ALL LEVELS / upper-chest workout / 30 minutes
Equipment: Incline chest press machine, dumbbells, gym bench & cable station
We often think of training big muscle groups (like legs, back or chest) as if each one worked as a single unit. But inside those larger muscles are smaller, more specific areas that deserve their own attention. Take the chest, for example: it’s made of upper and lower portions, and different exercises target each one differently.
Today, we’re focusing on the upper portion with this upper-chest workout. It includes 4 exercises, each performed for 12 to 15 reps across 3 sets. Take 1 minute to rest between sets and exercises. The full session should take you around 30 minutes to complete.
- Incline chest press
- Incline dumbbell squeeze press
- Low to high cable fly
- Decline push-up
Let’s pump your upper chest!
WORKOUT SETUP
- 4 exercises
- 12 to 15 reps
- 3 sets
- 1 minute rest between rounds & reps
- 30 minutes
- Equipment: Incline chest press machine, dumbbells, gym bench & cable station
WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST
3 sets
1 – INCLINE CHEST PRESS
12 to 15 reps
- Lean back and press your feet actively onto the floor.
- Find a symmetrical grip that lets your forearms stand almost parallel to the floor in the starting position.
- Engage your core and press forward and up with as much as possible.
- Ensure your back stays in contact with the cushion behind you.
- Repeat.
2 – INCLINE DUMBBELL SQUEEZE PRESS
12 to 15 reps
- Lie back on an incline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand above your chest, palms facing each other.
- Press the dumbbells together so they’re touching. Keep that squeeze throughout the movement.
- Lower the weights slowly to just above your chest, maintaining tension between them.
- Push the dumbbells back up, continuing to press them together at the top.
- Focus on control and constant tension across your upper chest.
3 – LOW TO HIGH CABLE FLY
12 to 15 reps
- Set both pulleys on a cable crossover machine to the lowest position.
- Stand in the centre, holding a handle in each hand with palms facing forward.
- With a slight bend in your elbows, draw the cables upward and together in front of your chest in a sweeping arc.
- Pause for a second at the top and squeeze your chest.
- Slowly return to the starting position, keeping control of the movement throughout.
- Repeat.
4 – DECLINE PUSH-UP
12 to 15 reps
- Place your feet on a bench, and your hands on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Engage your core and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
- Lower your chest towards the floor until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
- Push through your palms to return to the starting position.
- Repeat.
Select your next workout following this upper-chest session:
- 20-min posterior-chain workout
- 15-min AMRAP barbell workout
- 30-min back strength workout
- 20-min EMOM dumbbell workout
- 15-min cardio workout
- 25-min full-body Halloween workout
- 15-min ladder challenge for strength
- 24-min AMRAP strength workout
- 15-min front-chain strength workout
- 25-min gluteus medius strength workout
- 12-min metabolic strength workout
- 20-min lat workout for strength
