs
Immediately followed by…
Rope Overhead Extensions x 8 reps with 120lbs
*Your triceps should already be fatigued from the previous pressing movements. Start with a 30 second isohold to really fill the triceps with even more blood before moving to rope pushdowns and extensions for 8 reps respectively. Perform this tri-set for a total of 4 rounds.
Here is a video:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjT8vSygJVM]
That concluded this primary chest, shoulder and triceps workout.
Train hard!
Mark