The following details my primary chest, shoulder and triceps workout from this past Saturday morning at Kirkland Gold’s Gym. I trained alongside my bride and was joined by my middle daughter who wanted to go look at cars afterward since she is now 16 and has her license...ugh! Here is what the workout included…
Incline Dumbbell Press
Set 1 x 12 reps with 60lbs
Set 2 x 12 reps with 70lbs
Set 3 x 12 reps with 80lbs
Set 4 x 12 reps with 90lbs
Set 5 x 12 reps with 100lbs -> drop to 80lbs x 6 reps -> drop to 60lbs x 6 reps
*The key here is to press to ¾ lockout. My left shoulder was bothering me a bit today so I didn’t get a super deep stretch at the bottom here. Work your way up in weight doing sets of 12. Finish with a drop set once you hit a weight where you know if you go up again you won’t get 12 reps.
Here is a video from my drop set:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w6IYm1yOks]
Incline Smith Press
Set 1 x 10 reps with 225lbs
Set 2 x 10 reps with 225lbs
Set 3 x 10 reps with 225lbs -> drop to 135lbs x failure
*Press to ¾ lockout doing sets of 10 reps. On your third set do a drop and go to failure. On the drop do full range reps flexing hard in the contracted position.
Banded Machine Press
I used this band a machine press: https://www.elitefts.com/pro-mini-resistance-band.html.
Set 1 x 6 reps with 170lbs + band
Set 2 x 6 reps with 170lbs + band
Set 3 x 6 reps with 170lbs + band
Set 4 x 6 reps with 170lbs + band
*On this exercise we are simply after an intense contraction. Add a band to whatever machine you have available and do full range reps. Don’t let your elbows go back beyond 90 degrees and stress your shoulder joint.
Flat Barbell Bench Press
Set 1 x 5 reps with 225lbs
Set 2 x 5 reps with 225lbs
Set 3 x 5 reps with 225lbs
*Full range of motion bench press. Start with a slightly narrow hand position, then medium and then slightly wider than normal. I was burnt out by this exercise so these were quite difficult.
Superset: Dumbbell Side Laterals & Barbell Isotension
Dumbbell Side Laterals x 10 reps with 25lbs
Immediately followed by…
Barbell Isotension x 30 seconds with standard barbell
*Ok, so I did this superset last week, but this week I add a twist. This was not part of John’s program, btw. Today I went non-stop for 4 rounds, 10 side laterals followed by the barbell isotension, back to side laterals, etc. Don’t quit until you’ve done this for 4 rounds. Your delts will be on fire!
This is a video from last week. Remember I only did 10 reps on the laterals and 30 seconds on the isohold, but went non-stop for 4 rounds.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCAMxDcEI8w]
Machine Rear Laterals
Set 1 x 15 reps with 130lbs
Set 2 x 15 reps with 130lbs
Set 3 x 15 reps with 130lbs
Set 4 x 15 reps with 130lbs
*Hold the contraction in the flexed position briefly on each set. The key is to only take 30 second rest breaks.
Dual Handle Push-downs
Set 1 x 8 reps with 80lbs
Set 2 x 8 reps with 80lbs
Set 3 x 8 reps with 80lbs
Set 4 x 8 reps with 80lbs
*The key here is to take short rest breaks - about 30 seconds between sets. Also, keep your palms in a pronate position (palms down) the entire time and spread the handles apart at the bottom while flexing as hard as possible for a 1 second count.
Lying Triceps Extensions
Set 1 x 10 reps with 70lbs
Set 2 x 10 reps with 70lbs
Set 3 x 10 reps with 70lbs
*I used an EZ curl bar and lowered it behind my head to get a good stretch at the bottom.
That concluded this primary chest, shoulder and triceps workout. Yes, we did get Lauren her first car afterward. It’s all electric to she can’t travel too far from home!
Train hard!
Mark