This workout focuses on a push routine designed to maximize chest, shoulder, and tricep muscle growth. It emphasizes varying exercises, sets, and reps for optimal gains, unlike traditional routines that repeat the same workout twice a week. This approach aligns with the principles of Daily Undulating Periodization (DUP), which research suggests leads to better results by varying training stimuli.
The workout begins with a vertical press, prioritizing shoulder development with the overhead press. Four sets of six to eight reps are recommended. While dumbbell variations may offer higher activation, the barbell overhead press provides a stable platform for progressive overload, crucial for strength gains. A weightlifting belt is recommended to enhance core stability and force transfer, enabling heavier lifts and greater shoulder stimulation. Proper footwear is also essential for a solid base during the lift. Focus on proper form: glutes engaged, hips under the bar, and a straight vertical bar path.
The next exercise is the close-grip bench press, performed for three sets of eight to ten reps. This differs from the previous workout’s wider-grip bench press, focusing on controlled movement and a moderate arch for a fuller range of motion, which may be beneficial for hypertrophy. Research suggests a close grip activates the upper chest more effectively than a wide grip. If your upper chest is lagging, incorporating a shoulder-width grip at least once a week can help address this imbalance. Prioritize weak points by performing exercises targeting them earlier in your workout.
Following the close-grip bench press is the incline dumbbell fly, performed for three sets of ten to twelve reps. While not strictly necessary for chest development, this exercise offers valuable isolation volume, especially if your chest lags. While cable flies offer a consistent resistance curve, dumbbell flies provide a unique weighted stretch at the bottom of the movement, potentially contributing to hypertrophy. Although research suggests a 45-degree incline may be optimal for upper chest activation, a flat variation can also be effective. Ultimately, prioritize the angle that provides the best mind-muscle connection, a factor gaining increasing scientific support for muscle growth.
The workout then shifts to a superset combining the rope upright row and banded lateral raises, focusing on side deltoid development. The aim is to target the side delts with significant volume in a short time, using two different loading patterns. The upright row, while potentially causing shoulder impingement, effectively targets the middle deltoid in an open-chain movement. Mitigate risk by keeping elbows below shoulder height. Focus on initiating the row by driving the elbows outward, emphasizing shoulder abduction rather than upward pulling, which primarily targets traps and biceps. A wider grip enhances lateral deltoid activation. The superset includes banded lateral raises for metabolic stress and provides a different resistance curve than cables, with tension increasing towards the top of the movement. While cable lateral raises may be biomechanically superior, varying resistance curves throughout the week can benefit overall development.
For triceps, the workout includes the one-arm tricep overhead extension. While previous exercises emphasized the lateral head, this movement targets the long head, crucial for overall triceps mass. Performing the exercise unilaterally helps prevent imbalances. Gripping the working shoulder with the opposite hand enhances stability and isolation. One isolation triceps exercise per push day should suffice, unless triceps are a lagging area.
The workout concludes with medicine ball push-ups, performed to an RPE of 8. This finisher targets chest, shoulders, and triceps, utilizing an unstable base of support shown to increase triceps activity. Aim for 20-30 controlled repetitions, progressively increasing reps week to week. This challenging bodyweight exercise adds a functional element to the routine.
