The following details my chest, shoulder and triceps workout from this past Wednesday evening. I trained at Kirkland Gold's Gym with Christina. Here is what we did...
Smith Bench Press
Do a couple warm-up sets as needed - FYI.
Set 1 x 10 reps with 245lb
Set 2 x 8 reps with 275lbs
Set 3 x 6 reps with 295lbs
Set 4 x 4 reps with 315lbs -> drop to 185lbs x 16 reps (failure)
*I paused the bar for a split second on my chest before driving it up to ¾ lock-out. I went up one last time in weight from last week’s workout for a set of 4 reps and immediately did a dropset and went to failure. Rest breaks were about 45 seconds between all sets.
Dumbbell Incline
I was warm from the previous exercise so I jumped right in going back to a 7x7 protocol - FYI.
Dumbbell Incline Press x 7 sets of 7 reps with 85lbs
*Press to ¾ lockout and be careful not to allow your elbows to go back too far and strain your shoulder. Think continuous tension. Rest periods were 15-20 seconds between all sets.
Machine Flyes
Machine Flyes x 5 sets of 5 reps with 205lbs
*Go a little heavier than normal here, but use perfect form and lower reps. Hold the peak contraction for a split second on every rep. I rested just long enough for Christina to do her set.
Giant Set Circuit: Dumbbell Rear Laterals & Side Laterals & Standing Smith Shoulder Press
Rear Laterals x 20 reps with 25lbs
Immediately followed by…
Side Laterals x 10 reps with 15lbs
Immediately followed by...
Standing Smith Shoulder Press x 10 reps with 25lb plates
Immediately repeat…
*The key on the rear laterals is to do them lying face down on an incline utility bench. Get full range reps hinging at the shoulder joint. Immediately move to side laterals for perfect form. I went really light and did a 3 second concentric and 3 second eccentric on every rep. Do this and you’ll kill any momentum and really target the lateral head. On the shoulder presses bring the bar down to about chin level and then press back up, locking out briefly and tucking your head under the bar. Continue the circuit non-stop until you’ve done each exercise 4 times. Pump will be insane!
Gridiron Bar Triceps Extensions
This is a simple way to quickly destroy your triceps that mimics blood flow restriction because the muscle is continuously under tension. Here is the bar I used: https://www.elitefts.com/american-gridiron-bar.html.
Gridiron Bar Extensions x 8 sets of 8 reps with bar only
*Lay on an incline utility bench and do behind the head extensions. The weight will feel light on the first round, but the pump and burn will catch up to you by the 4th. The main difference here on my 8x8 is the rest periods are very short and I put my triceps under a loaded stretch during the rest.
Here is a video:
[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d9z_Y6FCcg]
That concluded this chest, shoulder and triceps workout.
Train hard!
Mark